SPC Patriarch presents Order of Holy King Milutin to Torshin

BELGRADE - Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) presented on Tuesday the Order of Holy King Milutin to Alexander Porfiryevich Torshin, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia and founder of The Saint Sabbas the Sanctified Foundation, an international humanitarian foundation for the preservation of Christian sacred places in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM).

The decoration awarded to Torshin is an expression of gratitude for his help with the restoration of Serb sacred places in KiM, including the Prizren Seminary, as well as his support to the KiM Serbs who are living in hardship, Patriarch Irinej said at the ceremony at the SPC Patriarchate.

The patriarch stressed that Serbia should be the first to help the Serbs at KiM, but that the support of Russia is of great importance.
"Russia is back on its feet and now it is a pillar of stability. Without a strong Russia, there is no peace in the world," Patriarch Irinej said.

Torshin expressed his gratitude to the SPC for the great honor conferred on him, pointing out that the Christian sacred places in KiM were barbarically destroyed and stressed that it is not only a matter of money for the restoration, but of acts that must be condemned in the strongest terms.

King Milutin (1253 -1321), a member of the Nemanjic dynasty, was one of the most powerful rulers of the medieval Serbia. During the 40 years of his reign, a great number of monasteries and churches were built or restored, including Our Lady of Ljevis, Gracanica and Banjska in KiM.

The Order of Holy King Milutin was presented earlier this year to President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and renowned film director Emir Kusturica for their contribution to SPC.