The day of remembrance of Saint Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh, was prayerfully honored in the church of the Representative Office of the Metropolitan District in Moscow

August 20, 2024 – the afterfeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord; the day of remembrance of Saint Mitrofan, Bishop of Voronezh.

In the church in the name of the holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Sophia at the Patriarchal Metochion of the city of Moscow – Representative Office of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, after the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated a prayer service to Saint Mitrofan. The southern aisle of the church is dedicated to the saint of God.

The following prayed at the service: assistant to the Head of the Metropolitan District, Hieromonk Anthony (Drobiazko), and the clergy of the church, employees of the Representative Office, benefactors of the Patriarchal Metochion and parishioners of the church.

The Metropolitan Bishop prayed for the episcopate, pastors, monastics and laity of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, for the peace and prosperity of the Kazakhstan land, the authorities, the army and the people of the Republic; for the increase of love and the eradication of all hatred and malice.

The head of the Metropolitan District warmly congratulated those gathered on the patronal feast day and spoke about the works and exploits of the holy Voronezh hierarch.

“The image of Saint Mitrofan of Voronezh is very important for us, because with his actions he gives an answer to the pressing questions of our time. At the end of the 17th century, the Russian world carefully assessed the new trends that came to us from Western Europe. A significant part of the people categorically did not accept anything foreign - they believed that all innovations destroy the ancient Orthodox way of life of the Russians. These people clung to the old rite and in every way opposed the state power in all its endeavors. But this path was a dead end... The wise and insightful Saint Mitrofan, tirelessly toiling in the matter of correcting the morals of his flock, standing guard over piety and righteousness, himself setting an example of holiness and life in Christ, was at the same time a companion and assistant of Tsar Peter the Great in economic reforms, provided every support for the construction of the fleet, blessed Peter to found a new imperial capital. Of course, Emperor Peter, in his personal qualities, was far from the ideal of an Orthodox Monarch, but the work of state and military construction undertaken by him was necessary at least in order to preserve the country, not to allow it to be torn apart by the powerful Swedish Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire. And Saint Mitrofan understood this perfectly well, serving as a support for the Tsar in his good deeds, but sometimes raising his accusatory voice against the secular passions of the Tsar." From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.