The exchange of visits between Serbian and Russian officials in Moscow and Belgrade continues.
The initiative began earlier this month with the visit of the Vice President of Serbia to Moscow and Patriarch Kirill (https://www.orthodoxtimes.gr/ston-patriarchi-moschas-o-antiproedros-tis-servias-ti-syzitisan/).
The Vice President of the Serbian Government, Aleksandar Vulin, together with the Serbian Ambassador in Moscow, Momcilo Babic, attended the Divine Liturgy conducted by Patriarch Kirill in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
Then there was a meeting in the Patriarchal Office, where A. Vulin conveyed to Patriarch Kirill the greetings and esteem of both the Serbian President Vučić and Patriarch Porphyrius, praising him and exchanging wishes and statements about the “fraternal unity” between the Churches of the two countries.
Next, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk visited Belgrade. There, together with Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Belgrade Monastery of the Russian Church on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Church, and once again criticized the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Ecumenical Patriarch, emphasizing Russia’s gratitude for Belgrade’s support.
The latest example is the visit of the Russian Minister of Culture to Patriarch Porfirije. During the meeting, which was also attended by the Serbian Minister of Culture, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that the spiritual ties between the two peoples, based on their common heritage and the Orthodox faith, certainly precede cultural ties and ambitions. These ties have been strengthened over the centuries through common historical trials and ultimately through common victories.
“In my opinion, thanks to similar or almost identical historical experiences, Russian and Serbian cultures today face similar challenges, find similar solutions, and pursue the same goals. In all this, it is crucial that modern culture does not neglect its spiritual heritage and historical sources, but rather builds on these foundations in its contemporary efforts, thus ensuring a stable identity orientation, which is a basic prerequisite for the survival and development of any people,” Patriarch Porfirije emphasized.
The Russian Minister of Culture, Lyubimova, thanked the Patriarch for his hospitality and informed him that her visit to Serbia was closely connected with his words, as today, together with Minister Selakovic, she opened the traditional Fifth Russian-Serbian Cultural Forum, which focused on “The Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Russia and Serbia: History and Modern Times”.
Russia and Serbia have always carefully preserved their cultural heritage, as evidenced by a large number of cultural monuments, and this obliges us to protect our heritage for future generations, the guest emphasized.
Minister Selaković noted that strengthening cultural ties between the two countries is a fundamental value in our bilateral relations and one of the strongest links between the two peoples and states.
