Celebrating Spasovdan in Belgrade

This year’s celebration of Christ's Ascension, or Spasovdan, in Belgrade will feature the Holy Belt of the Mother of God being carried for 19 hours. Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church will lead the procession, which begins from the Church of the Ascension on Knez Mihailova Street, and will proceed down Kralja Milana Street. The procession will then move around Slavija Square and along the Boulevard of Liberation to the Svetosavsky Plateau near Karadjordje Park. It will then continue in a diagonal line to the Church of Saint Sava on the main western entrance.

A ceremonial canopy, or "heaven," will be set up at the intersection of Knez Mihailova and Kralja Milana streets, where the Holy Belt will be carried. The canopy will be carried by guards, and the procession will include deacons, priests, military cadets, students of military schools, cultural associations, police bands, high-ranking officials, and believers. At the end of the procession and service, 300,000 strips of fabric blessed by the Holy Belt in the Vatoped Monastery will be distributed to the faithful.

The Holy Belt will be brought into the Church of Saint Sava by Patriarch Porfirije, where believers will be able to venerate it after the service. Those who wish to venerate the Holy Belt will enter from the western side and exit from the northern gates.

Traditions and Significance of Spasovdan

Spasovdan is celebrated every year on the 40th day after Easter, and it marks the Ascension of Jesus Christ. This day has significant historical importance for Serbia, as the Code of Stefan Dušan was proclaimed on Spasovdan in 1349 and was amended on Spasovdan in 1354. It is celebrated not only as a religious feast but also as a festive day for the entire village, marking the beginning of agricultural work and the end of military campaigns.

Ancient traditions dictate that this day is the most fortunate for starting new ventures. On Spasovdan, it is believed that one should wake up early to welcome the day of salvation for humanity. After morning prayers, each family member would make a cross from oak branches to protect the house, farm, fields, and courtyard from evil forces.

The tradition also holds that a cross made from oak branches early on Spasovdan brings good fortune and protects from negative energies for the coming year.

Belgrade's Historical Significance

Since 1403, when Despot Stefan Lazarević established Belgrade as the capital, the city has adopted the Ascension of the Lord as its patron saint feast day. This celebration symbolizes the city's continuous rise and hope for the future, embodying the spiritual and moral strength of a people with a glorious past.

The current form of the celebration was established in 1862 by Metropolitan Mihailo Jovanović, who also proposed the construction of the Church of the Ascension to Knez Mihailo Obrenović in 1863. This church has preserved the original flag of the City Government.