SPIRITUAL GATHERING PLACE FOR SERBS

MOSCOW, MAY 8 /SRNA/ - The Sretensky Monastery in Moscow is one of the main holy sites of the capital of the Russian Federation and a spiritual gathering place for Serbs studying in the city, a SRNA correspondent reported from Moscow.

They experience the Sretensky Monastery as a second home, as they overcome all obstacles more easily, strengthened by the love of Hieromonk Ignaty Shestakov, who said that there are currently several hundred Serbian students from Republika Srpska, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia in Moscow.

"They come to our monastery. They love our monastery, and we try to bring them together here. We celebrate Serbian holidays with them, and we also break the ceremonial bread when someone has a Slava /Patron St.'s Day/," Hieromonk Ignaty told SRNA.

He emphasized that Serbian students also sing in the church choir during liturgy.

Hieromonk Ignaty said that the monastery is connected to the miraculous salvation of Moscow in the 14th century.

"There are great holy relics here, such as the relics of one of our monastery's last abbots, Hilarion," Abbot Ignaty emphasized.

According to him, the Sretensky Monastery also has a spiritual seminary, currently attended by around 300 students, future priests.

"We bring young people together, we have various activities, and we also engage in publishing work," said Abbot Ignaty.

Hieromonk Ignaty said that he had visited Republika Srpska several times and had seen many of its holy sites.

"At that time, I felt a special spiritual inspiration among the people there, and I want you to preserve that," Hieromonk Ignaty said.

This year, the monastery was awarded the Sretenje Order in Serbia, an honor given for exceptional merit in public service, economy, culture, education, sports, and humanitarian work.

The Sretensky Monastery was awarded for its outstanding and active contribution to strengthening the spiritual and friendly ties between the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches and the two nations.