His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch,
attended the solemn presentation of the mosaic in the dome of the Saint
Sava Cathedral in Belgrade’s district of Vracar on 22 February 2018.
Besides
His Holiness, the celebration in the Memorial Cathedral of the Serbian
people was attended by President of the Republic of Serbia Mr.
Aleksandar Vucic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Mr. Sergey Lavrov, President of the Republic of Srpska Mr. Milorad
Dodik, President of the Department of the External Church Relations of
the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk, members
of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, ministers
in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as well as by
representatives of the company Gasprom Nyeft which helped the creation
and installation of the monumental mosaic in the dome of the Saint Sava
Cathedral.
Patriarch Irinej held a speech and among other things
he thanked, on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church, to the brotherly
Russia and its President for the love shown towards the Serbian people
and the provided aid for the Saint Sava Cathedral. He also expressed
deep gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church and His Holiness Patriarch
Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for supporting this project. His
oliness thanked the Republic of Serbia and its president Vucic for the
great and precious financial help for the final upcoming works.
The
State helped the construction of the Cathedral as the most beautiful
and the brightest monument, the focus of our ties, fraternity and peace
with everyone, President Vucic said in his address and thanked
especially to the President of Russia Mr. Vladimir Putin and Foreign
Minister of Russia Mr. Sergey Lavrov. He also said his thanks to the
Gaspromneft for the generous support.
The mosaic in the central
dome of the Saint Sava Cathedral was created under the leadership of the
Russian academician Nikolay Muhin. Some 70 Russian and Serbian artists
participated in the production of the mosaic on1248 square meters. The
mosaic, weighing 40 tons, and set at a height of 65 meters is one of the
largest mosaic decorating projects in the world – and represents a
monumental composition of the Ascension of Our Lord. More about the
Saint Sava Cathedral on its homepage hramsvetogsave.rs.
photo: Deacon Dragan Tanasijevic
