Patriarch Irinej serves at Russian church of the Holy Trinity in Belgrade

On Sunday, January 31 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia  served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Church of the Podvorye of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on the ocassion of the first anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kyrril of Moscow and all Russia with concelebration of the Belgrade priesthood and head of the Podvorye protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasjev.

The Holy Liturgy was attended by  A.V. Konuzin,  the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Belgrade, S.N. Cecuk, the Ambassador of Belorus in Belgrade, Orlando Antonini, Apostolic Nuncio in Belgrade, M. Djordjevic, advisor to the President of Serbia, and V.V. Kutirin, director of the Russian House in Belgrade.

After the end of the service protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasjev warmly greeted Holy Patriarch Irinej of Serbia. Father Vitaly thanked Holy Bishop and pointed out a great joy of the flock of the Podvorye of the Russian Orthodox Church for the visit of Patriarch Irinej who served one of the first liturgies after he had been elected just at the church of St. Trinity.

The head of the Podvorye said that he believed that under the omophorion of the Patriarch Irinej spiritual connections between sister Churches would strengthen and expand. Patriarch Irinej of Serbia in the memory of the today's event was given the silver Panagia.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia reminded those present on the spiritual and historical ties between Serbia and Russia and highlighted the special role of Russia in the fate of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people. He wished Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia a good health  "in order to do a great work for what he is charged to his delight , but also the entire Christian people."

During the festive lunch in honor of the Holy Patriarch Kyrril of Moscow and all Russia protopresbyter Vitaly Tarasjev thanked all the guests and gave  Patriarch Irinej of Serbia a porcelain cup of tea as a gift, which was manually created at the Imperial Factory "Lomonosov".