Patriarch Porfirije: Healing is a spiritual event and concerns the whole person

Patriarch Porfirije in Lepavina: The Most Holy Mother of God was something most sublime that the human race could offer to God

His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the monastery of Lepavina, on 15/28 August 2021, on the feast of The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. Many believers gathered at the Holy Liturgy not only from Croatia but also from neighboring countries. The patriarch was concelebrated by the clergy of the Diocese of Zagreb-Ljubljana, and the choir of the Church Community of Zagreb, conducted by Ivana Srbljan.

The head of the Serbian Church spoke after reading the Holy Gospel (Luke 10: 38-42 and 11: 27-28). He said that the Lepavina Monastery is the spiritual center of the Diocese of Zagreb-Ljubljana, where people from many parts gather to pay homage to the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Mother of God and take her blessing. "There is no man who came to this holy place with faith and humility, without solving some of his inner 'spiritual knots' in his soul. It often happened that many who come with a physical illness, because of trust in the love of God and the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God, leave healed ", the Patriarch said and emphasized that every healing concerns both soul and body and that every healing by God's grace is always a spiritual event and it concerns the whole man.

"The Most Holy Mother of God is the intercessor of people before God, as well as an example that we should follow. We know from the Gospel that she was determined from her mother's womb, chosen to bring salvation to the human race through her. Although it was determined or predestined, that was not enough in itself ", His Holiness said , emphasizing that, like the Mother of God, we are all destined for salvation, but that the fact that it is God's will and intention is not enough in itself. "The Mother of God answered the call of God with her whole being, to what God assigned her. She was all immersed in the mystery of God, in the love of Christ. She was the most sublime thing the human race could offer to God. The Most Holy Mother of God is and remains an example and encouragement to all, not only with her purity, prayer, virtue, mercy and love, but above all with her infinite trust in the love and mercy of God ", the Patriarch said .

"After all, faith in Christ is trust in God and trust in oneself to God. Where there is trust in God, there is certainly peace and calm in the heart. Peace comes as a fruit of our trust that God knows better than us what we need at what moment, knows better than us when we need to go through some doubts, doubts and even falls and sufferings, and also knows when it is for to save us with His grace and to generate in us compassion, a feeling of beauty and joy of life ", said the Patriarch.

After the end of the Holy Liturgy, the Patriarch blessed the slava gifts, after which a traditional slava lunch was organized for the present people and the Patriarch.

Source: Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana