View source for Metropolia of Kazakhstan

The '''Metropolia of Kazakhstan''' is a [[metropolia]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Church of Rus']] with jurisdiction over the Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia. The Metropolitan of Astana serves as First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan and head of the Metropolia.

==History==
In 1871 the Russian Orthodox Church in Turkestan was organized as a diocese with its seat in Verne (now Almaty, Kazakhstan). Forty-five years later a separate vicariate was created for the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan with its seat in Verne, whilst in June 1945 the Diocese of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan was established by the Holy Synod. As the Soviet Union collapsed this diocese was divided into three freestanding dioceses directly under the [[Moscow Patriarchate]], the Eparchies of Alma-Ata and Semipalatinsk, Chimkent and Akmola, and the Urals and Guryevskiy. 

==Founding of the Metropolia==
Following the designation of Astana as the new capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan the seat of the Eparchy of Alma-Ata and Semipalatinsk was transferred from Almaty to Astana, while the diocese itself was renamed the Eparchy of Astana and Almaty. In July 2010 the Eparchies of [[Eparchy of Astana and Almaty|Astana]], [[Eparchy of Chimkent and Akmola|Chimkent]], and the [[Eparchy of the Urals and Guryevskiy|Urals]] were formally organized by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church as the Metropolia of Kazakhstan, with the recently enthroned Archbishop of Astana being elevated to the rank of metropolitan and first hierarch of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan.

The Metropolia was established to better organize the life of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan. Although not autonomous or self-governing, the Metropolia has its own statute approved by the Holy Synod and is responsible for coordinating the educational, publishing, social outreach, and missionary efforts of the Kazakh Orthodox Church.

==Hierarchs==
*Metropolitan [[Alexander (Mogilev) of Astana and Almaty|Aleksandr of Astana and Almaty]] (2010-present)
*Archbishop [[Anthony (Moskalenko) of the Urals and Guryevskiy|Antoniy of the Urals and Guryevskiy]] (1991-present)
*Archbishop [[Eleutherius (Kozorez) of Chimkent and Akmola|Elevferiy of Chimkent and Akmola]] (1991-present)
*Bishop [[Gennadius (Gogolev) of Kaskelen|Gennadiy of Kaskelen]], Auxiliary of the Astana Eparchy (2010-present)

==External Links==
*[http://mitropolia.kz/ Metropolia of Kazakhstan] (Official Website)
*[http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/78634.html Eparchy of Astana and Alma-Ata] (Moscow Patriarchate)
*[http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/78677.html Eparchy of Chimkent and Akmola] (Moscow Patriarchate)
*[http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/78673.html Eparchy of the Urals and Guryevskiy] (Moscow Patriarchate)


[[Category: Dioceses]]
[[Category: Moscow Patriarchate Dioceses]]
[[Category: Orthodoxy in Kazakhstan]]