Patriarch Irinej at Russian church in Belgrade

Marking  four years of Patriarchal  ministry of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, served the Divine Liturgy at the Podvorye of the Church of Holy Trinity of the Moscow Patriarchate in Belgrade on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Patriarchal ministry of His Holiness Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on 10 February 2013. Protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasyev, dean of the Podvorye, concelebrated. 

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasyev addressed Patriarch Irinej and emphasized one example which described  best the Serbian-Russian unity: restoration of the Russian necropolis at Belgrade’s New Cemetary. Namely, last year thanks to the Belgrade city authorities, the Russian necropolis was given a special legal status of city-protected historical monument. That is why Mr. Aleksandar Antic, president of the City Assembly of Belgrade, who made this possible, was awarded by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia with the Order of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov of the Second Degree.

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej handed over the great distinction of the Russian Church to Mr. Aleksandar Antic. This liturgical gathering was in the light of three great Church jubilees: 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, 900th anniversary of the birth of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Gusher and 200th anniversary of the birth of Metropolitan Peter II Petrovic Njegos.  On this occasion protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasyev gave Patriarch Irinej three gifts: emblem of the Cross of Holy Emperor Constantine, emblem of the Cross of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Gusher done in bas-relief, and the image of Metropolitan Peter II Petrovic Njegos on wood.