In Honour and Glory of Tsar Nicholas II the Passion-Bearer

Following the liturgical gathering in the church of Saint Sava, President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić unveiled the monument to Tsar Nicholas II Romanov.

On 16 November 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducted the rite of blessing of a monument dedicated  to the Holy Tsar Nicholas, in the presence of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia. Having performed the liturgical rite and having sprinkled the monument with consecrated water, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed a multitude of people present with a brief homily, saying in particular:

“We are present at an event of historical significance – the blessing of the monument to the Holy Passion-Bearer, Tsar Nicholas II. Emperor Nicholas did so much to save Serbia and the whole Europe that it cannot be described in a few words. It is remarkable that the first monument in his honour outside of Russia has been erected here, in Belgrade.

“The Serbian people were cherishing the memory of Emperor Nicholas II even at the time when his name was forbidden to be pronounced aloud, at the time when one could only say something bad of him. However, the truth has a great power. Sometimes we see grass shooting through asphalt, life coming out in the open. The same is with the truth – it cannot be hidden under the asphalt or concrete; sooner or later it comes into life of next generations. The truth about the sacrificial heroic deed of Emperor Nicholas II has struggled through the ferroconcrete slab laid on his name.

“I would like to thank the people and the authorities of Serbia, as well as to all the compatriots who have done much to honour the memory of this great man in this remarkable monument.”

Serbian Patriarch Irinej pointed out that this was a great day for Belgrade, Serbia and the Serbian people in the country, in Serbian lands abroad. As he emphasized, the monument in King Milan Street was not just a monument, but also an image of a holy martyr. According to his words, one of those tragic links uniting our tow peoples was the fate of Tsar Nicholas and his family.

President of Serbia Mr. Tomislav Nikolic stated that Belgrade with this monument received another new symbol of the old friendship – the symbol of the friendship with Russia was also a place where citizens would meet and remind of the values of the mutual history.

The President noted that the monument was the master-work of the most famous Russian sculptors Andrei Kovachuk and Genady Pravotvorov and Belgrade architect Janko Krstic, who designed the park in which the monument has been placed.

Among those attending the ceremony were numerous citizens of the Serbian capital, hierarchs of the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Church, Minister for Emergency Situations Mr. Velimir Ilic, Mayor of Belgrade Mr. Sinisa Mali, Ambassador of the Russian Federation Mr. Alexander Chepurin, City Manager Mr. GoranVesic, etc.