The ‘Serbian Consolation for the Russian Heart’ international festival opens at the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University.

DECR Communication service, 19.10.2022.

On 18^th October in the Hall of Councils of the historical Diocesan House in Moscow, the main building of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University, there was the opening of the ‘Serbian Consolation for the Russian Heart’ international festival as part of the celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the university’s founding.

The solemn opening of the festival was headed by the bishop of Zaraisk Constantine. The bishop greeted all those who had gathered and the honoured guests of the festival the metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije (Mićović), the bishop of Pacrac and Slavonia John (Ćulibrk) and the Serbian ambassador to Russia Mr. Momćil Babić.

In his speech bishop Constantine emphasized the importance of the spiritual communion of the two fraternal peoples: “Today we have a unique opportunity to become closely acquainted with the experience of the Serbian Church and listen to the voice of her archpastors. I hope that our conversations will be of great benefit, strengthen our fraternal ties and inspire us to interaction and prayer.

Two exhibitions had been organized at the university for the festival, the first being ‘Serbian Holy Sites – Desecrated and Restored’ (by Ye.A. Osipov and M. Aćimović), dedicated to the monumental masterpieces of Kosovo and Metochia, and secondly, an exposition of works by the Serbian artist nun Maria (Antić), entitled ‘Jasenovac: Faith and Resurrection. Be faithful unto death and I shall give you the crown of life (Rev 2.10)’, (arranged by Father Alexei Pichigin and Father Maxim Brazhnikov). The exposition is an artistic rendering of the Christian feat of the Serbian new martyrs.

The main event of the occasion was an evening dedicated to the memory of metropolitan Amphilochius (Radović) (+30.10.2020), one of the hierarchs instrumental in defining the fate of Montenegro in modern history.

The evening was opened by the rector of the university archpriest Vladimir Vorobiev. In his speech he noted how vital it was to preserve love above all among Orthodox Christians. Referring to the present-day afflictions, Father Vladimir said that “it is impossible to vanquish evil with evil. Evil can be vanquished only through love. The most important thing today is to pray to God together, and repent of our sins so that he grants to us love.”

Sharing their memories of metropolitan Amphilochius were his closest aides and companions metropolitan Joanikije (Mićović) and bishop John (Ćulbrk).

The opening of the ‘Serbian Consolation for the Russian Heart’ festival was visited by approximately six-hundred people. The event was marked by a performance by the chamber choir of the Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology under the direction of choir mistress A. Luzanova and the choir of the Saint Tikhon Humanitarian University under the direction of Father Alexei Zaitsev. The choir performed both Serbian national songs and church hymns.

At the conclusion of the evening the cleric of the Church of the Lord’s Ascension in Yekaterinburg Father Duśan Michailović shared his experience of conversations with metropolitan Amphilochius and spoke of the metropolitan’s prolific missionary endeavours in Latin America.

On the 20^th and 21^st October as part of the festival there will be a historical and educational conference and lectures entitled ‘The Russian and Serbian Heritage. Today and Eternity.’ The lectures by researchers from Russian and Serbian academic centres will allow us to evaluate in a new light the history of the sufferings and spiritual transformation of our peoples in the twentieth century, states the patriarchia.ru website with reference to the university’s site.