Fr. Josiah Trenham Speaks About Faith of Serbian People
Tens of thousands of pilgrims waiting hours to venerate the Holy Belt in Serbia left Fr. Josiah Trenham deeply moved by their devotion.
BELGRADE — As reported by UOJ-Serbia, Fr. Josiah Trenham, widely known for his Patristic Nectar YouTube channel, said he was deeply moved by the remarkable devotion on display in Belgrade, where vast crowds of faithful have spent hours waiting to venerate the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos at the Cathedral of St. Sava.
The revered relic, brought to the Serbian capital from Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos, has attracted tens of thousands of pilgrims during its stay. Fr. Josiah noted that the Holy Belt had not visited Belgrade for approximately 600 years, making the event especially significant for Serbian Orthodox believers. Even on the 12th day of public veneration, large crowds continued to gather daily.
According to Fr. Josiah, pilgrims have formed lines stretching for miles and have waited as long as 10 hours in the summer heat for an opportunity to approach the shrine. He said the dedication of the faithful was particularly striking because entire families were participating, with children, parents, and grandparents all standing together in line.
Reflecting on what he witnessed, Fr. Josiah contrasted the scene with the types of events that typically draw massive crowds in the United States. While Americans might wait for hours to attend a major sporting event or concert, he said he found it extraordinary to see so many people willingly endure long waits in order to venerate a sacred relic.
I’m in Belgrade at the St. Sava Cathedral and the most precious relic of the Mother of God — Her Belt — is visiting from the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi on Mt. Athos. It hasn’t been here for 600 years. This is day 12 and each day people in the tens of thousands line up for miles (literally) and wait 10 hours in the sun to be able to venerate it — kids, parents, grandparents. Extremely moved to see such devotion. What would an American spend 10 hours standing to see? Rock concerts? An NBA finals game? It is incredible.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Fr. Josiah Trenham attended the glorification of Saints Cleopa and Paisie.
