The Patriarch's prayer for the victims of the March persecution and peace in Kosovo and Metohija

After the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, His Holiness Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Mr. Porfirije conducted a memorial service for his holy predecessors, archbishops and Serbian patriarchs, as well as for the victims of the 2004 unrest in Kosovo and Metohija, in the Monastery of the Peć Patriarchate, on March 17, 2021.

- Today, in this holy Stauropegial Laura of Serbian patriarchs, the resting place of my holy predecessors – Serbian archbishops and patriarchs, who are not only witnesses to the existence of, but who were also patrons and creators of the highest European culture through which we ennobled the land of Kosovo and Metohija, we prayed for the souls of our brothers and sisters who suffered death in the March persecution seventeen years ago. We also remembered the suffering of forty years ago, when, also in March, the sleeping quarters of this monastery were burned down. What we see these days is that they are robbing and desecrating our temples. What can be our only answer? We will reconsecrate with prayer what has been desecrated, we will rebuild what has been burned and destroyed. And we will pray to God to give strength to those who remained in Kosovo and Metohija to persevere and build their lives in peace. We will also pray for the destroyers to stop destroying, the arsonists to stop burning, the robbers to stop robbing, because in those very churches we are praying for them, their neighbors and their children. Therefore, let us pray today for peace among all people who live in Kosovo and Metohija, regardless of their religion and nation, Patriarch Porfirije said.

Bishop Jovan of Sumadia: Fasting is a bridge between this world and the Kingdom of God

On Cheesefare Sunday, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadia officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Holy Archangel Gabriel (church of Vrbic), in Arandjelovac.

The Bishop was concelebrated by diocesan dean of Orasac protopresbyter-staurophor Mico Cirkovic, diocesan dean of Oplenac protopresbyter-staurophor Miladin Mihailovic, protonamesnici Aleksandar Milanovic and Dejan Teodosic, protodeacon Ivan Gasic and deacon Aleksandar Babic. The Holy Liturgy was enhanced by chanting of the members of the choir of Saint Anastasia of Serbia from Arandjelovac.

Bishop Vasilije consecrated restored church in Vasica

Bishop Vasilije: Владика сремски Василије: Lent combined with prayer and good deeds raises the soul of man to God into the eternal and imperishable Kingdom of God.

On Cheesefare Sunday, 14 March 2021, His Grace Bishop Vasilije of Srem,accompanied by diocesan dean of Sid protopresbyter-staurophor Radomir S. Misic and an officer of the DSC and deacon Goran Vlasac, paid a canonical visit to the church municipality of Vasica, where he served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy and consecrated the restored parish church of Holy Martyr George.

Bishop Fotije: Let us be free by fasting, prayer and coming to worship

HIs Grace Bishop Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla made a canonical visit to the parish of Dezdarevac-Trijesnica on 14 March 2021, on Cheesefare Sunday. 

His Grace Bishop served the Holy Liturgy with the concelebration of protopresbyter-staurophor Ljubomir Samardzic, parish of Batkovac; and presbyter Nebojsa Tovirac, parish priest of Dazdarevac-Trijesnica; protodeacon Slavoljub Milosevic and many believersin the church of Saint Mary Magdalene 

Serbian Patriarch arrives to the Pec Patriarchate

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch arrived to the Pec Patriarchate, an ancient seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the afternoon on 14 March 2021(photo gallery).

His Holiness Patriarch was welcomed by abbess Haritina with the sisterhood and the clergy. After the doxology, Patriarch Porfirije venerated a miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Pec and holy relics of his predecessors archbishops and Serbian patriarchs. 

The Great Lent

THE INSTITUTE OF LENT

There are institutes and symbols adopted by nations, churches or groups of men which represent certain ideals accumulated in the past. These institutes, that is precepts recognized as authoritative, and symbols represent the thoughts and feelings of those who created or adopted them and put in them all the experience of the past, often through struggle and sacrifice. A few feet of ribbon for instance, red, blue and white in color, have little value as is. But if one puts them in a certain pattern of stripes and stars, they become the flag of the United States and represent the ideals and unity of the people of America. The flag reminds us of the people's struggle for liberty. It represents the national unity which attained for them their rights as a people. The same could be said for the institutes of a nation, army or any group of people. These institutes are created by the people and are used by them in certain ways for certain aims. Some of these institutes are the means for achieving certain values and ideals. In the life of the Church of Christ there are many institutes created and maintained to meet the needs of the people - the Ecclesia. Among these is the Great Lent which falls within the year-cycle of the life of the Church before Pascha-Easter. Lent is the period of time for self-examination by the believer; of putting on the spiritual armor of the Militant Church; of applying the riches of prayers and almsgiving; of adopting deeply the meaning of repentance; of atonement and reconciliation with God Almighty.