Communique of the Raška-Prizren Diocese concerning the unauthorized construction work at the Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas in Novo Brdo
6. June 2019 - 18:38
With great concern, the Diocese of Raška-Prizren has received information about an announcement specifying the beginning of construction work on the site of an old Serbian medieval church, that of St. Nicholas, which was the cathedral church for the Serbian Orthodox bishops of Novo Brdo and Gračanica, and which is located near the Novo Brdo fortress. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novo_Brdo_Fortress
The church was built in the middle of the 14th century and was enlarged during the reign of Despot Stephan Lazarević after 1455. According to all evidence available, it was later turned into a mosque during the Ottoman period, and then was later destroyed by an earthquake and remained in ruins up to the present day, like the other remains of the town surrounding it, which was quickly abandoned. Similar to the other churches and monasteries built by the Nemanjić dynasty in the 13th and 14th centuries such as Sopoćani, Arilje, and Visoki Dečani, the Novo Brdo Church of St. Nicholas was constructed in the style of a romanesque basilica, and until the fall of Novo Brdo to the Ottoman rule, it was the main center of Orthodox worship for the region. Not far from this church, we also find the remains of the city’s Roman Catholic Church which is known as the Saxon Church, thus named for the Saxon miners who, together with merchants from Dubrovnik and the local Serbian population, comprised a part of the rich and multifaceted ethnic and religious mosaic of medieval Novo Brdo, one of the most important cities of medieval Serbia.
The second day of the Serbian Church delegation in the Patriarchate of Antioch
5. June 2019 - 14:29
On the second day of the stay in the God-protected city of Damascus, 2 June 2019, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, along with His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedral church of the Precious Cross in Damascus, not far from the headquarters of the Patriarchate of Antioch.
(photo gallery 1, photo gallery 2, photo gallery 3, photo gallery 4, photo gallery 5, video 1, video 2 of the Information Center of the Patriarchate of Antioch.)
The Serbian and Antiochian Patriarchs were concelebrated by eighteen hierarchs, twenty four priests and five deacons. Patriarch Irinej was welcomed by several hundreds of people at the square facing the church of the Holy Cross. At the very end of the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy Patriarch John of Antioch and All the East delivered a speech. His Holiness Irinej thanked whole-heartedly for the welcoming words and addressed His Beatitude Patriarch John and the congregation.
The Third Day of Patriarch’s visit to the Patriarchate of Antioch
4. June 2019 - 14:38
Syria is full of ruins that “tell” stories of the Holy Scriptures, where it is mentioned for 300 times, and where Aramaic language was born and preserved, the language spoken by Lord Jesus Christ. (photo gallery 1, photo gallery 2)
The President of Syria Mr. Bashar al-Assad received His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, with two members of his dlegation: Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch and All East, in Damascus, on 3 June 2019.
Triumphant Patriarchal Liturgy in Damascus broadcasted by TV channels
4. June 2019 - 12:57The Divine Patriarchal Liturgy which was officiated by the primates of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Antioch in the Cathedral church of the Holy Cross in Damascus on 2 June 2019 – Watch the video from the Information Center of the Patriarchate of Antioch.
Syrian and Lebanese state and Church media devoted a great attention to the irenic visit of Serbian Patriarch Irinej and his delegation and the solemn Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was broadcasted directly by several state and Church TV and radio channels which broadcast their programs also by satellite.
The First Day of Patriarch’s visit to the Patriarchate of Antioch
4. June 2019 - 12:56
Damascus: The City which hosted Saul, and gave birth to Paul (photo gallery)
His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej arrived to Beirut in early morning on Saturday, 1 June 2019. The Serbian Patriarch was welcomed by some members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Patriarchate of Antioch: Metropolitan Silouan of Lebanese Hills, Metropolitan Anthony of Zahlia, Vicar Bishop Luke, abbot Roman of the Balamand Monastery, protopresbyter Nectarius and many priests and monks, as well as by the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Emir Elfic.
Solemn welcome of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej in Damascus
4. June 2019 - 9:54
His Holiness Irinej arrived in Damascus, the capital of Syria on 1 june 2019.
His Holiness Patriarch Irinej and the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church were welcomed in the most solemn way by His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All East with hierarchs of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch and the pious people of the Syrian capital.
