Beograd marked its city feast with a solemn procession through the city center, carrying the revered Icon of the Theotokos from Mount Athos. The Holy procession, led by Patriarch Porphyrius of the Serbian Orthodox Church, included thousands of faithful, high-ranking officials, and members of military academies.

The Procession and Its Significance

The procession began at the Resurrection Church and ended at the Temple of Saint Sava. It traveled along King Milan Street, Slava Square, and the Boulevard of Liberation. The Icon of the Theotokos, carried from the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos after six centuries, was at the forefront of the procession.

The Icon of the Theotokos, one of the most revered Orthodox icons, arrived in Belgrade from the Vatopedi Monastery, where it has been kept for six centuries. Patriarch Porphyrius emphasized the importance of the procession, describing it as a living step of faith, hope, and love for the Serbian people.

"Today, the streets of Belgrade, the capital of all Serbs, are not just paths we walk on, but paths we walk together towards God," he said during his address in the Temple of Saint Sava.

Icon of the Theotokos in the Temple of Saint Sava

Faithful will be able to venerate and kiss the Icon of the Theotokos in the Temple of Saint Sava until May 29.

There are numerous testimonies of healings and blessings received by those who approached the Icon with faith and prayer. The tradition of distributing strips of cloth that have been sanctified on the Icon to pilgrims seeking blessings has been ongoing for centuries due to the deep respect and love of Mount Athos monks for the Theotokos.

The celebration of the city feast began in the morning with a solemn liturgy at the Resurrection Church, conducted by Patriarch Porphyrius. The festivities continued with the breaking of the feast cake at the Old Palace, attended by the mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar.