On the day of remembrance of St. Luke of Crimea, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the city of Alma-Ata

June 11, 2024 is the day of remembrance of Saint and physician Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan performed the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Almaty - the cathedral in honor of the Nativity of Christ.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was co-served by: vicars of the Astana diocese - Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan and Bishop Benjamin of Talgar; rector of the Alma-Ata Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" Archpriest Evgeniy Vorobyov, keymaster of the Nativity Cathedral Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya, dean of the Ili church district Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov, rector of the Cosmo-Damian Church of Alma-Ata Archpriest Georgy Chistyakov, rector of the Epiphany Church of the South capital Archpriest Valery Shavrin, Chairman of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Kazakhstan Archpriest Anatoly Izmerov, Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Alma-Ata Seminary Priest John Livinsky, Head of the Metropolitan’s Personal Secretariat Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Head of the Metropolitan District Priest Georgy Sidorov, clergy of Alma-Ata churches Ata diocese. The diaconal rank was headed by Protodeacon Nikolai Grinkevich.

For prayerful worship and spiritual strengthening of believers, there was an ark with the relics of St. Luke of Crimea in the temple.

The choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Almaty sang under the direction of E. Skorova.

The following people prayed during the service: members of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Kazakhstan, employees of the St. Luke Medical Center, employees of the Alma-Ata Diocesan Administration, and parishioners of the temple.

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

At the end of the Liturgy, before the relics of the priest and healer Luke, glorification of the holiday of Easter and the honored saint of God took place.

Metropolitan Alexander cordially thanked the archpastors, clergy, monastics, parishioners and pilgrims for the common prayer, congratulated those gathered on the celebration in honor of the Crimean saint and delivered a sermon.
The head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District said words of good wishes to Priest Dimitry Rezhepa on the occasion of the anniversary of his priestly ordination.

“A world-famous surgeon, an outstanding scientist, a professor of medicine, a state prize laureate, the author of many unique scientific works, he was glorified by the Church as an ascetic of piety, a sufferer for the faith of Christ, a man of prayer and a herald of the Gospel teaching. From childhood, his heart was dominated by love for God and his neighbors. He embodied these holy qualities in the service of archpastor and surgeon.
For dozens of years, without days off or holidays, sparing no mental and physical strength, he has been working in the medical field, especially helping the poor and needy. Working as a surgeon in Tashkent, the future hierarch actively participated in church life. The words of Bishop Innocent of Tashkent and Turkestan: “Doctor, you need to be a priest,” he perceived as God’s call. After three years of service as a priest, Father Valentin took monastic vows with the name of the holy apostle, evangelist and physician Luke. On May 31, 1923, Hieromonk Luke, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Rus', was secretly ordained Bishop of Tashkent and Turkestan. From that time his confessional journey on the cross began.
Numerous arrests, bullying, torture and exile did not weaken the saint’s zeal in fulfilling his archpastoral duty and in his medical work. While in his third exile near Krasnoyarsk, at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Bishop Luke offered the authorities his medical art to treat wounded soldiers. Thousands of military personnel were saved from death or lifelong disability. Until the end of his earthly life, despite severe illnesses and trials, the saint regularly performed divine services, constantly preached and received the suffering.
Priest Confessor Luke reposed in the Lord on June 11, 1961. God glorified His saint with abundant miracles: through the prayers of the saint, numerous healings from various ailments and diseases occurred and continue to occur. In 2000, at the Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was canonized as a saint and confessor.
Glorifying the wise saint and merciful doctor in prayers and chants, we must remember his instructions, his lessons of righteousness, with which he tirelessly addressed his flock: “In matters of mercy we can show great care, great diligence, we can always be merciful to the unfortunate, the hungry, the sick, the discouraged - we can be merciful!”
May the Lord, through the prayers of Saint and physician Luke, together with physical and mental health, grant us the grace-filled strength not in words, but in deeds to lead a life based on the Gospel.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.