Formal Academy in honour of motherhood, in Russian Hall

On Saturday ,December 27, 2008 in the Russian Hall, during the Christmas-Epiphany gatherings a formal academy was held on the theme of “ In honour of motherhood’’, at the dawn of Mother`s Day. On behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia and His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije , His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno opened the academy with the speech and he conveyed blessings of the Serbian Patriarch and the First Hierarch of the Serbian capital. His Grace Bishop stressed that the motherhood is an achievement and also pointed out the event when Mother of all mothers gave birth to the God-Man, who suffered passion and the Cross. Bishop Atanasije also emphasized a special responsibility and praises for Belgrade catechists who are mainly women and girls because in them children see mothers and hence confide in them. Singers of the First Belgrade society with Svetlana Vilic as a conductor enhanced the formal academy.

An extraordinary pleasure to all the assembled was arranged by students of the the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation who enriched space and atmosphere in the Russian Hall with their works, icons and frescoes on the theme of Mothers in the Church. under the mentorship of Goran Janicijevic.

Children from Kosovo and Metohija, from towns of Strpce,Velika Hocha and Orahovac, conveyed the greetings from the Serbian hearths. A play called “Vertep” was performed in a small school of religious education at the church of St. George in Bezanijska kosa. After the play poets Mirjana Bulatovic and Dobrica Eric performed.

At the end of the Academy children from Belgrade primary and secondary schools sang “upon many years, O Master” and the hymn of St. Sava. The Mother`s Day holiday represents one more step to Christmas that we merrily expect.