Remembrance of the suffered in 2004 March Pogrom

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, celebrated the Divine Liturgy yesterday in Belgrade’s Cathedral church, which was followed by the memorial service for the suffered in the pogrom on Kosovo and Metohia in March 2004.

Visit of German Ambassador to Diocese of Nis

His Grace Bishop Jovan of Nis met with His Excellency Heinz Wilhelm, the ambassador of Germany in Serbia on 15 March 2013 at the church of Saint Panteleimon in Nis. During the one-hour cordial talk they exchanged important views on history of the Church, the significance of the diocese of Nis in history and today and discussed the further plan for the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, as well as about the contribution of Germany to this celebration.

Greetings of Serbian Patriarch Irinej to the newly-elected Pope

His Holiness
Pope  F R A N C I S 

Vatican City

Your Holiness,

Filled with the spiritual joy on the occasion of Your election as the new Bishop of the ancient and glorious city of Rome – The Head of all Roman-Catholics throughout the world, We extend to You Our sincere congratulations.

God’s will is that all nations may know the One who is the true Way, Truth and Life – the only One who lovest mankind, Lord Jesus Christ. He, being the Savior of the World and the Deliverer from the darkness of sins, in Your personality acquires a new spiritual petitioner before His Throne.

Your priestly service will be followed by a great burden of tribulations of this world – measuring humanly perhaps immeasurable. However, we are all invited to follow Christ’s commandment: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mt. 11:29-30)

Biography of Pope Francis

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis on March 13, 2013, when he was named the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Bergoglio, the first pope from the Americas, reportedly took his papal title after St. Francis of Assisi of Italy. Prior to his election as pope, Bergoglio served as archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 to 2013,  as cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church of Argentina from 2001 to 2013, and as president of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from 2005 to 2011.

Concert of Spiritual Music in Berlin

With the blessing of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, on the occasion of the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, a concert of spiritual music was held at the church of Saint Sava in Berlin on Saturday, 9 March 2013.

On the beginning of the concert the dean of the Saint Sava church, protopresbyter Veljko Gacic, pointed out the significance of this jubilee for our Local Church, for all Christianity and for the whole world.

The authorities are not bringing Archbishop Jovan to trial for more than three months!

On March 12, 2013, one year and three months are concluded since Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje is found in detention!

The last court hearing in the latest staged court process on religious grounds against the Archbishop, the Bishops, monastics and faithful people of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric was held on December 11, 2012.

Despite the recommendations by the European Union for not prolonging the court proceedings, this process has been persistently delayed; namely, it was first scheduled for January 16, 2013, but it was cancelled! Then, also the hearing scheduled for February 20, 2013 was cancelled. Archbishop Jovan is in detention, the Bishops, monastics and the faithful people are regularly reporting to the court, hence they are not the reason for the delaying of the court process!