The Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' was awarded the Order of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District

November 20, 2024. Moscow. Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan visited the Church of the Archangel Gabriel and the Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates, a metochion of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, where he met with the Representative of the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', the rector of the Antiochian metochion in Moscow, Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis.

The meeting was attended by: Head of the Department for Relations with Eastern Europe of the International Charitable Foundation "Kirche in Not" ("Help the Church in need") P.V. Gumenyuk; Assistant to the Metropolitan I.E. Yatsenko.

Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis was one of the participants in the episcopal consecration of Bishop Alexander, which took place in 1989 in the Yelokhovo Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow.

The head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District presented the hierarch with the order "Beibitshilik pen Kelisim" (Peace and Harmony). Metropolitan Niphon was awarded the high award of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan in recognition of his work in developing relations between the Representation of the Church of Antioch and the Church of Kazakhstan and in connection with the 65th anniversary of his service in the holy order.

Bishop Alexander noted that long years of responsible service as the rector of the Antiochian Metochion in Moscow brought Metropolitan Niphon deep respect from Russian archpastors, clergy and Orthodox residents of the capital and the love of parishioners, part of whom are representatives of the Antiochian diaspora - Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan told Metropolitan Niphon about the activities of the Metropolitan District, about the implementation of youth, educational and social projects, and cited statistics on the number of monasteries, parishes and clergy. Bishop Alexander shared with his interlocutor plans for holding events in the dioceses of the Republic dedicated to the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the approval of the canonical status of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District.

Metropolitan Alexander informed the rector of the Antiochian Metochion about the bringing to Kazakhstan, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', of the relics of a saint especially revered by the Orthodox people - the blessed nun Matrona of Moscow. The head of the Metropolitan District noted that during the time the relics were within the Republic, more than 300 thousand people venerated them.

Bishop Alexander invited the representative of the Antiochian Church to visit Kazakhstan, called by the ever-memorable Patriarch Alexy II "Antiminus, spread out under the open sky", and venerate the relics of the Kazakh new martyrs and confessors.

At the end of the meeting, the archpastors exchanged wishes for God's help in serving the Church of Christ.