Enthronement of Patriarch Irinej of Serbia

The act of the enthronement of the newly elected Holy Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovac and Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, was performed today, on Saturday January 23, 2010, at the end of the conciliar holy hierarchal Liturgy at the Cathedral  church in Belgrade. The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was served by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia with the concelebration of his brothers Bishops, priests and deacons, and also the representatives of Russian and Greek Church.

The Holy Liturgy was attended by Apostolic Nuncio to Serbia Mr. Orlando Antonini; Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar; Reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community of Serbia Adem ef. Zilkic; Serbian Mufti Muhamed ef. Jusufspahic; representatives of churches and religious communities in Serbia; Ms. Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia; Mr. Mirko Cvetkovic, Prime Minister of the Government of theRepublic of Serbia; Mr. Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Srpska;  Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic with his wife; professor Dr. Bogoljub Sijakovic, Minister of Faith in the Serbian Government; Mr. Ivica Dacic, Minister of Internal Affairs in the Serbian Government; Mr. Dragan Djilas, mayor of Belgrade; Mr. Mladjan Djordjevic, assistant to the President of the Republic of Serbia; Mr. Dragan Curovic, state secretary at the Ministry of Faith in the Government of Serbia.

In the course of handing over the patriarchate insignia to Patriarch  Irinej of Serbia, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral recalled the life, deeds and sacrifices of the previous Serbian Patriarchs. Metropolitan Amfilohije wished His Holiness to be a worthy successor to St. Sava and all the other his saints, the worthy and honorable predecessors.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, in an initial sermon, he pointed out that today was a great day for not only him personally but also for our Church and our people, because Patriarch of Serbia always represented, before God and in history the fullness of his people, sharing its fate, its tragedies, but also its joy. His Holiness said that his heart flapped like a leaf in the wind, that he quivered with the consciousness and the knowledge before the question whether he was worthy of this high degree, honor and responsibility.

"So this time, my thought is directing to God, our Savior, Great Shepherd of the Church, who awarded me with goodness and grace of His" said Patriarch Irinej of Serbia."