To mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Diocese of Belgrade on 17 September, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, will preside over a Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Serbian capital at 6 pm. For the Jubilee, the Archbishop of Belgrade, Mgr Ladislav Nemet, wrote a pastoral message “for this extraordinary feast that fills us with pride and makes us look back at the past, see the present as a gift, and await the future with hope”. In 1924, in accordance with the Concordat between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Pope Pius XI appointed the first archbishop of the Diocese of Belgrade. “Despite the many challenges, our religious communities bear witness to Christ’s love and fidelity”, the prelate wrote. His invitation is to “thank God as a family for all the graces that we have received over the past century”. “May this anniversary be an opportunity for us to renew our faith”, said Mgr Nemet, adding that in the future “we can be builders of peace, love and unity in our society”. And he concluded: “May our diocese continue to be, as it has been until now, a beacon of hope and love in the heart of this city and country”.