News

Building spiritual bridges and new links between the Balkans and the rest of Europe

The seventh day of the session of the General Assembly of the Conference of the European Churches, on 3 June 2018, passed in the sign of worship that was held in the morning in churches of Novi Sad and its suburbs, as well as in the procession held on the Quay.

The meeting with the host Churches (The Churches which are members of the CEC in Serbia – including the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Churches in Vojvodina; The Reformed Christian Church in Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia and the Evangelical Methodist Church in Serbia) was enhanced with the attendance of delegates of the General Assembly to  divine services of these Churches and communities in Novi Sad and suburbs. The Orthodox faithful from Constantinople, Russia, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Albania, Estonia, Finland attended the Divine Liturgy in Nicholas Church in Novi Sad, while the participants of the General Assembly of the CEC who are Roman Catholic participated in the service celebrated the high Mass in the Cathedral of Novi Sad; Anglicans in the chapel in the Master Center; Methodists in the Headquarters of that Church at Str. Lukijana Musicki 7, and for the faithful of the Reformed Church the service was held in the church in Maradik, while believers of the Slovak Evangelical Church gathered at the church at Str. Jovana Subotica.

Fifth Anniversary of the enthronement of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Holy See of St. James

June 4th, 2018 is the fifth anniversary of the enthronement to the Holy See of St. James of His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. We congratulate His Beatitude cordially.

Շնորհաւոր Սրբազան Պատրիարք Հայր

May our Lord continue to strengthen His Beatitude in his work.

Hierarchal Liturgy in Cathedral church in Novi Sad

Metropolitan Cleopas: The Holy Spirit leads the Church and gives people ability of acquiring the Truth.

His Eminence Metropolitan Stephen of Estonia presided over the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at Saint George’s Church in Novi Sad, on the feast day of Holy Emperor Constantine, 3 June 2018. He was concelebrated by Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Metropolitan Cleopas of Scandinavia (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Metropolitan Joseph of Western Europe and South Europe (Romanian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Gabriel of Philadelphia and New Ionia (Archbishopric of Athens), Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana and Bishop Irinej of Backa.After the read Gospel portion, Metropolitan Cleopas of Scandinavia delivered a sermon.

Address of His Grace Dr. Irinej, Bishop of Novi Sad and Backa at the plenary session of CEC in Novi Sad, June 2, 2018

Your Holiness, Your Eminences, Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops and Yours Graces Bishops, Your Excellences, Very reverend  and reverend fathers, Highly respected officers and members of the Conference of European Churches, Dear friends and guests, brothers and sisters,

It is my great honour and pleasure to welcome all of you once again in Serbia and Novi Sad, the seat of the Orthodox Diocese of Backa.

Keynote Address at the General Assembly of CEC – Novi Sad

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II gave the Keynote Address at the General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches gathered in Novi Sad – Serbia under the title of: “You Shall be My Witnesses”.

In his speech, entitled “Hospitality”, His Holiness emphasized that “through His incarnation, Jesus reveals to us the nature of God Who is hospitable and kind to the stranger. God’s hospitality emanates from His divine essence as love.”

Welcome address of Bishop Dr. Irinej of Novi Sad and Bačka at the opening of the General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches, Novi Sad, May 31, 2018

Your Holiness,Your Eminence,Your Excellency,Your Graces Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops,Fathers, brothers and sisters,Distinguished participants and guests of the General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches,

I warmly welcome you on behalf of the clergy, monastics and faithful of the Orthodox Diocese of Bachka as well as in my own name.