PR manager and content creator Sergey Avakyan-Rzhevskiy showcased a place in Almaty — the existence of which is unknown to many of the city’s residents — Kazakhstan’s only cave chapel concealed beneath the Kazan Cathedral in the Medeu district.
At first glance, this is a common 19th-century church. It was built in 1871 and had served as one of the city’s key holy shrines. However, the church’s walls hide dramatic and mystical stories.
The cathedral went through difficult times in history. In 1919, on its porch, unknown people assassinated priest Parfeniy, demanding that he publicly reject God. He refused and continued praying in front of the congregation, for which he was burned alive.
During the restoration of the cathedral in 2021, construction workers accidentally discovered what had been hidden for more than a century — the underground cave chapel known only to a few people, which is believed to have hosted secret religious services during the years of persecution against the Church.
After the discovery, the underground chapel was ordered to be opened for visitors.
Separately, Slovakia’s High Tatras are welcoming visitors to a dome made entirely of ice.
