Important News

Serbian Patriarch Irinej visits Patriarchate of Alexandria

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, accompanied by Their Graces Bishops Jovan of Sumadia and Andrej of Remesiana, protopresbyter-staurophor Milutin Timotijevic, rector of the Prizren Seminary of Sts. Cyrill and Methodius in Nis, and deacon Aleksandar Sekulic, went on Friday, October 5, 2012 on the first visit to the Patriarchate of Alexandria after the election and coming to the throne of the Serbian Patriarchs.

WCC Central Committee meeting, 28 August - 5 September 2012

The WCC Central Committee called for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to release from his imprisonment Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid, who is also Metropolitan of Skopje, of the Serbian Orthodox Church.  

The archbishop was arrested when crossing the border from Greece in December 2011 and convicted in absentia before being sentenced to solitary confinement. Amnesty International has recognized Archbishop Jovan as “a prisoner of conscience”.

The Central Committee encouraged the WCC international affairs commission “to organize a solidarity visit and continue to advocate for the release of Archbishop Jovan.”

Minute on the unlawful detention of Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid and Metropolitan of Skopje of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Fire extinguished - rain fell after the procession and the moleben

LATEST NEWS: Sunday, August 12, 2012 (8 a.m.)  - THE FIRE ON MOUNT ATHOS PUT OUT. THE HILANDAR MONASTERY SAVED.

Last night at 10.48 p.m. of local time on Mount Athos  a heavy rain began. According to reports of eyewitnesses, a real downpour happened. 

The Most Holy Theotokos, the Comforter of sadness, not burned in the great fire of 1722 with its prayerful advocacy put out the fiery torch that has been burning for 5 days and devoured everything in sight and came at 1300 m close to the Hilandar. On Saturday the monastery brotherhood held a procession and the moleben on the line of the fire, believing in the protection of Most Holy Theotokos to which all Mount Athos is devoted. Monks bore the icon of the Theotokos " The Comforter of sadeness" and the part of the Precious cross". The wonder-working icon was once again stronger than the devastating fire.

Large Forest Fires near Hilandar

LATEST NEWS: Friday, August 10, 2012 at 8 a.m. - The Hilandar has reported that the fires approached to 3.5 km from the monastery. 

Since last night, due to unfavorable wind direction, the fire moved by 1.5 km towards the Hilandar. In relation to the line of defense wich fireprotecting road represents in the area of Proto Nero, the fire is only 700 meters away, which is extremely dangerous for the defense of  the Hilandar. Forty-nine firefighters ,rescuers, from Serbia with four fire engines and other operational vehicles are expected to arrive any moment.

Ten years suffering for Christ

In the United States of America, the internet site “Free Archbishop Jovan” (see here) which informs the English speaking public about the state persecution on religious grounds in R. Macedonia, targeted against Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid, the Bishops, clergy, monasticism and faithful people of the canonical Church in our fatherland, the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, is active for several years.

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch attends inauguration of the President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch attended yesterday, on June 11, 2012 on the occasion of the inauguration of the President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic. The reception at the building of the Presidency of Serbia was also attended by His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa and His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, vicar of Serbian Patriarch.