Patriarchal Christmas Liturgy in the Church of St. Sava

His Holiness Irinej, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, officiated on Christmas, January 7, 2019, the triumphant hierarchal Liturgy in the church of the Holy Prince Lazar, i.e. the crypt of the Memorial Church of St. Sava in Belgrade (photo gallery).

 In the prayerful presence of Patriarch’s Vicar Bishop Stefan of Remesiana, Princpal of the Memorial Church of St. Sava, and with participation of a great number of God-loving people from  the capital city, the Liturgy was attended also by: Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic and Princess Katarina, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić, Deputy Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities Dr. Marko Nikolić, Apostolic Nuncio Luciano Suriani, Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar, representatives of traditional Churches and religious communities and members of the diplomatic corps.

President of Croatia visited Metropolitan Porfirije for Christmas

After the end of the Christmas Liturgy, officiated by the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana in the Zagreb Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord,  President of the Republic of Croatia, Ms. Kolinda Grabar Kitarović payed a friendly visit to this Serbian hierarch.

Madame Kitarović congratulated Christmas to Mitropolitan Porpfirije, his clergy and all the Orthodox faithful living in Croatia, and handed in a Christmas present to His Excellency the Metropolitan.

Migrants at Christmas dinner given by the Metropolitan of Zagreb

Metropolitan Porphyry gave Christmas lunch for migrants from Ethiopia who found their new home in Zagreb and who are regular members of the Serbian Orthodox Church Community.

After the Christmas Liturgy celebrated in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Church Community of the City of Zagreb organized a Christmas lunch at which Metropolitan Porphyry hosted Mr. Milan Bandić, Mayor of Zagreb with associates Dusko Ljustin, Ms. Bogdanka Vulpa and Mrs. Jelena Pavicic Vukicevic, as well as the president of the Serbian People's Council of the Republic of Croatia Milorad Pupovac and a parliamentary representative of the Serbian national minority  Mr. Boris Milosevic.

Christmas Eve in Saint Sava Cathedral

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, celebrated the All Night Vigil with blessing of the Yule log in the Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district on 6 January 2019, on Christmas Eve. 

Beside many believers, the prayerful service was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ivica Dacic and Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin.

Christmas Eve

In the evening of Christmas Eve a log cut from a tree, the Yule log (badnjak), is placed on the fire. This young tree, usually oak, symbolizes Christ and his entry into the world. Burning of the Yule log presents the warmth of Christ's love. Then, Christmas Eve is a reminder of the tree that the shepherds brought into the cave and which the righteous Joseph burn to warm the just born God-child in the cold cave.

Christmas Eve: Welcoming the Nativity of the Lord

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedral church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Belgrade in the morning of a Christmas Eve, 6 January 2019. (photo gallery).

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch will officiate the services in the evening of the Christmas Eve and on Christmas at Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district. 

On Christmas Eve, on 6 January 2019 at 4 p.m., His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch will attend burning of the Yule logs (badnjak) at the plateau in front of Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district. On this occasion, the Patriarch will serve solemn Vesper service in the crypt of the Saint Sava Cathedral. On Christmas, 7 January 2019, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch will serve the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the crypt of the Saint Sava Cathedral beginning at 9 a.m.