His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Last night, on October 27, 2024, on the Great Stage of the National Theater in Belgrade, Porfirije presented the Order of Saint Sava, first degree, to Mr. Nikita Mikhalkov, celebrated director and actor, People's Artist of the Russian Federation.

After the masterfully performed play 12, written by Nikita Mikhalkov and the Presnyakov brothers, by top artists gathered at the Nikita Mikhalkov State Budget Institution of Culture from Moscow, His Holiness the Patriarch of Serbia Mr. Porfirije went on the Great Stage of the Serbian National Theater and said: - Dear Nikita Sergejevic, thank you for this wonderful and exciting evening and this performance that reveals the deepest secrets of human personality and life.

- A special feature of Russian culture and art in general is that it deals with the question of the meaning of human life, and this is also a feature of your creativity through which Serbian people recognize one of the greatest artists and creators in the field of film and stage art, not only in Russia but also in the entire world in general - emphasized the Holy Patriarch and concluded:

- Someone decided that because of your dignity and human honesty, because of your open testimony of Orthodox Gospel values, to stop you from receiving gold objects: palm trees, shells, bears, lions... Our Serbian Orthodox Church, recognizing your testimony of authentic, healthy, normal, in accordance with God's plan for man, who is actually a universal man, she decided to reward you with her highest recognition, the Order of Saint Sava of the first degree.

The large audience, which filled the Great Hall of the National Theater to the last seat, accompanied these words of the Patriarch with undisguised approval and great applause.

In the letter accompanying the highest award of the Serbian Orthodox Church, it is stated that, at the suggestion of Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and Bishop Irinej of Bačka, the Order of Saint Sava of the first degree, Mr. It is awarded to Nikita Sergejevic Michalkova, film and theater author and actor, in recognition of his immeasurable contribution to the presentation of the Orthodox ethos and culture in the world, and especially for the fraternal help and self-sacrificing love always shown towards the Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful people.

The Holy Patriarch Mr. Porfirius then explained to those present that the proposal for honoring the great artist was initiated during the blessed memory of Patriarch Irinej. - But as it usually happens: one sows, another hoes, a third reaps, and the fourth, who is the least deserving, is blessed to feed on such a rich table. Worthy - said Patriarch Porphyry.

This was followed by words of gratitude from Mr. Nikita Mikhalkova:

- When a person works for rewards, they are never enough. There is an icon of the Mother of God Unexpected Joy. Today I bow to that icon for this unexpected joy. I don't think I'm really worthy of this great award, but I'm convinced that the Russian philosopher Vasily Rozanov was right when he said: A man without faith is not interesting to me. We are born to be interesting because we believe. Thank you!

The ceremony at the National Theater was also attended by: His Eminence the Metropolitan of Bački Mr. Irenaeus; His Eminence the Bishop of Novobrd, Mr. Hilarion, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch; Ms. Ivana Dimić, editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief of Svetosavski zvonc; Mr. Svetislav Bule Goncić, director of the National Theater in Belgrade.

Source: SPC