In Herceg Novi, from August 15 to 28, 2026, the 13th Cyrillic Square will be held, a manifestation dedicated to the preservation of the Cyrillic script and the spiritual and cultural identity of the Serbian people, which gathers distinguished clergymen, academics, doctors, professors, writers, drama artists and other workers in the field of spirituality, culture and art. At this year’s Square, according to established practice, significant anniversaries will be marked with a rich program, and awards will be given for contribution to Serbian culture and Orthodoxy.

Cyrillic Square will mark the following anniversaries this year:
230 years since the battles on Martinići and Krusi (1796), 150 years since the battles on Vučje Dol and Fundina (1876), 110 years since the Battle of Mojkovac (1916), 200 years since Matica Srpska (1826), 170 years since the birth of the composer, melographer, professor and academician Stevan Stojanović Mokranjec (1856), 150 years since the birth of the poet and diplomat Milan Rakić (1876), 120 years since the death of the bishop of Boko Kotor Gerasim Petranović (1906), 100 years since the death of archpriest Savo Nakićenović (1926), 35 years since the death of the poet Vasko Popa (1991) and 5 years since the death of the blessed Metropolitan Amfilohi of Montenegro-coast (2020).

In addition to the mentioned anniversaries, this year’s program of the Cyrillic Square will be enriched with the monodrama “Listen to what I am saying – Sava Mrkalj” (the first reformer of the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet), a lecture and exhibition of reliefs entitled “Notable Serbian Mothers” by Đorđe Zečević and a literary evening entitled “On the Square of Poetry”, in which members of the Association of Writers of Montenegro will participate. Also, the program includes an evening for the youngest, where a pre-premiere of the children’s play “Bible Stories” directed by Luka Jovanović Dživdžanovski will be held.

Cyrillic Square will be opened on August 15 – the day of glory of the city of Herceg Novi, the feast of the transfer of the relics of Saint Archdeacon Stefan, to the Kanli tower at 8:30 p.m. On the same day, His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje and the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Ioanniki with several archbishops, numerous priests and monks. Thursday, August 13, 2026.

The Cyrillic Square on the Kanli Tower will be blessed by Metropolitan Joanikije, and then the Minister of Culture and Media Dr. Tamara Vujović and the President of the Municipality of Herceg Novi Mr. Stevan Katić, who will officially open the 13th Square of Cyrillic.

The program at the opening of this year’s Square will include ethno-singer and soloist Danica Crnogorčević from Podgorica, students of the Department of Serbian Traditional Singing and Playing at the Music School “Mokranjac” from Belgrade, under the direction of professors Branko Tadić and Miloš Nikolić, as well as KUD “Ilija Kišić from Zelenika”.
The square will last until August 28, when the glory of the Savina monastery – the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – will be celebrated.

In addition to the ceremonial opening and rich programs, the 13th Trg od Čirilica will traditionally host the award ceremony. The “Seal of Herceg Šćepan” award, which is awarded to individuals for their outstanding contribution to the preservation of Serbian culture and heritage, this year goes to writer, poet and literary critic Đorđe Brujić from Podgorica; the “Ćirilicnik” award, which is awarded to deserving institutions, will be presented this year to Matica srpska – the oldest Serbian literary, cultural and scientific institution from Novi Sad.

The organizer of the event is the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality of Topaljsko-Herzegovina, and its patrons are the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Primorsky Territory and the Municipality of Herceg Novi. The benefactors are: the Secretariat for Culture and Education of the Municipality of Herceg Novi, the Ministry of Culture and Media in the Government of Montenegro, the Ostrog Monastery and the “Herceg Fest” JUK. The media sponsors of the event are: Ostrog TV studio, Radio-television Herceg Novi, Radio Svetigora, the portal of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral and the IN4S portal.

PROGRAM:

Saturday, August 15

TRANSFER OF THE RELIC OF SAINT ARCHDEACON STEPHAN, the glory of the city,

9:00 a.m. – Church of the Holy Savior on Topla HOLY ARCHIPHERAL LITURGY which will be served by the Archbishop of Cetinje and the Metropolitan of Montenegrin Littoral Mr. Ioanniki with the clergy

8:30 p.m. – Kanli Tower / in case of rain “Park” Hall CEREMONY OPENING OF THE 13TH CIRILICA SQUARE AND “JEDOV SABOR – FROM THE DANUBE TO THE SINJEG SEA”

Blessing of the Metropolitan Joaniki of Montenegro and the Littoral, the words of the Minister of Culture and Media Dr. Tamara Vujović and Mayor Stevan Katić

Participating: Ethno singer and soloist Danica Crnogorčević, (Podgorica), students of the Department for Serbian traditional singing and playing of the Music School “Mokranjac” (Belgrade), under the direction of Branko Tadić and Miloš Nikolić, and KUD “Ilija Kišić” (Zelenika)

Sunday, August 16

8:30 p.m. – The garden of the House of Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the death of the poet Vasko Popa (1991):

VASKO POPA – GAMES ON UPPER EARTH

Speaking: prof. Dr. Ranko Popović (Banja Luka) and MSc Milorad Durutović

(Niksic)

Involved: fat. Višnja Dukić – guitar

Monday, August 17

8:30 p.m. – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, the Old One

Grad “LISTEN TO WHAT I’M SPEAKING – SAVA MRKALJ”, a monodrama about the first reformer of the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet

Author: prof. Dr. Gordana Ilić Marković

Director: Dušan Ašković

Game: Dejan Stojaković (Belgrade)

Tuesday, August 18

8:30 p.m. – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, the Old One

City – CELEBRATING THE JUBILEE 230 years since the battles on Martinići and Krusi (1796), 150 years since the battles on Vučje dol and Fundina (1876), 110 years since the Battle of Mojkovac (1916)

They say: archpriest-stavrofor mast. Gojko Perović (Podgorica), Dr. Budimir

Aleksić (Nikšić) and prof. Dr. Miloš Ković (Belgrade)

Participant in the program: fiddler Željko Vukčević (Podgorica)

Wednesday, August 19 – Transfiguration of the Lord

20.30 – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael,

Stari Grad – “MOTHER AMONG THE SERBS – PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL MOTHER”, lecture “FAMOUS SERBIAN MOTHERS”, exhibition of reliefs

Author of the exhibition and lecturer: academic sculptor Đorđe Zečević (Šabac)

Thursday, August 20

20.30 – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael,

Stari Grad, On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of Archpriest Sava Nakićenović (1926): PRIEST, PATRIOT LOVER AND RESEARCHER PROTA SAVA NAKIĆENović

Speaking: prof. Dr. Đorđe Bubalo (Belgrade) and Dr. Goran Komar (Herceg Novi)

Participant in the program: drama artist Milica Lučić (Herceg Novi)

Friday, August 21

20.30 – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, the Old One

City, On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the passing away of the blessed Metropolitan Amfilohij of Montenegrin littoral: PROMOTION OF SELECTED WORKS OF METROPOLITAN AMFILOHIJ

Speaking: Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, prof. Dr. Dušan Krcunović (Nikšić) and mast. Stefan Sinanović (Podgorica)

Moderator of the evening: Archpriest Mast. Aleksandar Lekić (Budva)

Participant in the program: soloist Teodora Bajić (Herceg Novi)

Saturday, August 22

8:30 p.m. – Garden of the House of Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić

Evening of the Writers’ Association of Montenegro, ON POETRY SQUARE

Participants: Members of the Association

Sunday, August 23

8:30 p.m. – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, the Old One

City, On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the poet and diplomat Milan Rakić (1876): MILAN RAKIĆ – BETWEEN POETRY AND DIPLOMACY

Speakers: Jovan Pejčić (Belgrade) and Jelena Marićević Balać (Novi Sad)

Involved: fat. Višnja Dukić – guitar

Monday, August 24

At 8:30 p.m. – Trg Herzega Stefana, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, Old Town “BIBLE STORIES”, pre-premiere of the play for children

Direction, dramatization, interpretation, songs and compositions: Luka Jovanović Živdžanovski (Belgrade)

Playing: Avram Cvetković (Kragujevac), Milena Radovančev (Pančevo), Nikolija Tričković (Niška Banja) and Zoran Ratković (Belgrade)

Scenography: Sreten Stojanović

Costume: Nikolija Tričković

Supervisor: Lazar Dubovac

Tuesday, August 25

8:30 p.m. – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. Archangel Michael, Old Town, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Motherland of Serbia (1826): TWO CENTURIES OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE – 200 YEARS OF THE MOTHERHOOD OF SERBIA

Speaking: prof. Dr. Dragan Stanić (Novi Sad) and prof. Dr. Drago Perović (Nikšić)

Moderator of the evening: Zoran Miljanić, M.Sc

Wednesday, August 26

8:30 p.m. – Herceg Stefan Square, plateau behind the Church of St. archangela Mihaila, Stari grad, AWARD CEREMONY 13. ČIRILICA SQUARE

Participants: Bosiljka Kulišić (accordion) and Nikolas Moreta (guitar)

Thursday, August 27, on the eve of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Monastery Savina

18.00 – HOLIDAY EVENING WORSHIP WITH PENTECOST

20.00 – ACADEMY OF THE HOLY CHRIST

Presentation of the phototype Six Days of Nikon of Jerusalem (manuscript book from the collection of the Savina monastery) and a memorial to the bishop of Bokokotor, Gerasim Petranović, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of his death

They are speaking: Metropolitan of Montenegrin Littoral, Mr. Joanikije, prof. Dr. Đorđe Bubalo and Prof. Dr. Mikonja Knežević

Friday, August 28 – Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Savina Monastery

9.00 a.m  HOLY ARCHIEREAL LITURGY

18.00 – EVENING SERVICE AND LITY WITH THE MIRACULOUS ICON OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF SAVINA