The Serbian Patriarch celebrated Liturgy in the Russian church in Belgrade

His Holiness Irinej officiated the Liturgy in the Russian church of Holy Trinity in Belgrade on 8 July 2018.

On the day when the Church celebrates Sts. Peter and Fevronia, wonder-workers of Murom and protectors of the family, it was in the Russian church at Tasmajdan that His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the solemn Liturgy with concelebration of protopresbyter VitalyTasasyev, principal of the Representation of the Patriarchate of Moscow in  Belgrade, protopresbyter-staurophor Milomir Stevanovic – church of Most Holy Theotokos of Kazan, Diocese of Sabac; presbyter Ivan Delic – Diocese of Banat and concelebrants from the Archbishopric of Belgrade-Karlovac.

After the Holy Liturgy His Holiness blessed the patron saints bread.

Father Vitaly Tarasyev thanked His Holiness Irinej for being always present in the Russian church of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate on this feast-day. As a token of memory on this festal gathering Fr. Vitaly presented a candle to Serbian Patriarch, which once you light it, it never goes out, such as are prayers of the Serbian Patriarch.

The Holy Liturgy was attended by Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities Dr. Mileta Radojevic; Nenad Popovic, Minister of Innovations and Technological Development in the Government of Serbia; lots of people from public and cultural life; but also by the Night Wolves, motorcyclists from Russia. As a gift for the Russian church in the Belgrade Tasmajdan district they presented two icons: of Sts. Peter and Fevronia, and Venerable Mother Matrona, whereas as a gift for Patriarch Irinej they handed in an icon of All Saints.

On Monday, 9 July 2018 at 7 p.m., a ceremony will be held at the Russian Cultural Centre in Belgrade when married couples that have been in wedlock for 25 or more years will be awarded. The day of family, love and fidelity was launched five centuries ago in an ancient Russian town of Murom; officially as a Russian holiday it was established nine years ago and it has been solemnly celebrated in cities throughout Russia.

The symbol of the Day of family, love and fidelity is daisy, a very beautiful flower, which has been considered to be a flower of love in Russia since the times immemorial. This is the tenth year since the Russian Cultural Centre with the blessing and support of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade and the Serbian Orthodox Church has been marking the Feast-day of  family in Serbia.