Ceremony of Marking Mratindan in Serbian Armed Forces
Tuesday, 25.11.2025 | Culture and traditions
Yesterday, the Day of the Holy Martyr Stefan Dečanski – Mratindan – was solemnly celebrated in the liturgical space of the Serbian Armed Forces Guard, at the Dedinje Barracks in Belgrade.
On the occasion of the holiday, the holy bishop’s liturgy was performed by the bishop in charge of military chaplains in the Serbian Armed Forces, His Eminence Vicar Bishop Dositej of Lipjan, with the assistance of military chaplains. The liturgy was followed by the blessing of the holiday gifts and cutting of the ritual bread, followed by a festive meal for members of the Serbian Armed Forces.
On this occasion, Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović was especially honored to be awarded the medal of the Serbian Orthodox Church - Cross of Saint Varnava of Hvosno for an exceptional contribution to the development and strengthening of the Chaplaincy Service in the Serbian Armed Forces and making possible for the moral and spiritual values based on Orthodox tradition to be promoted and improved.
With the blessing of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, the high ecclesiastical decoration was presented to the Chief of the General Staff by Military Bishop Dositej.
The medal — the Cross of Saint Varnava of Hvosno, Confessor of Faith, is awarded in recognition of the lifelong commitment to the Gospel in the public sphere. It was established in 2023, based on the proposal of the military bishop and the decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
