Metropolitan Alexander co-served with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow and took part in the consecration of Archimandrite Khrisanf (Konoplev) as Bishop of Chimkent

On December 2, 2022, on the day of memory of St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

During the Liturgy, Archimandrite Khrisanf (Konoplev) was consecrated Bishop of Chimkent and Turkestan (Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan).

Upon arrival at the temple, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church venerated the honorable relics of St. Philaret.

At the Liturgy, His Holiness was co-served by: Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Dionysius of Resurrection, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchy, First Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the City of Moscow; Metropolitan of Tver and Kashinsky Ambrose, chairman of the Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the development of Russian church singing; Archbishop of Karaganda and Shakhty Sevastian; Archbishop Matthew of Yegoryevsky; Bishop Panteleimon of Vereya, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service; Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk; Bishop Siluan of Pavlovo-Posadsky, Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop Thomas of Odintsovo and Krasnogorsk, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov Foma, vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra; Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchy; Bishop Kirill of Zvenigorod, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy; Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for the City of Moscow; Archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, dean of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior; Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov), Deputy Chairman of the DECR MP; Archimandrite Alexy (Turikov), personal secretary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; Priest John Konoplev, cleric of the Church of the Martyrs Adrian and Natalia in the settlement of Otegen-Batyr, Astana diocese; deans of church districts of Moscow; metropolitan clergy.

The patriarchal service was attended by: Head of the Department of National Policy and Interregional Relations of Moscow V.I. Suchkov; Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Government of Moscow for Regional Security and Information Policy A.N. Gorbenko; Chairman of the Council of the Foundation for the Revival of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery V.B. Khristenko; Head of the Church-Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" S.L. Kravets; professor at Moscow State University M.V. Lomonosov, famous TV presenter N.N. Drozdov, who is the great-great-grandson of St. Philaret of Moscow.

Among the guests of honor at the Liturgy were: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation E.B. Kosherbaev, advisers of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia B.B. Akpan, S.Zh. Ramazanova, A.I. Nurbekov, First Secretary of the Embassy of Kazakhstan S.A. Peredebekov, Second Secretary of the Embassy D. Akpanet.

Among those who prayed at the Liturgy were: Bishop Seraphim of Istra, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, Bishop Euthymius of Lukhovitsky, Chairman of the Synodal Missionary Department, participants in the Light of Christ II Patriarchal Festival of Sacred Music, clergy from Moscow and thae Moscow Region, who gathered in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to honor the memory of Saint Philaret.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (choirmaster - I.B. Tolkachev) and the combined choir of the winners of the II Patriarchal Festival of Sacred Music "The Light of Christ" (choirmaster - Honored Artist of Russia A.A. Puzakov).

The combined choir included: the mixed choir of the Savior-Voznesensky Cathedral in Ulyanovsk; festive choir of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saratov; Ensemble of Sacred Music "Pokrov" in Moscow; Siberian male choir; male choir of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Nizhny Novgorod; fraternal choir of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky stauropegial monastery; the monastic choir of the Voznesensky Orshin convent; Youth choir of the Tver diocese; women's choir of the Regency Singing Department of the Don Theological Seminary.

The service was broadcast live on Soyuz and Spas TV channels, as well as on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarchia.ru.

At the Little Entrance, by decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, in consideration of the diligent labors for the good of the Holy Church, Bishop Thomas of Odintsovo and Krasnogorsk, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate, was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

At the special litany, special petitions were offered, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church read a prayer for Holy Rus'.

During the Liturgy, His Holiness Vladyka performed the priestly consecration of Deacon Andrey Barashkov, cleric of the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Patriarchal Metochion in the Gonchars of Moscow, the Representation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchal Throne.

The sermon before communion was delivered by Archpriest Sergiy Feyzulin, acting rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at b. Cherkasy almshouse in Moscow.

At the end of the Liturgy, the Primate of the Russian Church admonished to serve Bishop Chrysanth of Chimkent and Turkestan.

According to tradition, the newly ordained bishop gave the believers the first archpastoral blessing.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed glorification and prayer at the relics of St. Philaret, after which he addressed the participants at the service with the First Hierarchal Word.

Then His Holiness Vladyka presented church awards.

In consideration of the help of the Russian Orthodox Church and in connection with the 65th anniversary of his birth, Chairman of the Council of the Foundation for the Revival of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery V.B. Khristenko was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, I degree.

Taking into account the support of church and public initiatives and in connection with the 60th anniversary of his birth, Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Moscow Government for Regional Security and Information Policy A.N. Gorbenko was awarded the Order of the Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow II degree.

In attention to the work for the benefit of the Holy Church and in connection with the 60th anniversary of his birth, the head of the Church-Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" S.L. Kravets was awarded the Order of the Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow II degree.