CANDLES FOR THE HOLINESS OF THE WISE SHEPHERD: The temple of Saint Sava in Vracar, the eternal home of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, was visited by his faithful.

Believers, but also other admirers of the wise pastor of the Serbian people and his faith, visited the magnificent church from early in the morning, the last resting place of the earthly remains of the patriarch.

– I came from Trstenik – Slavoljub Mladenović says “Novosti”. – I wish I had been here in the days of the farewell and had reprimanded myself for not doing it. That is why I was one of the first to light a candle for His Holiness. He loved him, but he also respected him. He found heavenly peace. And as earthly as we want, each of us should take care of that.

While people visited the temple, in the crypt, where Patriarch Irinej rests, the sacred liturgy lasted. He was served by Metropolitan Chrysostom of Dabro-Bosnia, vicar of the patriarchal throne. He was assisted by priests from the Dioceses of Slavonia and Belgrade. The crypt was closed to visitors due to strict epidemiological measures.

– We ask for your understanding – he ordered himself, and the same words were answered to the “Novosti” reporters who wanted to record a few moments in the Church of the Holy Prince Lazar and the crypt. – We ask for patience until conditions are created for visits to the patriarch’s tomb.

Believers lit candles for the patriarch’s soul on Monday / Photo by M. Anđela

The side entrance to the Temple, from where you enter the sepulchral church of the Holy Prince Lazarus and the crypt, as well as the main entrance to the Temple, were somewhat closed due to works that have largely continued. A job that will obviously take time. The workers, in silence, distributed the construction material to pave the surroundings of the Temple.

– We were paid, but we were also rewarded with this mission – Strahinja Gajić tells us. – We are especially grateful in this, but also in the coming days, for entrusting us with such important works.

Until late in the afternoon, the faithful took turns holding candles for the rest of the patriarch’s soul. Some of them returned to church several times. They stopped, inside, and returned to the benches in front of the Temple. Well, back to church.

The place where Irinej was expelled for the last time / Photo by M. Anđela

RESORT DEDICATED TO LAZARUS

THE CHURCH of the Holy Prince Lazar, in which the patriarch’s crypt is located, has three naves. Its lateral naves are destined to the tombs of the patriarchs. From the church of the tomb, a bronze door, on both sides of the altar, leads to the crypt, which contains stone sarcophagi and floor tombs. One of them, as of Sunday, became the last residence of the earthly remains of the blessed Serbian Patriarch Irinej.