On June 6, 2024, at the History Museum in Belgrade, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije attended a ceremony where the Sretenje Order was awarded to Metropolitan Damaskinos of Didymoteicho, Orestiada, and Sufli. The award, presented on behalf of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, was given by the Minister of Culture, Mr. Nikola Selaković.
Minister Selaković highlighted that Metropolitan Damaskinos earned this prestigious recognition for his efforts in preserving the memory of the Battle of Maritsa and honoring the fallen Serbian and Christian rulers. “The Metropolitan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Ormeni, praying for the souls of our warriors who perished in the Battle of Maritsa. After the Liturgy, he organized literary evenings dedicated to Despot Jovan Uglješa Mrnjavčević,” explained Minister Selaković.
Selaković, who initiated the erection of a memorial in Ormeni, emphasized Metropolitan Damaskinos’s support for constructing a temple next to the monument at the Battle of Maritsa site. This project was undertaken in collaboration with the Brotherhood of the Holy Larva of the Simonopetra Monastery of Mount Athos. The Metropolitan also advocated for the possible canonization of Despot Jovan Uglješa, recognizing his role as the second founder of the Simonopetra monastery, a significant spiritual and intellectual center on Mount Athos. “This award goes to our Greek metropolitan, our Greek brother, who preserved something we had almost forgotten,” stressed Minister Selaković.
Metropolitan Damaskinos expressed his gratitude to President Vučić and Minister Selaković for the honor of receiving the Sretenje Order. He emphasized that the Battle of Maritsa sends a powerful message of unity among the Christian peoples of the Balkans in their shared pursuit of Christian ideals and beliefs.
Source: Serbian Patriarchate
