On the eve of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the Head of the Metropolitan District held an all-night vigil in the Ascension Cathedral of Almaty

On June 12, 2024, on the eve of the twelfth feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated a festive all-night vigil in the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty.

The vigil for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord was preceded by Easter glorification - the clergy performed the troparion of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, Easter hours and stichera of Holy Easter. For the last time in the current church year, the Easter exclamation “Christ is risen! Truly he is risen!” was heard under the arches of the cathedral.

Concelebrating with the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan were: Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, manager of the affairs of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan; Vicar of the Astana diocese, Bishop of Talgar Benjamin; rector of the Alma-Ata Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, mitered Archpriest Evgeniy Vorobyov, confessor of the Alma-Ata diocese, Archimandrite John (Sazonov), Archpriest Vyacheslav Churbanov, head of the Metropolitan District’s public relations department, cleric of the Ascension Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Suvorov , and about. Rector of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, head of the information and publishing department of the Metropolitan District, Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, keymaster of the Assumption Cathedral in Astana, Archpriest Dimitry Baidek, cathedral clergy.

The chants were performed by the choir of the Metropolitan District (regent - Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov, choirmaster - V. Dudareva) and the choir of the Ascension Cathedral (regent - N. Zubrevich).

In accordance with the liturgical Rules, at Great Vespers a lithia (intensified prayer) was performed with the consecration of bread, wine, wheat and eley (oil).

After reading the Gospel Conception, Metropolitan Alexander congratulated the hierarchs, clergy and parishioners on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord and delivered a word of teaching.

During the singing of the canon of the Ascension “To God the Savior,” the believers were anointed with consecrated oil.

On the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Metropolitan Alexander will celebrate the Liturgy in the main church of the southern capital.