The head of the Metropolitan District presented church awards to employees of the Alma-Ata diocese who celebrated personal memorable dates in the past year

December 11, 2023. Alma-Ata. In the throne room of the spiritual and cultural center of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District named after Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov), church awards were presented to those who worked for the good of Orthodoxy on Kazakhstani soil and to people celebrating anniversaries and memorable dates in the outgoing year.

The award ceremony was headed by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

The event was attended by: Secretary of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, Honored Artist of Russia O.N. Ovchinnikov; Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov, head of the information and publishing department of the Metropolitan District; head of the Metropolitan’s personal secretariat, Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky); Assistant to the Head of the Metropolitan District, Priest Georgy Sidorov; head of the Metropolitan Protocol Service, Protodeacon Roman Golovin; Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, Head of the Culture Department of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District L.E. Goricheva; employees of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration.

Metropolitan Alexander addressed the recipients with a word. “Time is passing quickly, the end of the year is approaching, very soon we will celebrate the holiday of peace and God’s love for people - the Nativity of Christ. In the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, we have developed a good tradition - during this period, to honor clergy and laity with church signs of attention. It is a great joy for me today to see all of you and present you with awards from the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. This year is marked by special, historically significant dates - we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Metropolitan District and the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the pan-church celebration of the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan.

I know how difficult it is sometimes in modern conditions to perform pastoral work or perform other responsible obediences. By the grace of God, thanks to your labors, the life of our diocese is developing. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and ask you not to lose spiritual courage when you encounter various difficulties and difficult circumstances. "God is with us"!" - these words, which will often be heard during the Christmas holidays, are the absolute reality of the life of an Orthodox Christian. The Lord is with each of us, admonishes, gives strength, helps when we turn to Him with prayer and hope. I would like to wish everyone God’s mercy and blessed success in service, labor and various activities for the good of the Church and neighbors, for the good of our native Kazakhstan,” the hierarch said.

After the welcoming speech, Metropolitan Alexander presented church awards.

The Order of the Martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Sophia was awarded to an employee of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration A.S. Petrukhina.

The medal “Enbek Ushin” (For Labor) was awarded to the choir singers of the Ascension Cathedral of the Southern Capital to D.R. Kochua and R.K. Kreinman.

In consideration of the work for the benefit of the Alma-Ata diocese and in connection with the significant date of birth, the medal of the holy martyrs Faith, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Sophia was awarded to: singer of the choir of the Ascension Cathedral A.M. Bortnikova, curator of the “House for Mom” project A.A. Belimova, cook of the Ascension Cathedral L.A. Rodionova, employee of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the southern capital T.Ya. Markin and N.P. Popenko, employee of the main temple of Alma-Ata E.N. Timofeeva, teacher of the Central Sunday School T.N. Remizova, employee of the Alma-Ata diocesan administration Z.M. Shashkova, Sunday school teacher at the Ascension Cathedral A.V. Shcherbakova.

The choir singer of the main church of Almaty D.R. Kochua said words of gratitude from the awardees to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, thanking His Eminence for his high trust and fatherly care.