The grand opening of the bust of Alexander Nevsky took place on November 18, 2021 on the territory of the church of this saint in Belgrade in Serbia. This is reported by the publication Global Orthodox with reference to TASS.
The ceremony was attended by St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, Belgrade Mayor Zoran Radojicic, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botan-Kharchenko, representatives of public organizations and hundreds of believers. One of the guests was the father of the President of the Republic Angelko Vucic.
The liturgy before the opening of the monument was served personally by Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia. He consecrated the bust together with the Russian and Serbian clergy.
"Thanks to our common Orthodox faith, today we have the honor to attend the opening of the monument to St. Alexander Nevsky, who was born in Russia, but is also loved in Serbia. The Serbs saw in Nevsky their Saint Sava, prince, warrior, monk. Alexander Nevsky told us that the truth is not in power, but in God, may the unity of all Orthodox peoples be blessed by the prayers of Alexander Nevsky," the Patriarch said. He stressed that the ties, unity and love of Serbs and Russians are explained by their common faith.
After the addresses of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Bishop Nazari of Kronstadt, the anthems of Russia and Serbia were played. "We honor the memory of St. Sava, the Serbian saint. Alexander Nevsky and St. Sava had a hard time, but they managed to win and preserve the Orthodox faith. On behalf of our delegation, I want to thank Serbia for the brotherly love and support of Russia. We are together, and if we are together, we will win," the Governor of St. Petersburg said. The Mayor of Belgrade called the opening of the bust another evidence of the brotherhood and friendship of Serbia and Russia.
A bronze bust with a height of 115 cm and a weight of 150 kg is mounted on a massive pedestal, on which is stamped in gold letters: "God is not in power, but in truth." The monument was sent to Belgrade on September 22 from the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. A copy is installed on the territory of the Annunciation Tomb in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where commander Alexander Suvorov and the first military governor-General of St. Petersburg Mikhail Miloradovich (ethnic Serb) are buried.
The monument was made in the Krasnodar Territory by sculptor Anatoly Dementiev with the support of the Alley of Russian Glory Foundation. The financial participation in the project was also taken by State Duma Deputy Sergei Mironov, representatives of the Spiritual and Educational Center of St. Seraphim Vyritsky and the Russian-Serbian Cultural and Information Center for Friendship and Cooperation "Eagles", as well as employees of the Committee on External Relations of St. Petersburg.
Photo: https://gorthodox.com/