A church-monument dedicated to victims of political repressions has opened in the Lisya Balka area of Shymkent. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
The site is known as a place where people were mass-shot and buried in 1937–1938. Thousands of Orthodox Christians, including clergy and monks, as well as innocent citizens, are buried there.
Their fate recalls the tragic period of political repressions of the 20th century. The initiative to build the church was put forward in 2024 by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus.
This initiative was supported by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In May 2025, a cross was installed and a foundation stone was laid at the site of the future church. Russia's Consul General in Almaty, Dmitry Turaev, attended the opening ceremony.