Among this year's recipients of the Sretensky Order, a decoration of the Republic of Serbia that is awarded for special merits in the field of public, economic, cultural, educational, sports and humanitarian activities, is the Sretensky Monastery from Moscow, for its exceptional and active contribution to strengthening the spiritual and friendly relations between the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches and the two peoples. The order was received on behalf of the Sretensky Monastery by Hieromonk Ignatius Shestakov.

"First of all, this is a very significant award for the Sretensky Monastery and I must emphasize that it is well deserved, because this is not something new, but something that the Sretensky Monastery has been participating in for decades, and that is the active strengthening of, first of all, the two local churches, and then of course, the people, the Orthodox Slavic people. What is important to me is that I am also a small part of that mosaic. It is a very nice feeling. "I was very proud yesterday when the President of the Republic of Serbia emphasized how much the Sretensky Monastery has done for that connection, and I must say that for all of us it is a great recognition and an encouragement to the students studying in Moscow, and there are many of us, thank God, to continue to strengthen ourselves spiritually in that great sanctuary and to draw closer to each other through the Sretensky Monastery," says Mila Cerović, a doctoral student at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and Deputy Rector for International Cooperation of the Sretensky Theological Academy, for our portal.

The Sretensky Monastery is a place of spiritual gathering for many young Serbs studying in Moscow. Spiritually strengthened and warmed by the paternal care and love of Father Ignatius and the rest of the monastic brotherhood, they more easily overcome all the difficulties of life in a new environment. The Sretenje Monastery is often their second home, and as is the case in every community, they try to contribute to the beauty of the life of this sanctuary and family with their gifts. Of course, none of this would be possible if the wide embrace of the Sretenje Monastery had not been opened to them, in which, as our interlocutor says, “it is possible for them to celebrate their baptismal slava and have their own, Serbian code.”

“Given that Father Ignjatij is an exceptional expert on Serbian spiritual thought and Serbian culture, he still tries to celebrate all these, for us Serbs, important dates with us. Our slava are also there. He knows that it is important for us to bring that cake to the church to be sanctified and to celebrate, so to speak, that Serbian code through the gathering. Of course, Saint Sava plays a central role there. The center of our gatherings are the Holy Liturgies. Midnight Liturgies are usually served at the Sretensky Monastery, which is very convenient for us due to the multitude of daily activities, because it is the evening or night when we can all arrive at the service, and yet it is not too late, so that in the morning we can all arrive again for our further duties and work obligations. We also gather on various other occasions. We have our mini academies, and what I have to emphasize and what is very important to me is that mini ensemble that we formed there in the past two or three years, from students who are studying in Moscow. There are also opera singers and other musicians, players, all exceptional artists, and so sometimes we get together and go to a hospital, a military hospital or a children's hospital and perform there. It is an opportunity to present our culture, our music, and we sing mostly Kosovo songs and the audience is very enthusiastic, because that is not something they encounter often.

A very important activity of the Sretensky Monastery is publishing. In the diligent weaving of the written word into souls thirsting for an example of holy life, which is a picture of Orthodox spiritual publishing, but also of the tireless search for what today's Orthodox Russian man needs to read, translations of many books written in the Serbian language have been found, and above all those signed by Saint Bishop Nicholas and Venerable Justin of Celje. In addition, part of the publishing house of the Sretensky Monastery is dedicated to the translation of Russian books into Serbian.