The head of the Metropolitan District celebrated the Liturgy in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of the Southern capital

August 18, 2024 - the 8th week after Pentecost, the forefeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in the city of Almaty.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was assisted by: Vicar of the Astana Diocese Bishop Veniamin of Talgar; Dean of the churches of the Southern capital, Rector of the St. Nicholas Cathedral Archpriest Valery Zakharov; Rector of the Paraskevinskaya Church and the Alexander Nevsky Church Archpriest John Lopatin, Dean of the Ili Church District, Rector of the Assumption Parish Archpriest Alexander Zyryanov; Archpriest Alexander Gaichenya, key keeper of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral; Archpriest Valery Shavrin, rector of the Epiphany Church; Archpriest Kirill Shklyar, key keeper of the Peter and Paul Church; Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), head of the Metropolitan's personal secretariat; Priest John Konoplev, key keeper of the Adriano-Natalievsky Church; head of the Metropolitan's protocol service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky.

For the prayerful consolation of the faithful, an exact copy, "measure for measure", of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Healer" was brought to the church.

During the reading of the hours, His Eminence tonsured John Zhuchkov, a third-year student of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, as a reader.

The choir of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral sang under the direction of choirmaster A. Kulmetov.

After the Eucharistic Canon, Metropolitan Alexander performed the deacon's ordination of Reader John Zhuchkov.

The sermon on the communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Kirill Shklyar.

After the dismissal of the Liturgy, the Queen of Heaven was glorified before the icon of the Mother of God "Healer", after which His Eminence congratulated the clergy and laity on Sunday and the beginning of the celebration of the Transfiguration of the Lord and delivered a word of instruction.

The head of the Metropolitan District sprinkled the faithful with holy water.