Regarding aspirations of the temporary institutions of Kosovo and Metohija that the self-proclaimed „State of Kosovo“ becomes a member of UNESCO

LETTER OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS
OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
TO MRS. IRINA BOKOVA
Director-General of UNESCO

HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
No 1047
14 September 2015
Belgrade

Director-General of UNESCO,
Mrs. Irina Bokova
Paris

Dear Madame,

On the occasion of recent self-proclaimed Government of Kosovo bid for UNESCO membership we would wish to express our profound concern on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church. We are convinced that an eventual acceptance of this request would have far-reaching consequences for the Christian cultural heritage itself as well as the perspective of common life of Serbs, Albanians and others in Kosovo and Metohija in the future.

Patriarch Irinej of Serbia at Cathedral church in New York

His Holiness Irinej officiated at the Cathedral church of Saint Sava in New York on 12 September 2015.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej was concelebrated by Their Graces Bishops Mitrophan of Eastern America, Justin of Zica and Maxim of Western America, as well as by many Orthodox priests from New York. Patriarch Irinej delivered a sermon. An agape of love and a special program were prepared. Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America and the principal of the Cathedral church Revd. Djokan Makstorovic greeted His Holiness. To memorize this visit, Patriarch Irinej received an encolpion as a gift.

Patriarch Irinej visiting Diocese of Canada

Serbian Patriarch Irinej in monastery of Holy Transfiguration at Milton

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, as administrator of the Diocese of Canada, has been paying his second canonical visit to Canada. Patriarch Irinej arrived on Saturday, 12 September 2015. On the next day, on Sunday, September 13^th, His Holiness celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord, the residence seat of the Diocese. He was concelebrated by clergy of the Diocese of Canada.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej receives Doctorate Honoris Causa at St. Vladimir’s (photo)

Serbian Patriarch Irinej receives Doctorate Honoris Causa at St. Vladimir’s

On Friday evening, September 11, 2015, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America and President of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, welcomed His Holiness, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia to the seminary campus, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate during an academic convocation and delivered a well-received lecture. 

Patriarch Irinej’s visit came just days after he presided at the canonization of Saints Sebastian [Dabovich] of San Francisco and Jackson, the first American-born Orthodox priest, and Mardarije [Uskokovic] of Libertyville, the first bishop of the Serbian Diocese in America, which took place in Alhambra, CA on Saturday, September 5.

Patriarch Irinej at Paterson and Elisabeth, Canada

Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, visited the church of Saint John the Baptist in Paterson, on 10 September 2015

His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of East America welcomed Patriarch Irinej and Bishops Justin of Zicha and Maxim of Western America. A large congregation expressed their joy at meeting the Patriarch at the Doxology that was served by the principal of the church protopresbyter Vladislav Radujkovic and protodeacon Damjan Bozic. The principal of this church delivered a welcome speech. His Holiness addressed the present bishops, clergy and the faithful.

On 11 September 2011, on the feast of the Beheading of  John the Baptist, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Holy Great Martyr George at Elisabeth.

He was concelebrated by Their Graces Bishops Nicholai of Manhattan (the Russian Orthodox Church), Mitrophan of East America, Justin of Zica and Maxim of Western America, as well as by a great number of Orthodox priests from New York.