Pilgrimage to Orthodox Serbia

There exist several different Serbias: the Serbia in political news, the Serbia of recent military actions, and Serbia as a geo-political reality. However, there is yet another Serbia: a mystical reality, a spiritual expanse, a fellowship of saints who have shone forth in their blessed land. Like our Holy Russia, Serbia simultaneously belongs to two worlds – to the world of historical events and the world of unearthly steadfast constancy, the kingdom of never-aging eternity. According to the great 20th Century holy hierarch, St. Nikolaj Velimirovic, Serbia lies “above East and West.”

Over the course of 14 days of October 2003, our American group of pilgrims, composed of 22 individuals of various nationalities, were able to visit and pray at holy sites and before holy relics of that much-suffering land.

During the two-week pilgrimage, the Lord enabled the pilgrims to visit 25 monasteries and 18 individual churches, and to pray before great holy relics of universal importance. We would like to offer you recollections of that pilgrimage written by our rector, Fr. Victor Potapov.

Part 1.  Arrival to Serbia.  Belgrade.  Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael.  Novo Groblje Cemetery.

Part 2.  Monasteries of Fruska Gora - Krusedol, Grgetek and Novo Hopovo.  Visit to the birthplace of our Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.  Novi Sad.

Part 3.  Central Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Royal Lavra of Zica.  Holy Dormition Lavra of Studenica.

 

Part 4. Gradac Monastery.  Church of the Holy Apostle Peter. Monastery of Djordjevi Stupovi. Monastery of Crna Reka.

 

Part 5.  Sopocani Monastery.  Monasteries of Kosovo. Decani Monastery.

 

Part 6. Gracanica Monastery.  Pec.  Holy relics - a piece of Wood of the Life-giving Cross of our Lord, and the right hand of St. John the Baptist.

Part 7.  Boka Kotorska. Back to the Cetinje Monastery. Ostrog Monastery.

Part 8.  Ancient Monastery Mileshevo.  Museum “Staro Selo”.

Part 9.  Church of St.Achillas. Ravanica Monastery. Meeting with His Holiness, Patriarch Pavel of Serbia. Monastery Celije. Town of Lelic, birthplace of Holy Hierarch Nikolai (Velimirovich).

Part 10.  Meeting with Crown Prince Alexander II and Princess Katherine. Visit to the Royal Palace in Belgrade.