The greatest gathering in the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church
From October 4-9, 2013 the greatest and the most representative gathering in the history of our local Church will take place in Belgrade, Nis and Podgorica.
Primates and representatives of local Orthodox Churches, led by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Holiness Theophilos of Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus and His Beatitude Archbishop Sava of Warsaw responded to the invitation of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch to participate in both the Central and closing ceremony commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan. Besides delegations from the Orthodox Churches, the Central celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan will also be attended by representatives of the East Non-Chalcedonian Churches, an esteemed delegation from the Vatican with representatives from the Roman Catholic Church from the region, leaders from the Reformed Church, as well as different Christian organizations and associations from throughout Europe and the world.
The arrival of our esteemed guests is expected on Friday, October 4th, when there will be initial meetings with our Patriarch Irinej and hierarchs. Citizens of Belgrade will have a unique opportunity to greet Orthodox patriarchs, hierarchs and other guests on Saturday, October 5th at 9 a.m. , when the Doxology will be served at the Cathedral Church. Following the Liturgy there will be official audiences and talks with Patriarch Irinej and Serbian archbishops, as well as the highest representatives of authority from the Republic of Serbia.
The central event of this years’ All-Christian jubilee will take place on Sunday, October 6th, at 9 a.m., when in Nis, in front of the newly built church of Sts. Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen, the Divine Liturgy will be served by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with the concelebration of all present primates and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches. On this occasion, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej will award his guests with the Order of Holy Emperor Constantine the Great. Besides the highest officials of the Republic of Serbia, other representatives of the states in the region are also expected, as well as ambassadors accredited in our country and the most influential people from public and cultural life of our country. On this day Serbia and Nis will serve as a kind of center of world Christianity.
On Monday, October 7th, the guests of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, will join their host in Podgorica, where the new Cathedral church, dedicated to the Resurrection, of Christ will be consecrated. On the following day day, October 8th, in Belgrade, after a memorial service for Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose in Rakovica Monastery, the guests will visit the exhibition of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for arts and conservation and in the evening they will attend a premiere of the opera “In hoc signo!”.
The Serbian Orthodox Church calls upon her spiritual children and all people of good faith to come and in this way become participants of the greatest Christian gathering in our history.
