Great celebrations in the church of St. Nicholas in Rijeka

On the feast-day of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, a jubilee was marked in the church of Saint Nicholas of Myra in Rijeka on the occasionof the 300-anniversary since obtaining benefits of practicing religion, which Orthodox citizens of the city of Rijeka received in 1717 from Roman Emperor Charles VI.

The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Slavonia, Bishop Sergije of Bihac-Petrovac and the Diocesan Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac. Among concelebrants there were abbot Heruvim (Diocese of Osijek-Polje) and other local priests.

The Liturgy were attended by Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Rijeka Mr. Ivan Devcic; Hidajet Eff. Hasanovic (Islamic Community of Rijeka); parish priest Djordjo Galj (Baptist Church of Rijeka), representatives of the Jewish Community of Rijeka; Mileta Radojevic, PhD; director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities at the Ministry of Justice in the Government of Serbia; Mr. Miladin Dragicevic, advisor to the President of the Republic of Srpska for restoration, reconstruction and return of the displaced persons and refugees; Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Croatia Mrs. Mira Nikolic, representatives of the Embassy of Russian Federation, the Ambassador of Bulgaria Mrs. Tanja Dimitrova; representatives in the Government of the Republic of Croatia as well as the envoy of the President of Croatian Parlaiament Mr. Milorad Pupovac, dignitaries of the City of Rijeka and others.