In the Church of Saint Sava, preparations are underway for the send-off of the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, and believers will, according to tradition, receive a blessing by passing underneath the sanctuary.
Preparations are underway for the solemn send-off of the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, and in accordance with centuries-old tradition and practice present in all Orthodox churches, the Holy Belt will be raised onto a pedestal inside the Saint Sava Church so that pilgrims can, by passing underneath this sanctuary, receive a blessing while offering prayers for themselves and their loved ones, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) announced today.
By the blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, and with the consent of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Ephraim, the abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery, preparations are underway for the solemn send-off of the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, stated Archpriest Đorđe Stojisavljević, Chief of the Cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch.
“In accordance with centuries-old tradition and practice present in all Orthodox churches – Greek, Cypriot, Georgian, Russian, and so also in the Serbian Orthodox Church – the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God will be raised onto a pedestal inside the Saint Sava Church so that each of the pilgrims, who have arrived to take a blessing from the Most Holy Mother of God, could receive a blessing by walking slowly underneath this sanctuary, offering prayers for themselves and their loved ones,” the statement reads.
With this, as added, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije expressed deep fatherly care for everyone who spared no effort and expressed love for the Mother of God, coming on a pilgrimage to the Lord, the Most Holy Mother of God, and Saint Sava, praying to the Mother of God and the Mother of us all.
More than half a million believers bowed to the Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God
The Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God, exhibited in the Church of Saint Sava on Vračar since May 20, was bowed to by more than half a million believers until June 2.
The Holy Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God will be in the Church until Saturday, June 6, when after the Holy Liturgy, which will be presided over by Patriarch Porfirije, it will be solemnly escorted to the holy and great Vatopedi Monastery on Holy Mount Athos.
Due to the great interest of the faithful people, the stay of this relic in Serbia has been extended twice so far on the initiative of Patriarch Porfirije.
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Source: B92; Photo: SPC