‘St Savva Storozhevsky and his monastery in the Orthodox world’ conference commences its work under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy

An international church-scholarly conference ‘St Savva Storozhevsky and his monastery in the Orthodox world’ commenced its deliberations in the framework of the jubilee festivities dedicated to the 600^th anniversary of the demise of St Savva. The opening took place in the Presidential Hall of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) on 11 December 2007. The conference is sponsored by the St Savva stavropegic monastery and the RAS Institute of Slavonic Studies.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia chaired the meeting and addressed the audience with his primatial words.

His address was followed by the one of the RAS vice-president Academician A. Nekipelov.

The main report on was presented by the father superior of St Savva monastery archimandrite Savva (Fateyev).

Taking part in the conference are secular scholars and theologians from Russia, Serbia and France and public figures. Reports of the Serbian scholars will be of special importance as they deal with the Russian-Serbian spiritual ties in the Middle Ages, parallels in historical development of Serbia and Russia, and the lives of St Savva of Serbia and St Savva Storozhevsky.

The 600^th anniversary of the demise of St Savva Storozhevsky, one of the most revered Russian saints is celebrated throughout Russia in 2006-07. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church blessed the festivities to be held with the all-Russian general church status.