With a festive evening service with a five-bread loaf, the presentation of awards to the winners of the literary competition "The Seal of Saint Sava" and a concert by the Children's Choir of the Serbian Singing Society "Jedinstvo" from Kotor, with the participation of the Children's Choir "Holy Apostle and Evangelist Marko" from Podgorica, the traditional St. Simeon's Day festivities began tonight, February 28, in Podgorica - the birthplace of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Giver, the patron of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral.
The evening service in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan of Berlin and Germany of the Russian Church Abroad, Mr. Marko, in the prayerful presence of His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije and Archbishop and Metropolitan of Milesevo Atanasij, His Eminence Bishop of Pakrac and Slavonia Jovan and Bishop of Buenos Aires and South and Central America Cyril and the faithful people.
The festive concert in the crypt of the Cathedral Church, in addition to the bishops and clergy, was attended by a large number of Podgorica residents who accompanied the wonderful performance of the young performers with their applause. Incidentally, the Children's Choir of the Serbian Singing Society "Jedinstvo" has existed since 1999, and was created spontaneously, when the current conductor of the choir Ivana Krivokapić began teaching a group of children who attended religious education at the Church of St. Nicholas in Kotor how to sing church songs. Over time, this grew into a serious choir that is now a regular participant in church events and academies, and they have had notable performances, in addition to cities throughout Montenegro, in Serbia and neighboring countries.
Awards presented to winners of the literary competition "The Seal of Saint Sava"

During the evening, His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joanikije, presented awards to the best participants of the literary competition "The Seal of Saint Sava" of the Podgorica Orthodox Gymnasium "St. Sava" on the topic "Nemanja's City in the Embrace of Petrovic".
Namely, for the third year running, the youngest educational institution in Montenegro, the “Saint Sava” High School, has been organizing a literary competition for high school students in Montenegro and the region, and starting this year, at the suggestion of His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije, the literary competition is called “The Seal of Saint Sava”.
The committee for selecting the winning works, consisting of: Julija Živković from Podgorica, Sandra Bjegović from Cetinje, Veselin Matović from Nikšić (professors of Serbian language and literature), unanimously decided that the first prize should be awarded to Darinka Račić (Gymnasium “Panto Mališić” – Berane), the second to Božo Smolović (SMS “17. septembar” – Žabljak), and the third prize to Jovana Petrović (Gymnasium “Tsar Konstantin and Tsarica Jelena” – Novi Sad).
"Our intention with this competition is to encourage high school students to learn more about the two most famous Serbian dynasties, the Nemanjićs and the Petrovićs. To learn about the importance of these dynasties for Montenegro, Serbia and the entire Serbian people, and the enduring cultural, spiritual and material heritage they have left us. The theme of this year's competition was Nemanj's city in the embrace of the Petrovićs, a very beautiful but also demanding theme," said Jugoslav Blagojević, director of the Orthodox Gymnasium "Saint Sava", announcing the jury's decision on the award ceremony.
The St. Simeon's Day festivities will continue tomorrow, March 1, with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, starting at 9 a.m., and a procession, which will depart at 11 a.m. from the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, to Nemanja's Town on the banks of the Ribnica River, where, according to tradition, Stefan Nemanja, the progenitor of the holy Nemanjić dynasty, was born.
Vesna Dević
Photo: Boris Musić
(Metropolitan Diocese of Montenegro and the Littoral)