Greatest gathering in the history of the Serbian Church

(spc.rs) - From October 4-9 this year in Belgrade, Nis and Podgorica the greatest and the most representative gathering in the history of our local Church is taking place.

Primates and high representatives of the local Orthodox Churches, led by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomew, His Holiness Teophilos of Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus and His Beatitude Archbishop Sava of Warsaw responded to the invitation of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch to participate in both the Central, and the closing ceremony of the marking the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan. Besides delegations of the Orthodox Churches, the Central celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan will be attended also by representatives of the East Non-Chalcedonian Churches, then high delegation of Vatican with the representatives of the Roman Catholic Church from the region, heads of the Churches of Reformation, as well as different Christian organizations and associations from Europe and the world.

The arrival of the high guests is expected on Friday, October 4th, when there will be first meetings with our Patriarch Irinej and bishops. Belgraders will have an unique opportunity to greet Orthodox patriarchs, archbishops and other guests on Saturday, October 5th at 9 a.m. , when the Doxology will be served at the Cathedral Church. Following the Liturgy there will be official audiences and talks with Patriarch Irinej and Serbian archbishops, as well as the highest representatives of the authorities of the Republic of Srpska.

The central event of this years’ All-Christian jubilee will happen on Sunday, 6 October, at 9 a.m., when in Nis, in front of the newly built church of Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen, the Divine Liturgy will be served by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with the concelebration of all present primates and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches. On this occasion, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej will present the guests with the Order of Holy Emperor Constantine the Great. Besides the highest officials of the Republic of Serbia, other representatives of the states in the region are also expected as well as ambassadors accredited in our country and the most important people from public and cultural life of our country. Serbia and Nis will on this day will be a kind of the center of Christianity of all the world.

On Monday, October 7th, the guests of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, will be along with their gost in Podgorica, where the new Cathedral church dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ will be consecrated. Next day, October 8th, in Belgrade, after the memorial service for Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose in the monastery of Rakovica, the guests will visit the exhibition of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for arts and conservation and in the evening they will attend a premiere of the opera “In hoc signo!”.

The Serbian Orthodox Church call its spiritual children and all people of good faith to come and in this way become the participants of the greatest Christian gathering in our history.