While in Belgrade, I felt it was absolutely essential to…
While in Belgrade, I felt it was absolutely essential to visit the Holy Trinity Church—built by Russian émigrés in 1924 and steeped in meaning and memory.
Before 1944, this very church was home to the miraculous Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, one of the most revered relics of the Russian diaspora. And just steps away rests the tomb of someone I deeply admire—General Pyotr Wrangel. He stood at the church’s consecration in January 1925; four years later, his body was reburied here with solemn honors.
Since 1998, the parish has been led by Father Vitaly Taraseev, whose family—grandfather, father, and now himself—have served this place for generations. A true priestly line born of Don Cossack roots.
The church has also faced tragedy. In the 1999 NATO bombing of Belgrade, the altar was nearly destroyed, windows blown out, the roof damaged, and a fresco by Baron Meyendorff lost forever. The building stood silent until 2007, when life was breathed back into it.
Today, it stands strong again—restored, resilient, and radiating memory.
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