On 31 May 2026, we went on a pilgrimage to visit the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, also known as the Holy Belt of the Virgin Mary, in the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
This pilgrimage was never planned in advance. It came from a sudden inspiration, almost like a call from within. We simply felt that we had to go.
The Holy Belt had been brought to Belgrade from the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, where this precious relic has been kept for centuries. Its arrival in Belgrade became one of the great spiritual events of the year. By the end of its stay, more than 1.1 million people had come to venerate it in Belgrade. To be part of that river of prayer, faith, and devotion was something we will never forget.
Image source: Mount Athos: A Pilgrim’s Guide
We arrived at the Temple of Saint Sava at 19:45. By then, the line was already enormous. It stretched around 750 meters, which is about 0.47 miles. There were people everywhere, all waiting with patience and hope. Some were standing in silence. Some were speaking softly. Some were praying. Many had come with personal burdens, wishes, gratitude, illnesses, family concerns, or deep spiritual longing.
Looking back, we were actually very fortunate. Our pilgrimage took about three and a half hours from the time we arrived until we left, which felt long in the moment, yet many people waited much longer. Some reports described waits of up to nine hours, while others mentioned five to ten hours at the busiest times. At one point, the line was even reported to stretch more than a kilometre through Vračar and around the Saint Sava plateau. Knowing this made us feel even more grateful that we were able to complete the pilgrimage that evening.
While we were waiting, one of the most touching moments happened along the way. Students of the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade had baked kiflice, small traditional crescent-shaped pastries, for the faithful who were standing in line, and some of them came around sharing them with people. It was a small act of kindness, but after standing for hours among so many pilgrims, it felt deeply meaningful. It reminded us that this was more than a line. It was a shared pilgrimage, held together by prayer, patience, service, and generosity.
There was also a special story connected with the blessed ribbons. The first large batch of around 300,000 ribbons was prepared and packed in Belgrade over several days, with help from volunteers, including in church spaces and theological settings. These ribbons had been blessed on the Holy Belt at Vatopedi Monastery and were then placed in small bags for distribution to the faithful.
Because the number of pilgrims became far greater than expected, the ribbons were distributed very quickly. By 31 May, more than 400,000 had already been given out. A few days later, reports said the ribbons had run out, and the Church called on volunteers across Belgrade to help pack more blessed ribbons so that as many pilgrims as possible could receive one. The ribbon we received felt especially precious, knowing how many pilgrims had come, how quickly the first supplies had gone, and how much effort had gone into making sure people could still receive this blessing.
During the pilgrimage, we also had the great blessing of meeting His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije in person. We greeted him, shook his hand, and he gave us his personal blessing. It was a very special moment, and it became one of the most meaningful parts of the evening for us.
After waiting outside, we finally entered the church and continued a little further in line. The atmosphere inside the Temple of Saint Sava was deeply moving. The size and beauty of the church, the prayers, the people, and the presence of the relic created a feeling that is difficult to describe in ordinary words.
As I understand the Orthodox custom, the waiting itself is part of the pilgrimage. While standing in line, many people pray. Some repeat prayers silently. Some speak from the heart to God and the Mother of God. Some carry with them the prayers they have already been saying in the days before the pilgrimage.
For me, the journey toward the shrine felt like the continuation of prayers that had already begun earlier. When we finally reached the shrine of the Holy Belt, making the sign of the cross felt like a sacred conclusion to all those prayers. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then came the moment of veneration. We touched and kissed the shrine. I also had a prayer bracelet in my hand, and I touched it to the shrine. In Christian tradition, when an object is touched to a holy relic, it may be called a third-class relic. This means that the object has become connected, through touch and prayer, to the holy relic. It is kept with respect as a reminder of the blessing, the prayer, and the holy moment.
After venerating the shrine, we continued further and received the blessed string, or ribbon, connected with the Holy Belt. According to the tradition of Vatopedi Monastery, pilgrims may receive a cotton ribbon that has been blessed on the Holy Belt. Many faithful wear or keep this ribbon prayerfully, with reverence, faith, repentance, and trust in the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Image source: Holy Monastery of Vatopedi
The Holy Belt has long been associated with healing, comfort, help in sorrow, and especially prayers for couples hoping to have children. Many testimonies through the years have been connected with this relic and with the blessed ribbons. For believers, the ribbon is received as a blessing, a reminder of prayer, and a sign of the Mother of God’s care.
When we finally came out of the church, we were tired, but filled with the feeling of, “We did it!”
Our pilgrimage concluded at 23:15. From arrival to departure, the journey lasted about three and a half hours. It was physically tiring, but spiritually unforgettable.
Both Marijana and I can truly say that this pilgrimage changed our lives. We would not have wanted to be without it. Something inside us shifted. We felt more peace in our being, and the experience stayed with us long after we left the Temple of Saint Sava.
Some journeys are planned carefully. Others arrive as a sudden inspiration. This one came suddenly, yet it became one of the most important spiritual experiences of our lives.
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A few more photos from our camera roll:
