Russian patriarch arrives in Serbia

BELGRADE - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has arrived on Friday on a three-day visit to Serbia where, as announced earlier, he will consecrate the monument to Tsar Nicholas II Romanov and meet with the country's top religious and state officials.

The Russian patriarch was welcomed at Nikola Tesla Airport by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin and church dignitaries.

This is a regular visit during which Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will talk with Serbian Patriarch Irinej about the most important issues in the Christian world, and other issues related to the two Churches, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has stated.

During his stay in Belgrade, Patriarch Kirill will receive an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at the University of Belgrade because of his outstanding contribution to this field.

On Saturday, Patriarchs Irinej and Kirill will consecrate the monument to Tsar Nicholas II Romanov that has been recently set up in downtown Belgrade.

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia will lay a wreath at the monument to the Russian fallen in World War I at New Cemetery in Belgrade and hold a memorial service at the tomb of Patriarch Pavle in Rakovica. On Sunday, the two Patriarchs will hold a hierarchal divine liturgy at St. Sava's Cathedral in Belgrade.

This is the second visit by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Serbia since his enthronement.

The Russian Patriarch visited Nis in 2013, where he attended the ceremony marking 1,700 years since the Edict of Milan.

Photo Tanjug, O. Toskic