On September 21, 2026, on the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the right hand of St. Spyridon of Trimifunt was brought to Kazakhstan from the Greek island of Corfu.
The offering of the shrine took place with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. ""Eleos-Meirim" public foundation organized it with the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church's Commission for the Development of Pilgrimage and the Bringing of Shrines. The Ark is accompanied by a delegation of the Greek Orthodox Church, led by clerics of the Kerkyra Metropolitan Area.
Karaganda became the first city to visit the shrine. The ark was taken to the Trinity-Sevastyan Cathedral, where it was greeted by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Matthew of Pskov and Porkhov, Archbishop Sebastian of Karaganda and Shakhty, other archpastors, clergy and numerous believers.
Under the ringing of bells and the singing of the troparion, the ark was brought into the cathedral and installed in the center of the temple. After a short prayer service, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, led by Metropolitan Alexander.
At the end of the service, the glorification of the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and Saint Spyridon was celebrated. The head of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District congratulated the faithful on the holiday and delivered a sermon on the life feat and prayerful intercession of the miracle Worker of Trimifunt.
Residents of Karaganda and nearby towns and villages of central Kazakhstan came to worship the shrine. The ark with the right hand of St. Spyridon will be located in the Trinity-Sevastyan Cathedral on September 21 and 22. Prayer services with the akathist are continuously performed in front of the relics.
On the same day, representatives of the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches met with the akim of the Karaganda region, Ermaganbet Bulekpayev. The meeting participants noted the importance of bringing the shrine for the spiritual life of the region, strengthening interreligious harmony and developing friendly ties between the peoples of Kazakhstan, Russia and Greece.