155 years of spiritual history: KRSU celebrated the anniversary of the Turkestan diocese

An event dedicated to the 155th anniversary of the formation of the Turkestan diocese was held at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University. As part of it, a documentary exhibition was opened, which presented archival materials and rare exhibits, including liturgical written sources of historical and spiritual value.The honorary guests of the event were Metropolitan of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District Vincent and Bishop Savvaty of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan. Among the participants are clergy, representatives of government bodies, public figures, the diplomatic corps and Rossotrudnichestvo.The opening ceremony began with the performance of the church choir. Chairman of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Talantbek Tashibekov made a welcoming speech. He noted the importance of the anniversary and the contribution of the Orthodox Church to strengthening interfaith dialogue and public harmony.«This anniversary reflects the rich spiritual history and many years of activity of the Orthodox Church in our country. For more than a century and a half, the diocese has been helping to strengthen moral values, preserve cultural heritage and develop interfaith dialogue», he emphasized.Metropolitan Vincent conveyed the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and noted the historical significance of the anniversary.«We celebrate 155 years since the founding of the Turkestan diocese, which covered a vast area of Central Asia. This is an important milestone in the history of the spiritual life of the region», he said.Bishop Savvaty focused on spiritual and moral values and social mission.«The highest thing is the struggle for the title of man. To educate, support and give a person a path into life is work and a real feat», he noted.A concert program was also held as part of the event. It opened with a video dedicated to the 155-year history of the Turkestan diocese.A special moment was the honoring of Gulnara Degenbaeva, the founder of the family orphanage «Meerim Bulagy» («Grateful Spring»), who raised 157 children of 11 nationalities.The event became a platform for dialogue between representatives of the state, religious denominations and society, confirming the importance of preserving spiritual heritage and strengthening interreligious harmony in Kyrgyzstan.