The traditional cultural and spiritual event "Days of St. Basil of Ostrog", which began on May 7, and which is organized by the Diocese of Budimlja-Nikšić, the Church Municipality and the Municipality of Nikšić, ended with a solemn procession through the streets of Nikšić.
Saint Vasilije is the glory of Nikšić's Cathedral Church, and from this year, by decision of the Municipal Assembly, it is celebrated for the first time as the glory of the municipality of Nikšić - City Patron Day.
The liturgy, which has been held in Nikšić since 1996 and which was attended by a large number of citizens this year, despite the rain, was led by Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and Littoral and Bishop Metodije of Budamlje-Nikšić, a large number of bishops, numerous clergy and monks.
Also present were the leaders of the local administration, the presidents of the Municipality and the Municipal Assembly, Marko Kovačević and Nemanja Vuković with their associates, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister for the Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption Momo Koprivica, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Supply Vladimir Joković, the Mayor of Podgorica Olivera Injac, Ambassador of Russia to Montenegro Vladislav Maslenikov...
On the city's Freedom Square, Bishops Metodije of Budimlja-Niššić and Kirilo of Buenos Aires and South-Central America addressed the crowd.
On this day, Vasilije, who was declared a saint because of his healing powers, passed away.
Saint Vasilije was born as Stojan Jovanović in 1610 in the village of Mrkonjić, in Herzegovina. He became a monk in the Trebinje Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He came to the Ostrog monastery after the destruction of the Tvrdoš monastery where he lived and worked as an archbishop.
He became the Metropolitan of Herzegovina in 1639. He died in 1671, and his relics are kept in the Vavedenj Temple, in the Upper Monastery in Ostroh.
Bonus video:
