Bishop Irinej received an honorary doctorate in St. Petersburg
A prayerful and solemn Eucharistic gathering in St. Petersburg’s Theological Academy. - A honorary doctorate of Theology to Bishop Dr. Irinej (Bulovic) of Backa
At the beginning of the new academic year, on September 1, 2019, Metropolitan Varsonophy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga officiated Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Irinej of Backa, Antonije of Moravica and Isihije of Mohacs, as well as of Russian bishops Nazarius of Kronstadt and Silouan of Peterhoff, rector of the Theological Academy, in a prayerful presence of many professors and students, in the church of St. John the Theologian of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.
At the end of the Liurgy, Metropolitan Varsonophy conveyed blessings of His Holiness Kiril, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, to all the professors and lecturers of the Academy and wished the students, in addition to acquiring theological knowledge, to foster love for the Church and their future pastoral ministry.
Thereafter, the Rector of the Academy, Bishop Silouan of St. Petersburg, as a sign of a gratitude, shared an icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign" to the present hierarchs.
According to tradition, all the present proceeded to the solemn hall, where each year on the first day of September a solemn celebration is held on the occasion of the beginning of the new academic year. Metropolitan Varsonophy addressed the present here as well.
Bishop Silouan handed over an honorary doctorate (honoris causa) of the Academy to His Grace Dr. Irinej, Bishop of Backa and professor of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade. In his academic lecture Bishop Irinej thanked Metropolitan Varsonophy and the Scientific Council of the Academy for the handed in award and retrospectively presented the history of Serbian theology from the twentieth century to the present day. His Grace indicated many examples of the brotherly relations between the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches pointing out that many significant Serbian hierarchs and theologians had studied in Russia or had been influenced by Russian theologians and thinkers. The Serbian hierarch expressed a hope that the two Churches would continue to cooperate in the spirit of brotherly love.
At the end of the solemn event and on the occasion of the new academic year the Bishop Rector handed over awards and certificates to professors and associates of the Academy, while the best students received scholarships, and the bachelors of the Academy received a copy of the Holy Bible each.
