The Radio and Television of Serbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bojan Sudjic performed the Serbian premiere of 'St. Matthew Passion', grand oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra, authored by Russian Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk in Belgrade's Kolarac Foundation on Friday evening.

Apart from Metropolitan Hilarion, the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic delivered speeches before the beginning of the oratorio concert.

Patriarch Irinej said that Metropolitan Hilarion and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia are well familiar with the situation in the SPC, and that the Metropolitan has proved his love for Serbia by staying in the country during the NATO air strikes in 1999.

The Patriarch noted that the Metropolitan came to Belgrade with a promise that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Russian people will provide financial aid for laying mosaic on the interior of the Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade, which is quite costly.

The Patriarch added that the Metropolitan's oratorio was very well accepted in Serbia although such a form of musical expression is not much present in the SPC.

Jeremic stated that Serbia will never forget Russia's support in the country's struggle to preserve its holy land and the core of identity of the Serbian people - Kosovo and Metohija.

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the guests and delivered Patriarch Kirill's greetings, adding that the ROC has always been and always will be supportive of the Serbian people and the SPC.

I had an opportunity to visit Kosovo-Metohija and to see the inhuman suffering of the Orthodox Serbs and demolished Orthodox churches and settlements, and I would like to assure you that the ROC will continue to support the Serbian people and Serbs who remained in Kosovo-Metohija in spite of all the suffering they are faced with, Metropolitan Hilarion said.

The concert was also attended by Serbian Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, Minister of Religious Affairs and the Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic and dignitaries of the SPC and the Catholic Church.