Festivities take place in Belgrade on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Holy Trinity Church of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church.

DECR Communication service, 18.11.2024.

Festivities took place on 17^th November at the Holy Trinity Church of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the church.

The Divine Liturgy was headed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Serbia Porfirije. Concelebrating with him were the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony and the dean of the metochion of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Moscow the bishop of Remesiana Stefan, as well as advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia archpriest Nikolai Balashov, the dean of the Holy Trinity Church archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev, deputy chairman of the DECR archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, the director of the Cabinet of the Patriarch of Serbia archpriest Djordje Stojsavljević, secretary of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church archimandrite Nectarij Đurić, aide to the chairman of the DECR Father Nikolai Vasin and clerics of the Serbian Patriarchate.

Attending the service were the leader of the Serbian Peoples’ Party and minister with0out portfolio in the Serbian government N. Popović, the director of the administration for ties with the churches and religious associations at the Serbian justice ministry Dr. M. Nikolić, the Russian ambassador to Serbia A. Botsan-Kharchenko, advisor and emissary of the Russian embassy A. N. Konanykhin. Member of the presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts and peoples’ artist of the Russian Federation Nikolai Mukhin, A. Yu. Khoshev from the secretariat of the DECR for inter-Orthodox relations, as well as representatives of the municipal authorities, arts community and public circles from the Serbian capital.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije and metropolitan Anthony consecrated the internal fresco of the Holy Trinity Church which was done for the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the church under the guidance of peoples’ artist of the Russian Federation Nikolai Mukhin.

His Holiness the Patriarch of Serbia Porfirije warmly congratulated the DECR chairman the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony, the dean of the metochion church archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev and the members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church visiting Serbia to celebrate the jubilee of the Holy Trinity Church.

In reply the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony thanked His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije for his concern for the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade and for his participation in the festive jubilee, emphasizing that he saw in this event the continuation of the love and hospitality with which one hundred years ago the Serbian people received Russian exiles who in the blink of an eye had lost their homeland, had been separated from their loved ones, were without means of subsistence and yet who had managed to preserve that which they held most dear, that is to say, their holy Orthodox faith. As metropolitan Anthony noted, it was in Belgrade that Russian refugees were able not only to organize their parish life, but also to build their church in honour of the Holy Trinity, which now serves as the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Serbian Patriarchal Throne, and as well as a visible memorial to the good relations which exist between the two churches, countries and peoples.

The chairman of the Department for External Church Relations conveyed thanks from His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill to all those who had worked hard in organizing the jubilee and the adornment of the Holy Trinity Church. With the blessing of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church he also presented Patriarchal awards.

The dean of the metochion archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev was awarded the Order of Saint Daniel of Moscow, 2^nd Degree. In recognition of the help in adorning the church N. Popović was awarded the Order of Saint Andrei Rublev the Iconographer, 2^nd Degree. Nikolai Mukhin was awarded the Medal of the Order of Saint Daniel of Moscow and the director of the Annunciation art studio A. A. Patrakov was awarded a Patriarchal Certificate.

Metropolitan Anthony also presented His Holiness Patriarch with a memorial encolpion and an altar cross as a gift to the Holy Trinity Church.

Father Vitaly Tarasiev then gave a speech to those gathered to express his thanks.

On the same day in the hall of the parish house of the Church of Saint Sava in Vračar a festive reception was held on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary since the founding of the Holy Trinity Church of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade.