"Heaven feels closer," believers tell UOJ about Theotokos’ Belt in Belgrade

Pilgrims at the Saint Sava Church in Belgrade during the veneration of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos. Photo: UOJ

Believers from Slovenia and Italy shared their experience of a pilgrimage to Belgrade, where they venerated the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos at the Saint Sava Church, reports the UOJ in Serbia.

Pilgrims from a Serbian Orthodox Church parish in Nova Gorica traveled approximately 700 kilometers to venerate the shrine. Among them were people of different generations — from families with children to elderly believers. Many stood in line for 14–15 hours, despite the heat, rain, fatigue, and large crowds.

Biljana Preradović from Nova Gorica said she spent 15 hours in the queue and saw people around her who were exhausted and feeling unwell, yet refused to leave. "I met many people — they all came with faith in God. Some were ill, others had sick children, and some had their own troubles," she said. According to her, she endured all the hardships with joy, because she believes in the holiness of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Velinka Zec from Nova Gorica noted that what took place in Belgrade was difficult to put into words. According to her, the entire region "spontaneously flowed" toward the St. Sava Church, and people walked as though they were about to meet the Most Holy Theotokos Herself. She described the queue to the shrine as an "endless column of love," where children, young people, adults, and the elderly stood together.

Pilgrim Željka R. from Gorizia, Italy, recounted that she had initially been in Belgrade on business but had not managed to venerate the shrine. Upon returning home, she saw a message about a pilgrimage trip and decided to set out again. "There was a feeling that the Mother of God was calling you to Herself," she said.

According to Željka, for her this was a pilgrimage of a mother's gratitude. She shared that as a mother of three children, she especially wanted to venerate the shrine. "Love, faith, and repentance — all in one place," she described her feelings. The pilgrim added that people in the queue grew tired, fainted, rose again, prayed, and kept going. "The Mother has gathered Her children!" she said.

Rada Č. from Nova Gorica called the veneration of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos a great blessing. She recounted that she first traveled 12 hours from Slovenia and then waited in line for another 14.5 hours. According to her, this was a special opportunity for women, since they are not permitted to visit the Holy Mountain, where this great shrine is kept. "Despite the fatigue, I felt peace, joy, and deep gratitude," the pilgrim said.

Professor D. Tica from Postojna shared that she decided to travel to Belgrade on behalf of her family. Although she initially knew no one among the pilgrims, she felt already on the way that she was "in the right place." The most powerful impression, she said, was the peace she saw on people's faces and felt amid the thousands-long queue.

According to her, there were people from different cities and countries gathered in front of the church, and the wait at the shrine brought everyone together. “These are our people; the Most Holy Mother of God united us in such a way that it truly felt as though heaven had come closer,” she said. The pilgrim added that a single second spent venerating the Belt of the Most Holy Mother of God was worth all the hours of travel and waiting.

The rector of the parish in Nova Gorica, Father Miroslav, recounted that the trip was organized almost immediately after the Akathist to the Mother of God. According to him, an available bus was found by a fortunate coincidence, and nearly all the seats were filled overnight.

The priest noted that taking part in the pilgrimage was an indescribable experience for him, and he expressed hope that these “streams of believers” would become an exodus for the people from everything that had separated them from Christ and from the maternal embrace of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The UOJ previously reported that the number of pilgrims to Athos has grown by a third over the past year.

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