Katic: Serbian Patriarch Porfirije's visit to Herceg Novi, Montenegro, is of great importance

Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije will be in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, on August 14 and 15, on the occasion is the 650th anniversary of the founding of the city and the city's patron saint day - the transfer of the relics of St. Archangel Stefan.

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The president of the municipality, Stevan Katic, said that the arrival of the patriarch is a great honor.

"The importance is huge and I see how many people are aware of that importance. We see that people from the region also decided to come earlier to Herceg Novi because of the patriarch's arrival," said Katic.

The president of the municipality said that people can't remember the last time a patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church went there.

"Regardless of the fact that Patriarch German was in Herceg Novi 43 years ago after the earthquake, nobody remembers a patriarch serving holy liturgy. This is perhaps the first time that a patriarch is being welcomed in this way, at least in the last 100 years, when it comes to our city," Katic stressed.

The last visit by a Serbian patriarch happened in 1979, after a devastating earthquake hit Montenegro, when Patriarch German visited the Bay of Boka and other coastal areas.

Everyone is participating in preparations to welcome the patriarch now - from the head of of the Herceg Novi Municipality to the local administration, the media, restaurateurs, cultural and artistic associations, and believers and children from religious studies.

The patriarch will be greeted by a magnificent litany starting in Njegoseva Street in the Old Town and going to the very entrance to the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael.

Organized by the Municipality of Herceg Novi and the Serbian Orthodox Church's Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, the welcoming ceremony will be held on August 14 at 6 pm on Herceg Stefana Square, followed by the Ceremonial Academy at the Kanli Tower, which will begin at 7:30 pm, while Balkanika's concert will begin at 10 pm.

On August 15, the patron saint day of the founder of the city, Saint Archdeacon Stefan, Patriarch Porfirije will lead the Holy Liturgy in the Savina Monastery.

In the evening hours, the opening of the cultural and spiritual event "A Square made of Cyrillic" will be held at the gate of the Cathedral of Saint Savior on Topla, starting at 7:30 pm, that will include a talk about late Metropolitan Amfilohije.

The evening will be blessed by the patriarch, while Metropolitan Joanikije and Archpriest-Stavrophor Radomir Nikcevic will speak.

(Telegraf.rs)