The Ascension of Jesus – the Patron Saint-day of the City of Belgrade and Ascension Church

14/6/13

The feast-day of the Serbian capital, Belgrade – the Ascension of the Lord was solemnly celebrated also this year. A joyful celebration of the feast day began with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, which was served by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, in the church of the Ascension of the Lord, with the concelebration of Their Graces Bishops: Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America, Irinej of Australia-New Zealand, and Atanasije of Hvosno, as well as lots of clergy.

The Liturgy was attended by a great number of  believers.

Church bells announced the traditional Ascension procession led by His Holiness Irinej. The Mayor of Belgrade Dragan Djilas, the president of the City Council Aleksandar Antic, vice-president of the City Council  Zoran Alimpic, lots of children with their priests, deacons and religion teachers of the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovac, members of Police and the Army of the Republic of Serbia participated in the procession, which began at the Ascension church.  According to estimates, several thousand believers participated in the procession and at the same time lots of people watched the procession from their balconies.

The first stop was at the Terazije fountain, where the prayer of supplication was served for the health of all citizens of Belgrade, and then the procession continued towards the Cathedral church via Knez Mihajlova street.

The host of the Patron Saint-day (Slava) was Mr. Danilo Basic, assistant to the Mayor.

At the head of the procession a cross was carried and the banner of Belgrade from 1938 which was kept in the Ascension church during the times when the city did not observe its Patron Saint’s Day.

As the Slava of the City, the Ascension of the Lord was celebrated for the first time in 1403 when despot Stefan Lazarevic made Belgrade the capital. The Patron Saint’s Day was not celebrated since 1946, and it was restored in 1992.

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