POPOVIĆ: ARRIVAL OF HOLY BELT OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS AS A SIGN OF MOTHER OF GOD'S PROTECTION OVER SERBS

BELGRADE, MAY 16 /SRNA/ - The arrival of one of the greatest Orthodox relics, the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, in Belgrade for the first time in 650 years demonstrates grace and serves as a testimony to the heavenly protection over the Serbian people, said Minister without portfolio in the Government of Serbia Nenad Popović.

The Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos will be in Belgrade from May 20 to May 29, and after arriving at Nikola Tesla Airport, it will be transferred to the Ascension Church in the center of Belgrade, where, as Popović stated, it will be ceremonially welcomed and placed in a special location in the church, allowing the faithful to pay their respects. On Spasovdan /Ascension Day/, the Patron Saint Day /Slava/ of the city of Belgrade on May 21, a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated, after which a Spasovdan procession will depart from the Ascension Church, led by the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos. The procession will move toward the Church of Saint Sava, where the Holy Belt will be placed in a specially designated location. For the following eight days, the faithful will be able to venerate the holy relic. Popović stated that the arrival of such a holy relic in Serbia also demonstrates the deep spiritual connection between the Serbian people and Mount Athos, established by Saint Sava and his father, Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming. He recalled the sacred tradition that the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos was made by the Virgin Mary herself and therefore holds the greatest significance for the Orthodox world, as it is the only relic preserved from her earthly life. Popović, who is responsible for international economic cooperation and the social status of the Church, noted that the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos is coming from the Vatopedi Monastery to Belgrade at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije. "The Vatopedi Monastery is one of the largest monasteries in the world, existing for more than 1,000 years, and it is fair to say that the foundations of Serbian spirituality, statehood, and the Svetosavlje identity were laid there," Popović told RTS. Saint Sava, who stayed there for 12 years, and Saint Simeon are recorded in Vatopedi’s history as its greatest benefactors, while the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos was gifted to the monastery by the Serbian Prince Lazar as a lasting spiritual bond between the Serbian people and this monastery. Popović said that there have been numerous reported miracles - healings and consolations, that occurred before this holy relic, particularly assistance to couples seeking to have children, but, as he emphasized, the most important thing is that “all this grace comes upon the entire Serbian people.” The Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos is arriving in Belgrade, accompanied by the abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery, Archimandrite Ephraim, and nine monks from the monastery.