This year’s celebration of the Feast of Saint Sava began on the eve of the Feast by a vigil service at the Faculty church headed by the Faculty dean protopresbyter-staurophoros Predrag Puzović, Th.D. The vigil service was concelebrated by several presbyters and deacons, and attended by numerous guests and students of the Faculty.
On the very day of the Feast the Holy Liturgy was celebrated by the Vicar Bishop of the Serbian Patriarch, the Right Reverend Bishop of Remesiana, Kyr Andrej, and concelebrated by a large number of presbyters and deacons of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology with the participation of distinguished guests and numerous Faculty students. In his sermon Bishop Andrej conveyed patriarchal blessings and greetings to all gathered. His Holiness Kyr Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, did in fact pay a brief visit to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade some time later, after celebrating Holy Liturgy at the Saint Sava church in Belgrade.
Saint Sava Day Academy, held in the grand amphitheatre of the Faculty, was attended by the Right Reverend Bishop of Remesiana, Kyr Andrej, His Excellency Monsignor Orlando Antonini, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See in Serbia, Monsignor Stanislav Hočevar, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Belgrade, delegation from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development headed by the Minister, Dr. Tomislav Jovanović, His Royal Highness Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjević with his wife Princess Katarina, Mrs. Nada Kovačević, Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Education at the University of Belgrade, Mr. Miodrag Popović, Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Finance and Organization at the University of Belgrade, presbyter Darko Djogo, Ph.D., Vice-Rector of the University of East Sarajevo in Republika Srpska, Prof. Milan Tomić, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of East Sarajevo in Republika Srpska, Dr.Sc. Tonči Matulić, Dean of the University of Zagreb Catholic Theological Faculty heading a delegation of this Faculty, Mr. Christian Gostečnik, Ph.D., Dean of the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Theology, also heading a delegation of his Faculty, and other numerous distinguished guests.
Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, protopresbyter-staurophoros Predrag Puzović, Th.D., extended his welcome to all guests presenting them with information concerning Faculty’s academic life. He then, for the first time ever, awarded Charters of Saint Sava to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, and to the University of Belgrade for their support for academic research at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology. Charters were received by Dr. Tomislav Jovanović, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, and Mrs. Nada Kovačević, Ph.D., Vice-Rector for Education at the University of Belgrade.
Saint Sava Academy program continued with the presentation of diplomas to all students of the Faculty who had graduated during the previous year. Students with extraordinary academic achievements were presented with special awards.
This year’s Saint Sava Day sermon, entitled “The Bible in the Writings of St. Sava”, was delivered by deacon Ilija Tomić, Th.D., Associate Professor of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology.
There followed a brief theatrical and a musical program presented by renowned Serbian artists: actor Tanasije Uzunović, actor Ljubomir Tadić, violinist Jovan Kulundžija and his sister, the pianist Nada Kulundžija.
Saint Sava Festal Academy was concluded with the traditional singing of the Saint Sava Hymn by all gathered.