The awards ceremony for the winners of Orthodox competitions took place in the southern capital

On March 10, 2024, with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, the regional stage of the I All-Kazakhstan competition of church readers “In the beginning was the Word...” took place in the Alma-Ata diocese.

The event took place as part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese and the 225th anniversary of the birth of the first archpastor of the Turkestan diocese, the “apostle of the Great Steppe” - Archbishop Zephaniah (Sokolsky).

More than 50 participants took part in the regional stage of the competition, organized by the cultural department of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, speaking in two age groups: pupils of Sunday schools in the southern capital (from 10 to 16 years old) and church readers of churches in the city of Almaty (17 years old and above).

On April 14, 2024, in the throne room of the spiritual and cultural center named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), an award ceremony was held for the winners of the regional stage of the 1st All-Kazakhstan competition of church readers “In the beginning was the Word...”.

The presentation of diplomas and prizes was headed by the vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan.

Based on the results of a secret vote of the jury members, the winners of the competition were:

Nomination “Professional Church Readers”

1st degree laureates

E.O. Blazhko - (temple in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God of the southern capital);
V.Yu. Klimov - (Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Almaty).
Laureate of the 2nd degree

O.S. Zhurbin - (temple in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the city of Almaty).
Nomination “Sunday School Pupils”

1st degree laureates

V. Demidov - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in the city of Alma-Ata);
K. Kravchenko - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian of the Southern capital).
2nd degree laureates

K. Bocharova - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in the city of Alma-Ata);
I. Bykov - (Sunday school of the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern capital);
S. Bykova - (Sunday school of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty);
T. Muraev - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in the city of Alma-Ata);
M. Stikhina - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian of the Southern capital).
III degree laureates

N. Butina - (Sunday school of the temple in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in the city of Alma-Ata);
P. Mamotenko - (Sunday school of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty);
E. Popoyanidi - (Sunday school of the temple in the name of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in the city of Alma-Ata);
V. Uvarov - (Sunday school of the Cathedral in the name of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky of the Southern capital);
E. Feofanova - (Sunday school of the church in honor of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Alatau microdistrict).
Members of the jury of the church reader competition received letters of gratitude from the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District from the hands of Bishop Claudian.

On the same day, the winners of the regional stage of the International competition among Sunday school students, organized on the initiative of the charitable foundation of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow (Moscow), were awarded.

Pupils of more than 40 Sunday schools of churches of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District took part in the creative competition.

Based on the results of a secret vote of the jury members, the winners of the competition were:

1st degree laureates

V. Krechetov - (Sunday school of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul of the Southern capital);
A. Maltseva - (art studio ART-8 in Almaty);
A. Mukhametshin - (art studio ART-8 in Almaty).

2nd degree laureates

A. Maltseva - (art studio ART-8 in Almaty);
L. Mishenina – (art studio ART-8 in Almaty);
M. Chan - (Sunday school at the Iversko-Seraphim convent of the Southern capital);

III degree laureates

I. Korolev - (Sunday school at the Iversko-Seraphim convent of the southern capital);
M. Sabieva – (art studio ART-8 in Almaty);
A. Boroda - Dudochkin - (Sunday school at the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Taraz).
The winners of all competitions and nominations received certificates, prizes and memorable gifts from the hands of Bishop Claudian. Addressing those gathered, the hierarch thanked the organizers, wishing them God's help in their further work for the good of the Church and raising children. The archpastor gave a blessing to all those gathered.

On behalf of the recipients, words of gratitude were addressed to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan by the reader of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior V. Yu. Klimov.

At the end of the award ceremony, spiritual chants were performed by students of the Orthodox singing school “Tsevnitsa” (headed by N. Golovina) at the Ascension Cathedral of the southern capital.

At the end, a joint commemorative photograph was taken.