On Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije welcomed the Holy Belt of the Virgin Mary, one of the greatest relics in the Orthodox world, calling it a great blessing and joy for the Serbian people.

"We have a great blessing and joy today. There is no better word to express this feeling than the words of Psalmist David, who says, 'Rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has wrought a salvation; rejoice and be glad in it.' Today we are truly blessed, as the Holy Mountain and the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi have sent us the Holy Belt of the Virgin Mary," Patriarch Porfirije stated in the presence of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Patriarch Porfirije noted that the belt was woven and worn by the Virgin Mary herself around her waist when she carried Jesus in her womb. "From that moment, the belt has carried healing and blessing power, sanctified by the Virgin Mary, her blessing, and the Holy Spirit. This belt, like many other relics, has had a tumultuous journey through history, and at one point, it stayed in Serbia, until Saint Prince Lazar, out of love for the Vatoped Monastery and Mount Athos, donated it along with a piece of the True Cross to the Vatoped Monastery," he continued.

"The Vatoped Monastery is a point that irrevocably links Mount Athos with the Serbian people. It is the monastery where Saint Sava lived as a monk, and his father, Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming, also visited. Here, they began a sacred work for our people and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Therefore, out of love and gratitude for the Vatoped Monastery and Saint Prince Lazar, this belt has been preserved in the prayers of the monks for centuries, connecting our people with the Vatoped Mon, and with Mount Athos," Patriarch Porfirije said.

The Significance of the Relic

The Holy Belt of the Virgin Mary, after six centuries, reminds us of Saint Prince Lazar's love for his homeland and people, as well as the awareness that all good, beauty, fullness of truth, and justice are founded on the unshakeable foundation called Lord Jesus Christ.

"It also reminds us of who we are and what we are in Saint Sava. There he was spiritually reborn, and from his time to our days, we spiritually reborn in him," Patriarch Porfirije emphasized.

The Journey of the Relic

The Holy Belt will be carried through Belgrade's streets during tomorrow's Transfiguration Liturgy. This relic arrived with special church and state honors and the recitation of prayers.

The Holy Belt arrived in Serbia accompanied by the abbot of the Vatoped Monastery, Archimandrite Jefrem, Serbian government minister Nenad Popović, and the Vatoped Brotherhood.

Before the Ascension Cathedral around 5 PM, the Holy Belt will be received by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, Bishop Dositej, the cathedral elder, archbishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the people, with the intonation of the Serbian hymn and singing of a victory song in honor of the Virgin Mary, followed by evening worship.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)