Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy in the Church, Representative Office of the Metropolitan District in Moscow

November 4, 2024 - celebration in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church 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.

The archpastor was assisted by: Acting Rector of the Alma-Ata Theological Seminary, Head of the Information Department of the Metropolitan District Archpriest Yevgeny Ivanov; Key-keeper of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and Their Mother Sophia Hieromonk Anthony (Drobiazko); Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Hegumen Agafangel (Gagua); the key-keeper of the Nikolskaya house church of the Scientific and Clinical Center of Otolaryngology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Archpriest Lev Aznovaryan; Hieromonk Daniil (Makagon); Protodeacon Sergiy Kulikov, Deacon Anatoly Ledenev and Deacon Roman Frolov.

The church choir sang under the direction of Anna Rozhnova.

At the Liturgy, prayers were offered for the repose of the spiritual mentor of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan – the ever-memorable Archbishop of Tikhvin Meliton (Solovyov), who departed to the Lord on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in 1986.

The sermon on the communion verse was delivered by Archpriest Evgeny Ivanov.

The service ended with glorification before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan Alexander warmly congratulated the clergy and parishioners on the holiday and addressed the congregation with a word about the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos.

"Of the many icons of the Most Holy Theotokos known in the Russian Orthodox Church, none is as widespread as the Kazan one. She is sacredly revered throughout the world, millions of believers turn their gaze to her. Human life is full of sorrows, griefs and trials, but for Christian hearts there is always an inexhaustible source of consolation - when in difficult circumstances, experiencing difficulties or being exposed to danger, we always resort with faith and hope to the prayerful intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. And in response to our requests and sighs, to the hopes of our hearts, She warms our cold hearts with her motherly love, delivers us from troubles and temptations, directs us to the eternal Heavenly Kingdom. "The Virgin Mary hears us in every way. Because in a bright place, in the land of the living, the Mother of Salvation abides,” St. John Chrysostom teaches us.

However, it is important to remember that all the benefits we receive from the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos are accomplished by God and His Grace, invisibly given to us through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven through the icon. Receiving what we ask for, fulfilling our desires and fulfilling our hopes is possible only if we have sincere faith in God in our hearts, trusting in His mercy. St. Apostle Paul teaches us about this: “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

Prayer work cannot be successful without cleansing one’s own soul, without repentance and correction of life. In the words of the great teacher of the Church, Saint Gregory the Theologian, "as a cloud covers the radiance of the sun's rays, so a sinner who does not want to acknowledge his sins and renounce them, covers for himself the rays of God's love and the mercy of the Mother of God." Therefore, worshiping the glorified Face of the Queen of Heaven, let us with special zeal ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins, overcoming weaknesses, victory over passions. Let the main theme of our requests and prayers be the acquisition of a virtuous Christian life, a striking example of which is the Mother of God Herself. In the words of the holy martyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, the Ever-Virgin "was always cheerful in persecutions and troubles, was not upset in needs and poverty, was not angry with those who insulted Her, but even did them good; She was meek in prosperity, merciful to the poor and helped them as best she could, she was a mentor in piety and in every good deed.” May the mercy of the Most Holy Lady Theotokos be with us all.” From the sermon of Metropolitan Alexander.