Alexander (Mogilev) of Astana

His Eminence Metropolitan Alexander (Mogilev) of Astana and Almaty is the ruling bishop of the Eparchy of Astana and Almaty of the Russian Orthodox Church and First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan.

Life

Metropolitan Alexander was born on 18 May 1957 as Alexander Gennadiyevich Mogilev in Kirov, USSR, and was baptized with St. Alexander of the Neva as his patron. From 1977 to 1979 he studied at the Leningrad Theological Seminary, after which he returned to Kirov to serve as the secretary of Bishop Chrysanthus (Chepil) of Kirov and Sloboda. In 1983 he was ordained a deacon and a priest and in 1989 he was tonsured to the lesser scheme, gaining St. Alexander of Svir as his new patron.

In 1990 the future metropolitan completed his studies at the Moscow Theological Academy and began his duties as Bishop of Kostroma and Galich (having been consecrated the prior year in 1989). In 1994 Bishop Alexander was elevated to the rank of archbishop, whilst in March 2010 the Holy Synod elected him Archbishop of Astana and Almaty. When the Metropolia of Kazakhstan was organized in July 2010 Archbishop Alexander was elevated to the rank of metropolitan and head of the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan.

External Link

• Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan (Moscow Patriarchate)