01.08.2023.
Serbian Armed Forces celebrate Slava for the first time
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević and Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, attended today in St. Mark's Church, Belgrade, a liturgy served by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije in celebration of Slava (Patron Saint's Day) – St. Stefan the Tall - which is being celebrated by the Serbian Armed Forces for the first time.
The “godfather” of Slava was Minister Vučević and the host was General Mojsilović.Patriarch Porfirije concelebrated the Holy Liturgy with the Bishop of Lipljan and Military Bishop Dositej and all former military bishops, in the presence of the military clergy. In his speech following the liturgy, the Serbian Patriarch pointed out the importance of celebrating Slava and recalled the life and work of Despot Stefan, who, due to many of his character traits, is and should be a role model for everyone.
Extending his congratulations to all members of the Serbian Armed Forces for their Patron Saint’s Day, Patriarch Porfirije presented an icon of St. Stefan the Tall to General Mojsilović, as a gift to the Serbian Armed Forces.
By the decision of the Holy Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church passed in May this year, the Serbian Armed Forces were granted an official Patron Saint’s Day – Despot Stefan Lazarević. Based on this decision, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided that St. Mark’s Church in Belgrade will be granted the status of a military chapel, considering that there is an altar dedicated to Despot Stefan Lazarević in that church.
The Holy Liturgy was attended by government ministers, representatives of state institutions, members of the Defence Minister’s and CHOD’s collegia, members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as the faithful.