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His Beatitude Christopher, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, celebrated the Divine Liturgy on May 8, the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, at the Cathedral of the Ascension in Alma-Ata. He had arrived in the capital of Kazakhstan on May 7.

His Beatitude was assisted by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metropolitan district; as well as several local ruling bishops and Archpriest Alexiy Yuschenko, representative of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and an assembly of the local clergy.

The service was attended by Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan M. Bocharnikov, Russian Consul General B. Meschaninov, Czech Deputy Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ms. P. Bacova, Ukrainian Consul General Ms. L. Protasova, representative of the Byelorussian Embassy A. Rusetsky, and Chief of the Russian FSB Border-Guards Group in Kazakhstan A. Karpenko.

After the liturgy, His Beatitude Christopher was awarded the Kazakhstan Orthodox Church’s Order of Thanksgiving in acknowledgement of his efforts to develop fraternal relations between the Czech Orthodox Church and the Metropolitan District. Archpriest Alexiy Yuschenko was awarded the Medal of Thanksgiving. Metropolitan Alexander presented His Beatitude with a pectoral icon and a cross as a token of this visit to Kazakhstan.

Metropolitan Christopher, in his turn, presented the Kazakhstan Metropolia with an icon of Martyr Lyudmila of Czech with a particle of her holy relics.

The primate of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia came to Kazakhstan on the eve of the Victory Day. He, together with local clergy, diplomats and high guests, laid a wreath at the Victory Memorial in the Park of 28 Panfilov Guards.

After the commemorative ceremony, Metropolitan Christopher answered questions from the mass media and congratulated the people in Kazakhstan on the Victory Day.

Kazakhstan Metropolia website/DECR Communication Service