On May 8, 2025, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic presented His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia with the highest state award of that country, the Order of the Republic of Serbia, First class on a large chain.
The award ceremony took place at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow after the meeting between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the President of the Republic of Serbia.
Addressing the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexander Vucic said:
"It is a great honor and pleasure for me to greet you on behalf of the whole of Serbia and personally express gratitude for your exceptional contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations between our fraternal Slavic countries and Orthodox peoples. We appreciate you as an authoritative, wise spiritual leader who defends Christian spiritual values and the unity of Orthodox peoples. These values have been the unshakable foundation of Serbia-Russia relations since time immemorial and the key to preserving us as a nation, as Orthodox peoples in the future.
We appreciate you as a sincere friend of Serbia, who raises his voice in defense of its holy sites and the protection of the peaceful population of Kosovo and Metohija. They pray for you in our Serbian churches in Kosovo, in Belgrade in the beautiful Cathedral of St. Sava, which has shone with its beauty thanks to the invaluable help of Russia.
Allow me to present you with Serbia's highest award, the Order of the Republic of Serbia, first class, and wish you good health and strength for all your good deeds for the benefit of our Churches and peoples."
Then the Decree of the Serbian President was announced, which stated that the award was given "for exceptional services in developing and strengthening friendly relations and cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Russian Orthodox Church."
In response, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia stressed:
"Every award, of course, causes very positive emotions. But when this happens in the context of the relations that exist between our countries and peoples, our Churches, it is more than just a reward.
The fact is that the Serbian people and the Russian people are connected by their history, their common struggle, and their common faith. Our countries have never fought among themselves, have never betrayed each other — this is an amazing, unique case, if we talk about the entire European context.
Even today, Serbia and Russia, despite the fact that they are separated by geographical space and other borders that lie on this space, retain their spiritual unity, cultural unity and, what can also be very important, emotional unity. Because you can be intellectually aware: yes, we seem to have a lot in common, but the heart will be silent. Here, the heart is not silent — it says that we are talking about truly fraternal peoples, fraternal Churches, and that this is indeed the unity that has been proven by the entire history of relations between our countries. And in this sense, I think this is a unique case, at least in Russia's relations with other countries.
I cordially thank you, Mr. President, and I cordially thank the entire Serbian people for preserving the relationship of love and support for Russia that has been imprinted for centuries, and I express the hope that this love and support will always be mutual and useful for our countries and our peoples."