The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York and members of the Synod of Bishops of the Church Abroad Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America, Bishop Irinej of London and Western Europe, Bishop Job of Stuttgart participated in the traditional celebration of the «glory of the cross» of Belgrade, celebrated on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The delegation also included Archpriest Seraphim Gan, manager of affairs of the Office of the Synod of Bishops, secretary of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, clerics of Eastern American Diocese Archpriest Luka Novakovic and Archpriest Ljubo Milosevic, Secretary of the Middle American Diocese Archpriest Gregory Joyce and Reader George Konev, the ROCOR website
the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
The delegation brought to Serbia the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God «Sign» — the main shrine of the Russian Diaspora.
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On June 11, 2024, the first day of his stay in this country, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York visited the Church of St. Sava in Belgrade and worshipped its shrines. There he also met and had a brief conversation with Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskol.
Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskol.
The same day, the delegation visited St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral and the museum of the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church located in the Patriarchate. The guests then traveled to the Kalemegdan Fortress, where a reception was given by Holy Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia in Ružica.
Holy Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia.
On June 12, when the feast of Holy Pascha was celebrated, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York led the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Church of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was served by Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany; Bishop Hilarion of Novobrda, Vicar of the Patriarch of Serbia; Archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev, rector of the monastery of Vysokie Dečany; Archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev, rector of the Podvorye, representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Serbia; and the clergy of the two Churches. In the altar prayed and received the Holy Communion of Christ, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada and Bishop Job of Stuttgart.
Those gathered for the service had the opportunity to venerate the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.
At the end of the Liturgy, Archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev, the rector of the church, welcomed the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad to the church whose walls remember his predecessors, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) and Metropolitan Anastasius (Gribanovsky). As a memorial gift he presented the icon of the Mother of God «Dechanskaya» to the distinguished guest. Then Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the audience with words of greeting and edification. He also presented Archpriest Vitaly Tarasyev with a copy of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God in an embroidered ribbon, which once adorned the miracle-working image.
The delegation also visited the New Cemetery in Belgrade. There, Vladyka Nikolay performed a requiem liturgy in the tomb of Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) and Archimandrite Theodosius (Melnik).
The delegation also visited the New Cemetery in Belgrade.
The same day in the evening, the members of the delegation, together with a host of archpastors and clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church, headed by His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry, prayed at a service in the Church of the Ascension in Belgrade, where the Kursk-Root Icon of the Queen of Heaven and the relics of St. Justin (Popovich) had been brought beforehand Celijski.
On June 13, the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch Porphyrios of Serbia led the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Ascension in Belgrade, the Serbian Orthodox Church website
. He was served by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Bishop Irinej of London and Western Europe, Bishop Silouan of Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Isikhije of Walewski, Bishop Job of Stuttgart, and Bishop Dosifej of Lipljan. Common prayer united many people on this day.
In a word at the end of the Liturgy, Patriarch Porfiry recalled the feats of St. Justin of Chelius and the history of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God «The Sign of the Mother of God.
In a word at the end of the Liturgy, Patriarch Porfiry recalled the feats of St. Justin of Chelius and the history of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.
On this day, a cross procession took place through the streets of the Serbian capital, which celebrated its «baptismal glory, gathering tens of thousands of people despite heavy rain. His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry, hierarchs and clerics of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, including Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York and his accompanying delegation, took part in the prayer procession, and the prayer procession was attended by the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches. Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskolsk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Milos Vucevic, members of the Government and other representatives of state power. The procession ended at the Church of St. Sava on Vračar.
On June 14, the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited Sremski Karlovci, where he was solemnly welcomed by Bishop Vasilije of Sremski and the clergy.
On the same day, a delegation of the Russian Church Abroad headed by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Starooskolsk, and a number of hierarchs and clerics of the Serbian Church arrived in the city.
The delegation brought the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On June 15 and 16, the faithful will be able to worship the relic in the Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas in Sremski Karlovci.
EVCS Communication Service/Patriarchy.ru
