On the day of memory of St. Hypatius of Gangra, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy in the Peter and Paul Church in the city of Almaty

April 13, 2024 – Saturday of the 4th week of Lent; day of remembrance of the Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra, St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, wonderworker, and St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at the Peter and Paul Church in Almaty.

His Eminence was co-served by: dean of the parishes of Alma-Ata, rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral, mitered archpriest Valery Zakharov; rector of the Peter and Paul Church Archpriest Vladimir Shklyar, keymaster of the Peter and Paul Church Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, deputy keymaster of the Ascension Cathedral Priest Andrey Shklyar, head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), cleric of the Epiphany Church of the Southern capital Priest Ioann Serdobintsev, cleric of the Adrian-Natalievsky Church in the village of Otegen Bat yr priest Vyacheslav Sidorovsky, head of the administrative secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov, cleric of the Peter and Paul Church Hieromonk Isaac (Istelyev), Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon John Churkin, Deacon Konstantin Chupachenko, Deacon Sergius Slesarchuk.

The choir of the Peter and Paul Church sang under the direction of I.N. Korovina.

The Hierarch offered prayers for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

The sermon after the sacramental verse was delivered by Priest Georgy Sidorov.

At the end of the Liturgy, glorification of the honored saints took place, after which the archpastor pronounced a word of teaching.

For the upcoming holiday of Holy Easter, Metropolitan Alexander awarded the clergy of the Alma-Ata diocese with liturgical and hierarchical awards:

• cleric of the Epiphany Church of the Southern Capital, Priest John Serdobintsev - the right to wear a pectoral cross;

• cleric of the Adriano-Natalievsky Church in the village of Otegen Batyr Priest Vyacheslav Sidorovsky.

His Eminence sprinkled the believers with holy water.

“Lent is the time when, in the words of the apostle: “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber” (Rom. 13:11). We are called by the Church to wake up from sinful oblivion, to break out of the cycle of vanity and languor of the spirit (see Ecc. 1:14) and remember the true meaning of life, the purpose of human existence on earth, remember that “Our citizenship is in Heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Fasting is the time when we, overcoming selfishness and arrogance, again put the Lord at the center of our lives, building the only correct coordinate system of our existence. Fasting is the time of our return to the Heavenly Father through repentance and participation in the sacraments of the Church - Confession and Holy Communion. The feat of fasting includes intense prayer and diligence in visiting church. Another component of it will be careful reading and study of the word of God - the Holy Scriptures. Another important aspect is necessary in passing the field of Lent. In the words of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, “our limitation of ourselves in everything unnecessary, in everything superfluous, should bring benefit and joy to other people.” The Apostle Paul calls on us: “Put on... compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience... Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Col. 3:12,14). On these holy days, let us hasten, if possible, to share material resources with those in need, visit the sick and weak, encourage the discouraged, warm the heart of everyone who seeks consolation with a kind word, let us try to see in our neighbors the image of Christ Himself.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.