Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has been awarded the Order of the Holy New Martyrs of Bihać and Petrovac in recognition of his support for the restoration of Orthodox Christian shrines in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The award was presented by Bishop Sergije of Bihać and Petrovac of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the diocese announced.

The ceremony took place on February 9 in Belgrade. According to Bishop Sergije, the decoration was conferred “for the care, love, and material assistance shown” to the diocese, as well as for the president’s contribution to the large-scale reconstruction of the Rmanj Monastery, one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in the region.

The Rmanj Monastery is located near Martin Brod in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the confluence of the Unac and Una rivers. Dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the monastery has been known since the 15th century and for centuries played an important spiritual and cultural role for Orthodox Serbs in the Bosanska Krajina region. Throughout its history, the monastery has been repeatedly destroyed, including during the Ottoman period, World War II, and the armed conflicts of the 1990s.

The most recent phase of restoration began after the return of the monastic brotherhood in the late 1990s. Reconstruction efforts have intensified in recent years with financial support from Serbia and Republika Srpska. The diocese emphasized that the project goes beyond the restoration of an architectural monument and is aimed at preserving the spiritual and historical heritage of the region.

The Order of the Holy New Martyrs of Bihać and Petrovac is the highest award of the Bihać-Petrovac Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It was established in memory of Orthodox Christians who perished in the area during the 20th century and is bestowed for exceptional service to the Church and its faithful.

Diocesan representatives noted that support for the restoration of the Rmanj Monastery is significant not only for local church life but also for the preservation of Europe’s broader cultural and religious heritage.