Belgrade: In memory of the Imperial Family of the Romanovs

The Solemn Liturgy in the Saint Sava Memorial Cathedral. An exhibition “Four Centuries of the Imperial House of the Romanovs – Awakening of Memories”.

The Serbian Orthodox Church honoured with the solemn Divine Liturgy in the Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava on 17 July 2015, the sufferers for Christ and Russia, the Passion-bearers, Tsar Nicholas II and his family. His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of Their Graces Bishops Lavrentije of Sabac, Nikanor of Banat, Pahomije of Vranje, Teodosije of Raska-Prizren, David of Krusevac, Arsenije of Toplica and Jeronim of Jegar. Bishop Milutin of Valjevo was also present at this solemn Eucharistic gathering.

The priesthood and deacons from the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci and other dioceses concelebrated to His Holiness, while the Church choir Mokranjac directed by Ms Jelena Jez sang responses.

Later on, at noon, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej together with bishops of our Church welcomed the President of the Republic of Serbia Mr. Tomislav Nikolic and state officials, organizers of the exhibition, members of the Russian Duma, in the crypt of the Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava.

For the first time the exhibition has been arranged in the magnificent crypt of the Cathedral; the exhibition consists of a block of historical photographs taken by Carl Bula, who during a long period of time was an official photographer of the Russian Imperial Court, and partly of original photographs, reproductions, copies of the artworks, graphics and other illustrative materials, which altogether cover 216 meters of panels.

The gathering was attended by HRH Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, representatives of the Office of the Republic of Serbia: Mr. Ivan Mrkic, professor Dr. Oliver Antic and Mrs. Jasmina Mitrovic Maric; representatives of the Russian Duma Mr. Mikhail Vladimirovich Degtaryov and Mr. Nikolai Valuyev (world champion in boxing), Deputy President of the Committee of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church for Youth Revd. Sergei Shastin, RISI Director Mr. Leonid Reshetnikov, Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities Dr. Mileta Radojevic with his colleague Mr. Gavrilo Grban, representatives of the Committee for the Construction of  Saint Sava Cathedral, Colonel Stevica Karapandzin, Director of the Media Center “Defense”, Mr. Dejan Tomasevic, and other eminent people from public and cultural life.