The historic Old Town of Budva came alive this week with the opening of the 9th Cyrillic Festival, a cultural and spiritual event dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Cyrillic script as a symbol of identity and heritage. The festival, which began on August 26 and runs until September 17, was launched with a ceremony held at the "Between the Churches" square, as reported by the website of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral.

The festival program includes lectures, panel discussions, concerts of sacred and traditional music, and book presentations, drawing scholars, clergy, and artists from across the region. Established in 2014 by the late Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović), the festival has expanded beyond Budva to other Montenegrin cities including Cetinje, Bar, and Herceg Novi.

Director of the Budva Library, Mila Baljević, emphasized that the festival aims to protect and popularize the Cyrillic alphabet, which she described as a cornerstone of cultural and spiritual identity.

“By nurturing Cyrillic, we nurture our own identity,” Baljević stated.

Speaking at the opening, Bishop Paisije of Diokleia reflected on the historical and liturgical significance of the script for the Serbian people. He recalled that the earliest texts written in Cyrillic were religious in nature, and that the first printed books in the region — including the Octoechos, Psalter, Prayer Book, and Gospel — came from the press of Đurađ Crnojević in the 15th century.

“Cyrillic is our ancestral legacy. It is not only to be used, but respected and preserved,” Bishop Paisije noted.

This year’s festival places special focus on the newly canonized Saint Cyril (Cvetković). On August 25, a commemorative evening titled "A New Beacon of Orthodoxy" was held in Herceg Novi, celebrating his life, martyrdom, and spiritual legacy. Metropolitan Joanikije and other clergy highlighted the saint’s example of faith, forgiveness, and endurance, encouraging believers to follow in his path of devotion and resilience.

Budva’s mayor, Nikola Jovanović, called the festival an essential act of cultural preservation.

“The Cyrillic Festival is a stand for identity and heritage. This year’s motto, ‘Cyrillic Remembers, Budva Protects,’ captures the essence of our mission: to safeguard the legacy of our ancestors, uphold our spiritual and cultural traditions, and unite people through literature, music, and faith,” he said.

The Cyrillic Festival continues to grow as a vital platform for intergenerational dialogue, artistic expression, and the reaffirmation of cultural memory in the Balkans.