06.01.2017.
Marking Christmas Eve in SAF units
The Christmas Eve has been marked today in the barracks "Banjica-2" in Belgrade, where the Yule log was consecrated and burnt preceded by the Christmas litany.
The litany was attended by the Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic, the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic with associates, members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces who work in the barracks "Banjica-2". The Yule log was carried by Colonel Sasa Milutinovic, PhD, Head of Section for Religion in Human Resources Department of the General Staff.
The litany was led by Bishop of Sumadija and military cleric Jovan with chief military chaplain Major Sladjan Vlajic.
Addressing the gathered people after the ceremony of burning the Yule log with the greeting “God’s Peace – Christ is born!”, Bishop Jovan talked about the importance of this great Orthodox holiday and wished this day would bring Christ to the hearts and souls of the gathered ones and that “he would again and always be born in them”.
Christmas Eve has been marked today in a similar manner in other barracks of the Serbian Armed Forces.
After the liturgy in the military chapel of the Holy Martyr Theodore Tyron, the Yule logs were consecrated in the barracks “Topcider” in Belgrade. The festive event was attended by the Serbian Armed Forces members who work in this barracks and included a speech of Commander of the Training Command Lieutenant General Djokica Petrovic.
The liturgy was served in the barracks “Knjaz Mihailo” in Nis, in the chapel of St. Simon Monk, attended by the members of the 3rd Army Brigade, the 21st Signals battalion and the 3rd Military Police battalion. The liturgy was served by Second Lieutenant Ivan Ganic.
The members of the 2nd Army Brigade Command and units led by the Brigade Commander Colonel Zeljko Kuzmanovic attended the ceremony of consecration and burning of the Yule log in Kraljevo preceded by the liturgy. The ceremony of consecration and burning of the Yule log with liturgy was also held in the 21st infantry battalion in the barracks “Stefan Nemanja” in Raska.
The liturgy in St. Nestor temple in the 1st Army Brigade Command served by the military chaplain Captain Djordje Stojisavljevic was attended by the Brigade Commander Brigadier General Zeljko Petrovic, the Brigade members and numerous guests. According to the tradition, the Yule log was brought in by the Brigade Commander.
The 4th Army Brigade members led by Brigadier General Zoran Lubura have organized early this morning cutting of the Yule log in the vicinity of the Bora’s hill near Vranje. The liturgy in the chapel of St. Atanasije the Great in the barracks “The first infantry regiment of Prince Milos the Great” was served by military chaplain Second Lieutenant Vedran Kostic and the priest from Eparchy of Vranje Dejan Skaric. Tonight some members will participate in burning the Christmas tree with their families.
