Life of Our Holy Father Sava I

Enlightener and First Archbishop of the Serbs (+1235)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

He Serbian Grand Zhupan (Patriarchal leader) Stephen Nemanja had two sons, Stephen and Vukan; yet, he and his wife Anna desired, if it be God's will, to have another child. Their pious prayers ascended before God, Who heard their petition and blessed them with their last child, a son who was born in the year of our Lord 1175. At baptism the child was given the name Rastko, a name derived from the Old Slavonic verb "rasti" which means "to grow." And grow divinely he did. There were many special things about Rastko: he was a lovely child, with pronounced features and smooth skin, and possessed, already in his childhood, an unusually alert and pious demeanor. Little did Rastko's parents and all those of the Royal Court (and even the entire Serb nation) realize that his birth and baptism into Orthodoxy would providentially set in motion their own historical and spiritual journey, which would result in the blossoming of their Christian faith, nation hood and total Christian cultural orientation. This young child, Rastko, whose monastic name later was Sava, became and still remains the most beloved of all Serbian Orthodox saints, considered by all Serbs everywhere and at all times as the ultimate expression and example of what it means to be fully human, that is, what it means to be a devout and committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Synaxis of Saint John the Baptist in Zagreb

On Friday, January 20th, 2017, when our Church prayerfully celebrates the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana served its Patron Saint-day.

Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, at the Cathedral church of Holy Transfiguration in Zagreb, with the concelebration of Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac and Metropolitan Porfirije, as well as Archimandrite Nikodim (Kosovic), heugomen of the monastery of Krka and the brotherhood of the Cathedral church. 

The Feast of Theophany in Zemun

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Saint Nicholas in Zemun on the Lord’s feast-day of Theophany, 19 January 2017. (photo gallery). - A great number of swimmers were competing for the Holy Cross in the icy waters of the Danube

Following the Liturgy where the Patriarch was concelebrated by the clergy of the Archdioceses of Belgrade-Karlovac, he performed the solemn rite of the Blessing of water.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Cathedral church in Belgrade

His Holiness Irine, Serbian Patriarch, served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Cathedral church in Belgrade on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, January 18th, 2017.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by the clergy of the Cathedral church. At the end of the Liturgy, Serbian Patriarch served the rite of the Great Blessing of Waters and held a sermon. 

Serbian Patriarch Irinej meets with Minister Vulin

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, received Mr. Aleksandar Vulin, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy at the Serbian Patriarchate yesterday, on January 16^th, 2017.

The reception was attended by Mr. Dragan Makojevic, Director of the Charity Organization of the Serbian Orthodox Church “Philanthropy”.  They deliberated continuation of the successful cooperation of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy with the Foundation “Philanthropy” that has operated with the blessing and support of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as possibilities of an investment into social welfare institutions.  In addition, Patriarch Irinej and Minister Vulin discussed about the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and the current migrant crisis.

Christmas gift of the City of Nis to the City of Belgrade

Children’s Choir in the crypt of St. Sava

With the blessing of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, upon the invitation of the brotherhood of the Saint Sava Cathedral, a Christmas and New Year’s Concert of the Children’s Choir “Branko” from Nis was held in the crypt of the Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in the district of Vracar on Sunday, 15 January 2017.