The Ascension of Jesus - the Patron Saint's Day of the City of Belgrade and Ascension Church

The feast day of the capital, Belgrade - the Ascension of the Lord was also solemnly celebrated this year. The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, which was served by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch in the church of the Ascension of the Lord, with the concelebration of His Grace Bishop Irinej of Australia-New Zealand and many priests, was a beginning of the joyful celebration of the feast day.

The Liturgy was attended by a great number of the believers enhancing an ordination of hierodeacon David to hieromonk. The celebration was attended also by His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, the Vicar of His Holiness.

The Church bells announced the traditional Ascension procession led by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch. In the procession also participated the Mayor of Belgrade Dragan Djilas, the president of the City Assembly Aleksandar Antic,, vice president of the City Assembly Zoran Alimpic, minister of Faith and Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic, lots of children with its priests, deacons and religion teachers of the Archbishopric of Belgrade-Karlovac, members of Police and the Army of the Republic of Serbia.

The host of the Patron Saint's Day was city architect, Dejan Vasovic.

At the head of the procession the cross was carried, intended for the monastery which is under construction on the place of the demolished church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kucanci and the banner of Belgrade from 1938 which was kept in the Ascension Church during the times when city did not mark its Patron Saint's Day. 

The procession was held at Terazije where a fervent prayer took place in the presence of a great number of believers. The fervent prayer was also held in front of the Cathedral church. 

As the Patron Saint's Day, the Ascension of the Lord was celebrated for the first time in 1403 when despot Stefan Lazarevic made Belgrade the capital. The Patron Saint's Day was not celebrated since 1946, and it was restored in 1992.