Over one million pilgrims have descended upon the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade over recent weeks to venerate a fragment of the Virgin Mary's belt — a relic believed to have been worn during her pregnancy with Jesus. The cloth, normally kept on the holy mountain of Athos in Greece, was transported to Serbia for the first time in roughly 650 years, according to Serbian officials.

Over a million pilgrims for a 650-year first: the Virgin Mary's belt arrives in Belgrade

As reported by the source, the relic drew such crowds that it was made available around the clock for several consecutive weeks. serbian Minister of European Integration Nemanja Stavorich highlighted the historic nature of the event, noting that the belt had not been present in Serbia for roughly six and a half centuries.. Božidar Lijeskić, a senior cleric at the cathedral, described the belt as one of the most venerated possessions of Mount Athos, underscoring its spiritual significance to the Orthodox faithful.

Why the relic traveled from Mount Athos after centuries of seclusion

The source explains that the belt is normally safeguarded on Mount Athos, a monastic republic in Greece that has restricted access to women for centuries. Its rare journey to Serbia marks a notable exception, permitted only for major spiritual milestones. The relic's display at Saint Sava Cathedral — itself a monumental structure that took over a century to build — was timed to coincide with a high-profile visit by international media, according to the report.

A cathedral built over a century to rival Hagia Sophia

Saint Sava's Cathedral was conceived as a national emblem intended to rival historic sites such as Constantinople's Hagia Sophia, the source says. Its massive bronze doors are engraved with prayers in twenty-four languages, a design meant to greet every visitor with a sense of welcome. During a private tour, officials explained the significance of the architecture and recounted the life of Saint Sava, the church's namesake — a 12th-century prince who renounced his throne to pursue monastic life on Mount Athos.

President Vučić's Trump praise during the relic's media spotlght

The surge of pilgrims coincided with a media visit that included an interview with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, the source reports. During the conversation, Vučić praised U.S. President Donald Trump,calling him pragmatic, rational and the most popular American politician in Serbia — remarks that later appeared on Trump's Truth Social platform. The overlap of religious fervor and political messaging underscores the event's dual role as both a spiritual gathering and a diplomatic soft-power exercise.