916,825 FAITHFUL VENERATED THE BELT OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS AT SAINT SAVA CATHEDRAL

CHURCHBELGRADE, JUNE 6 /SRNA/ – A total of 916,825 faithful have venerated the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos at Saint Sava Cathedral Church in Vračar, the Serbian Orthodox Church announced.

“With great joy, it was announced that from May 20 at 8:00 p.m. until today at 2:00 p.m., 916,825 believers passed through Saint Sava Cathedral Church in Vračar and venerated the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos,” the Serbian Orthodox Church stated.

One of Christian greatest relics was today, following the Divine Hierarchical Liturgy and the Akathist at Saint Sava Cathedral Church, ceremonially sent on its journey back to the royal lavra of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos with the highest state and church honours, accompanied by Serbia’s national anthem, “Bože pravde”, performed by the Police Orchestra.

The Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos arrived from the Vatopedi Monastery on the occasion of Belgrade’s patron saint’s day, the Feast of the Ascension /Spasovdan/, and was carried through the city centre in the traditional Spasovdan procession from the Ascension Church to Saint Sava Cathedral Church.

The relic was accompanied by Archimandrite Ephraim, abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery, and monks of the Athonite monastery. It was originally scheduled to remain in Belgrade until May 29, but its stay was extended twice.

The Holy Belt was donated to the Vatopedi Monastery by Serbian Prince Lazar in the 14th century.