On the day of memory of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, Metropolitan Alexander celebrated the Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Aktobe

November 8, 2022 - the day of memory of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, Myrrh-streaming; recollection of the great and terrible shaking (earthquake), which was in Constantinople.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Aktobe.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan was co-served by: Bishop Ignatius of Aktobe and Kyzylorda, Vicar of the Astana diocese Bishop Claudian of Taldykorgan; rector of the temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in the city of Alma-Ata, archpriest Yevgeny Vorobyov, rector of the Archangel Michael Church in Aktobe, hieromonk Nektariy (Guzev), rector of the church of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, archpriest Dimitry Solovyov, rector of the church of St. Seraphim Archpriest Mikhail Stepanov of the Sarov city of Khromtau, head of the secretariat of the Metropolitan Hieromonk Prokhor (Endovitsky), rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in the city of Alga Priest Viktor Yatsko, rector of the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Softening of Evil Hearts" in the village of Martuk Priest Vladimir Voloshchuk, head of the protocol service of the Metropolitan Archdeacon Roman Golovin, Protodeacon Vladimir Syrovatsky, Deacon Alexander Mokiy.

Liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of St. Nicholas Cathedral under the direction of S. Koroleva.

A prayer was made for the restoration of peace, which is held in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.

The sermon on the sacramental verse was delivered by Archpriest Dimitry Solovyov.

After the dismissal of the Liturgy from the altar, the reliquary with part of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra, was carried to the middle of the church. The shrine was delivered to the Nikolsky Cathedral at the numerous requests of the believers of the Aktobe diocese.

The clergy and choir performed the glorification of St. Nicholas and the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan sincerely thanked His Grace archpastors, clergy, monastics, parishioners and pilgrims for the joy of common prayer. Metropolitan Alexander told numerous believers about the meaning of the spiritual feat of the Mirliki Archpastor and Great Martyr Demetrius, after which he congratulated the parishioners who bear the name of the Passion-bearer of Thessalonica on the day of the angel.

In memory of the divine service, His Eminence presented Bishop Ignatius with an icon of the clergyman Nicholas, Metropolitan of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, with a particle of his relics. The image was made by the outstanding contemporary iconographer, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation S.N. Sokolov.

The head of the Metropolitan District presented the spouses of many children - the rector of the Prince Vladimir Church in the city of Aktobe, Archpriest Dimitri and Matushka Irina Solovyov - with a high award of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan - the Order of Parental Glory. Vladyka wished the awardees mercy from the Lord, good health and well-being.