SACRED SITES OF ST. PETERSBURG EXHIBITION OPENS

ISTOČNO NOVO SARAJEVO, OCTOBER 19 /SRNA/ – An exhibition of artistic photographs titled "Sacred Sites of St. Petersburg" by Miodrag Branković, showcasing the splendor of St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, opened this evening at the Cultural Centre of Istočno Novo Sarajevo.

Branković told reporters that the exhibition features 30 photographs printed on canvas, with 15 dedicated to each church, offering visitors an opportunity to discover the spiritual and artistic wealth of St. Petersburg.

He said the exhibition, held with the blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, had previously been presented in Belgrade, Vršac, Banja Luka, Podgorica, Pljevlja, Herceg Novi and Trebinje.

Branković noted that many people do not have the opportunity to visit St. Petersburg, and that the exhibition allows them to learn about the city's spirituality and churches.

He added that the exhibition is not for sale and will remain in Istočno Novo Sarajevo until November 1. It is also planned to bring it to Niš and Novi Sad, after which efforts to arrange further venues will continue.

Istočno Sarajevo Mayor Ljubiša Ćosić said the exhibition was further evidence of the close ties between the Serbian and Russian peoples. He expressed hope that it would encourage more residents of Istočno Sarajevo to visit St. Petersburg and the Russian Federation, while also bringing more Russian visitors to Istočno Sarajevo.

"The ties between Republika Srpska and the Russian Federation, and between the Serbian and Russian peoples, are immense and unbreakable. The same can be said of the ties between Istočno Sarajevo and cities across the Russian Federation," Ćosić said.

Nikolina Pandurević, director of the Cultural Centre of Istočno Novo Sarajevo, said the exhibition helped strengthen the longstanding spiritual ties between Russia and Republika Srpska.

She said the Cultural Centre had received a medal from the State Museum of St. Isaac's Cathedral in recognition of its organization, participation in and implementation of the exhibition, and thanked the museum's director and Branković for the honor.

According to Pandurević, awards were also presented to Mayor Ćosić, who provided institutional support for the exhibition, and to Dragan Ostojić, a businessman and philanthropist from Istočno Sarajevo.

Representatives of the Russian Embassy in BiH and Serbian Orthodox Church clergy attended the opening. The Sloga Serbian Singing Society choir from Sarajevo also performed.

The exhibition was organized in cooperation with the State Museum of St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Cultural Centre of Istočno Novo Sarajevo. Admission is free.

St. Isaac's Cathedral, dedicated to St. Isaac of Dalmatia, is one of St. Petersburg's most prominent architectural landmarks and the city's largest Orthodox church. Designed by architect Auguste de Montferrand, it is distinguished by its monumental dome and richly decorated interior, featuring mosaics, paintings and ornamental stonework.

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ, also known as the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, was built between 1883 and 1907 on the site where Russian Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded.

It is renowned for its colorful domes and lavish mosaic decoration, covering more than 7,000 square meters and making it one of Europe's most significant ensembles of monumental mosaic art.