Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of Patriarch of Antioch to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, was awarded the Order of Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan
On 23 July 2012, at the Moscow Metochion of the Church of Antioch, Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of the Great Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met with Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metropolitan district in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Archbishop Nifon participated in the episcopal consecration of Metropolitan Alexander at the Moscow Cathedral of the Epiphany in 1989.
Metropolitan Alexander handed over the ‘Algys’ (‘Thanksgiving’) Order to Archbishop Nifon “in consideration of his services in strengthening inter-Orthodox unity and on the occasion of his 70th birthday.”
Metropolitan Alexander told Archbishop Nifon about the Metropolitan district in the Republic of Kazakhstan, youth and social projects, and about the construction of the buildings in Astana for the Synod of the Metropolitan district in Kazakhstan and for the Spiritual, Cultural and Educational Centre of Sts Cyril and Methodius.
The head of the Metropolitan district and the representative of the Patriarch of Antioch noted the great importance of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s visits to the Patriarchate of Antioch in November 2011, and to the Republic of Kazakhstan on 29-30 May 2012.
Metropolitan Alexander told Archbishop Nifon about the Representation of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan district opened at the Church of Ss Faith, Hope, Charity, and Sophia at the Miusskoye Cemetery in Moscow with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Metropolitan Alexander invited Archbishop Nifon to visit Kazakhstan and to venerate holy relics of the new martyrs and confessors who shown forth in the 20th century in the Semirechye region.