Orthodox Churches

The Serbian Patriarch in Mount Athos

His Holiness Irinej, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church arrived in Mount Athos on October 1, 2018.

Arriving to the Mount Athos, Patriarch Irinej first visited Karyes, where the members of the Sacred Epistasia, as well as the Governor of the Holy Mountain Konstantinos Dimca, welcomed him solemnly. After the Doxology in the Protaton church, a formal reception was given in the Protaton building. From Kareys, Patriarch Irinej went to the Sacred Serbian Royal Lavra, Monastery Chilandar, where he was welcomed by its abbot, Archimandrite Methodije and his brotherhood.

The Feast-day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem

His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, received in his Patriarchate residence in Jerusalem, Bishop Jovan of Pakrac-Slavonia and members of the Order of the Guardians of Christ’s Tomb on September 27, 2018.

Heading the delegation of the Serbian Order of the Guardians of the Holy Tomb, the ancient guardians of Serbian tradition and cultural heritage from Vrlika, a small town in northern Dalmatia, who venerated Christ’s Sepulcher and other sacred places in the Holy Land, His Grace Bishop Jovan celebrated Divine Liturgy in Jerusalem on the Feast-day of Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 27, 2018. The Liturgy, presided over by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem, was officiated in the Church of Resurrection of Christ, in attendance of all the pilgrims, who have come not only from Serbian lands, but from other local Orthodox Churches as well.

A Centenary Anniversary of the End of the First World War Marked

Patriarch Irinej and Patriarch Bartholomew attended in Thessalonica the ceremony marking the centenary of the breakthrough of the Thessaloniki Front and the end of the First World War.

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by His Eminence Porfirije, Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana, made a three-day visit to Thessalonica. The occasion of this visit was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the breakthrough of the Thessalonica Front and the end of the First World War. This jubilee was crowned by the holy Patriarchal Liturgy that was officiated together by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople and Serbian Patriarch Irinej on the military cemetery Zejtinlik in Thessalonica.

Patriarchal Liturgy in honor of the hundredth anniversary of the breakthrough of the Thessalonica front

On Sunday, September 30, 2018, in the church of Great Maryr Panteleimon, His Holiness Patriarch Ecumenical Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej celebrated the Patriarchate Liturgy in honor of the 100th anniversary of the breakthrough of the Thessalonica Front and the end of the First World War.

Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Irinej were concelebrated by Metropolitan Paul of Drama, who was the official representative of His Beatitude Jeronimus, Archbishop of Athens and the Holy Synod of the Greek Church, Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, Metropolitan Jeremiah of Ancyra, Metropolitan Theolyptus of Iconia, Metropolitan Varnava of Neapolis, Archimandrite Metodije of the monastery of Hilandar.

Orthodoxy is largest religion in Latvia

According to the latest sociological survey, Orthodoxy is the largest religion in Latvia, with every fourth resident identifying as an Orthodox Christian.  The survey was conducted by the SKDS research center, and the results were reported by center director Arnis Kakatins on his Twitter page. According to this year’s survey, 26% of the population is Orthodox, which has remained steady at least since 2014—25% identified as Orthodox in 2016, and 26% in 2014. The second largest religion is Catholicism with 20% of the population this year. Third is Lutheranism with 17%. 

Slava of the church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God in Zemun

On the occasion of the church slava, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God in Zemun.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by protopresbyters Radic Radivevic and Radomir Popovic, hieromonk Ignatiye (Shestakov) and other priests.