The head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts with the participation of all monastics of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese

April 24, 2024 – Wednesday of the 6th week of Lent; Memorial Day of St. Basil the Confessor, Bishop of Paria.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iversko-Seraphim Monastery in Almaty.

According to ancient tradition, the Presanctified Liturgy took place in the evening hours.

The archpastor was co-served by clergy of the Astana and Alma-Ata diocese in the monastic rank: the manager of the affairs of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, the vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan, the vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop Benjamin of Talgar; dean of the Astana church district Archimandrite Sergius (Karamyshev), confessor of the Alma-Ata diocese Archimandrite John (Sazonov), cleric of the St. Seraphim Church Archimandrite Joasaph (Serkez), rector of the Iversky Church in the village of Boroldai Hegumen Filaret (Petrochenko), member of the Patriarchal Commission on Physical Culture and Sports Hegumen Philip (Moiseev), rector of the Ksenievsky parish of the city of Kapchagai, hieromonk Pimen (Tkachenko), cleric of the Church of the Arkhangelsk Miracle Metochion of the Seraphim-Feognostovskaya men's hermitage, hieromonk Iakinf (Katan), cleric of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the city of Astana, hieromonk Siluan (Sinegubov), clergy of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross and eromonk Levkiy (Ershov), rector of the Church of St. Nicholas of the Alma-Ata village of Irgeli, hieromonk Philofey (Bobov), cleric of the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Iversko-Seraphim convent of the Southern capital, hieromonk Arseny (Voloshin), rector of the Mother of God Church of the Nativity of the Akzhar microdistrict, hieromonk Alexy (Cherevtsov), hieromonk Roman (Chistyakov), cleric of the Peter and Paul Church in the city of Almaty, Hieromonk Isaac (Isteleev), rector of the Michael-Arkhangelsk Church in the village of Turgen, Hieromonk Varsonofy (Larionov), rector of the Kazan Church of the city of Sarkand, Alma-Ata region, Hieromonk Maxim (Romanov), cleric of the Alekseevsky Church of the village Baiterek Hieromonk Alexy (Samosenkov), clergyman of the Vladimir Church in the Baganashil microdistrict, Hieromonk Sergius (Vnukovsky), head of the personal secretariat of the Metropolitan, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), cleric of the church of the courtyard in the name of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers, Hieromonk Savva (Kulbakin), Hieromonk Gennady (Soloviev), Hieromonk Vladimir (Mishchenko), Hieromonk Evgeniy (Shcheglov), Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich, Head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Hierodeacon Afanasy (Kozel), Referent of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, Hierodeacon Mitrofan (Ognev), Hierodeacon Feofan (Shubin) , Hierodeacon Zinon (Marov), Hierodeacon Zephaniah (Mazurenko).

The men's choir of the Alma-Ata diocese under the direction of Deacon Alexander Pivny sang.

The following people prayed during the service: the abbess of the Iversko-Seraphim convent, Abbess Lyubov (Yakushkina) with the sisters of the monastery; employees of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, headed by the Secretary of the Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; pilgrims and parishioners.

The sermon after the communion verse was delivered by Hieromonk Sergius (Vnukovsky).

At the end of the Liturgy, the Head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District thanked the clergy, monastics and laity for the joy of the common Eucharistic prayer and addressed those gathered with a word of teaching.

“Various monastic works - exploits, prayers, obediences - are reflected and affirmed in the wise and deep saying of the great ascetic of our Church, St. John Climacus: “Angels are light for monks, monks are light for those who are in the world.” If we turn our gaze to the centuries-old church history, we will see that monastic life has revealed a countless host of holy saints, great fathers and teachers. Their God-inspired words and example of virtues illuminated the entire universe with the light of the gospel truth. In the depths of monasteries, in secluded cells, theological writings, spiritual treasures of hymnography, and the heavenly beauty of icon painting were created. You and I, who have made special vows to Christ and are clothed in monastic robes, are continuers of the noble mission of those who in previous centuries loved an angelic life on earth. We need to imitate as diligently as possible the reverend fathers of ancient eras and the ascetics of piety who have shone forth in modern times with their selfless labors and living according to the word of the Lord.

The basis of true monastic life is obedience. Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) has wonderful words about this: “Monasticism is impossible without obedience, like life without breath.” From active obedience, humility is born, which, according to the words of St. John Chrysostom, is “the mother of all virtues.” Refusal of pride, submission of oneself to the will of God, a peaceful attitude of the soul are a manifestation of genuine modesty and humility. I would like to quote the words of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus': “When a monastic’s service is performed in humility and meekness, when a monastic does not in any way connect his future with career growth, when he thanks God for every day and sees the hand of God in every day, then things happen invisible but real spiritual growth.” Monastics need to dissolve all their work, all their labors with fervent prayer to God. Reverend Seraphim told his disciple Nikolai Motovilov: “Every virtue done for the sake of Christ gives the grace of the Holy Spirit, but most of all prayer gives, because it is always in our hands, as a weapon for acquiring the grace of the Spirit.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.