Monument to Russian Emperor Nicholas II unveiled

BELGRADE - A monument to Russian Emperor Nicholas II was unveiled and blessed in Belgrade on Sunday and Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said at the ceremony that Belgrade was getting yet another symbolof the old friendship, a place where people could meet and discuss their friendships based on Russia's last emperor's example of loyalty to Serbia.

A whole series of important monuments commemorating the Russian troops who fought alongside Serbian soldiers in both world wars will now include the monument to Nicholas II Romanov, a gift from the Russian historical society, a gift from the Russian Federation to Serbia, which will become part of their stories of gratitude and honour, the Serbian president stated.
"Emperor Nicholas II Romanov was killed ritually; Christianity and support for Slavic ideals was being killed," Nikolic said, adding that the crime had amde the civil war in Russia even more fierce, and that Nicholas II had already been viewed as a saint by the Serbian people by that time.

The monument was created by the most famous Russian sculptos, Andrey Kovachuk and Genady Pravotvorov and Belgrade architect Janko Krstic, who designed the park in which the monument is placed.

Russian Patriarch Kirill and SErbian Patriarch Irinej blessed the monument, which was followed by a wreath laying ceremony.
The unveiling and blessing of the monument is an important and historic event, Kirill said.

Nicholas did a lot to save the Serbs in World War One and sacrificed his crown, empire and life to save Serbia, the Russian patriarch pointed out.

Irinej stressed that this was a great day for Belgrade, Serbia and the Serbian people in the country and abroad.
Many citizens, bishops, Russian government...