Sofia: A great manifestation on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of the Holy King Milutin

Ambassador Jović said that it is a great pleasure and honor, but above all, a great responsibility to be the Serbian ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria on the day when we mark the 700th anniversary of the death of the great Serbian King Stefan Uroš Milutin, better known as Holy King Milutin.

"With the great manifestation, as well as the numerous events of the previous days and the events that will follow in the coming days, we had the opportunity to, above all, repeat to each other once again how big our brotherly ties are, ties between Serbia and Bulgaria, ties between Serbian and Bulgarian people", stated the Serbian ambassador.

According to him, it is also an opportunity to remind our middle generation and somewhat older fellow citizens of the importance that Holy King Milutin has, who has led the Serbian state to a great rise.

Jović said that King Milutin did a lot in terms of culture and that he was known and recognized in all historical sources for his patronage, generosity and help he gave to the hungry, the helpless and the sick.

"On the other hand, today was an opportunity to teach our children, to show them who they are, to tell them where their roots are, so that they know where to go and how to build their country in the best possible way", Jović said.

The ambassador said that Holy King Milutin is really the best and most valuable bridge we currently have between the fraternal Serbian and fraternal Bulgarian people and a natural link that can help us make our overall bilateral relations even better.

Numerous believers, guests, priests and friends took part in the event, and Bishop Polikarf of Belogradchik said that we are celebrating with special dignity the 700th anniversary of the repose of Holy King Stefan Milutin, whose relics are in the metropolitan cathedral of the Holy Sunday in Sofia.

"For 552 years, he has been blessing our Bulgarian people and the Serbian people. For the two nations, Holy King Stefan Milutin is one great and extraordinary blessing, he is a saint who during his life taught the believing people to fulfill God's commandments, to keep and respect the Orthodox faith, and even today he teaches us to love God, to fulfill his commandments and to be faithful followers of Christ when we fulfill the greatest commandment of Christ, which is to love one another", said the Bishop of Belogradchik.

According to him, Holy King Milutin is not in Bulgaria by accident, because he is here to show both the Serbian and Bulgarian people that we need to cultivate mutual love on Christ's path.

He stated that when we have the love that Holy King Milutin shows us, we will have peace between us, unity, and brotherly unity, and we will be good witnesses in the century in which we live, in the present time, witnesses of the pure and holy Orthodox faith.

"The Holy King blesses us, saves us, gives us the strength to be truly worthy Bulgarians and Serbs, to be united on the Balkan Peninsula and in Europe, to witness to unity, Christ's peace and love", said the Bishop of Belogradchik.

Advisor to the President for culture, Dejan Savić, said that today's manifestation was an unusual and extraordinary event and that it was not only a church, but a historical holiday that unites two peoples, Serbian and Bulgarian, in the most beautiful way.

"On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of the Holy King Milutin, we came here to mark that great and important date with a liturgy, and to take the relics of king Milutin out of the church for the first time", said Savić.

He stated that this is a holiday that, in the first place, we in our country should celebrate with a little more attention.

Savić said that it was an event that exceeds the church and social dimensions when it comes to the relations between our two peoples.

"In short, it is certainly a manifestation to remember and a historical manifestation", Savić said, adding that we should use such events to bring together two peoples who are close to one another, both geographically, historically and by religion.