Order of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Bearer to the Serbian Army Guard

Church of Serbia – 15/10/2020

On October 12, 2020, on the feast of the Venerable Cyriacus the Hermit, Their Graces Bishops Arsenije of Nis, responsible for the Army of Serbia, and Stefan of Remezijana, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch, celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the military chapel of St. George the Great Martyr at the Guard Headquarters of the Serbian Armed Forces, Belgrade.  Hiigh Church awards were handed to members of the Guard and military chaplains.

On the occasion of marking the 190th anniversary of organizing of the Guard, and as an expression of paternal gratitude for the enormous work invested in arranging and equipping the military chapel in that unit and creating conditions for promoting moral and spiritual values based on Orthodox tradition, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej awarded the Order of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Bearer to the Guard of the Serbian Armed Forces. Major General Milomir Todorovic, Commander of the Guard, was awarded the same order as well.

Members of the Guard were praised with the patriarchal charters: lieutenant colonels Vladimir Vukajlovic and Nenad Mitrovic, Captain Vladimir Milovanovic and ensigns Goran Kalajdzija and Predrag Vasic.

For the exceptional work manifested on the development and improvement of religious service in the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as for the exemplary and responsible performance of the duties of a military priest, with the blessing of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, the rank of archpriest was awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sladjan Vlajic, Chief Chaplain of the Serbian Armed Forces serving in the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, and Major Stevan Stevanovic, military chaplain serving in the Guard Command.

In addition to the commander, officers and soldiers of the Guard, the service and ceremony on the occasion of awarding these decorations and recognitions were also attended by the Chief of Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic; Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed, Major General Petar Cvetkovic; Chief of the Human Resources Administration (J-1) HQ SAF Brigadier General Savo Iriskic, Commander of the Central Logistics Base Brigadier General Petar Latkovic, Chief of the Directorate for Tradition, Standard and Veterans Colonel Dusko Sljivancanin and Head of the Department of Religion Colonel Dr. Sasa Milutinovic.

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