Patriarch Porfirije: Let us forgive all those who hate us with the Resurrection of Christ

His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the of Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district, on May 2, 2021, on Easter.

Easter Liturgy in Saint Sava Cathedral (photo gallery)

The Patriarch was concelebrated by Archimandrites Serafim and Prokopije (Tajar), protopresbyter-staurophors Dr. Savo Jovic, Professor Dr. Vladimir Vukasinovic and Professor Dr. Dragan Protic, Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Archpriest Professor Dr. Zoran Rankovic, archpriest Nenad Stefanovic, Hieromonk Sava (Bundalo), protodeacon Mladen Kovacevic, Deacon Radomir Vrućinić and subdeacons Vladimir Jelic, Njegoš Stikic and Dejan Nakic. 

Before Holy Communion, the Easter message of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the faithful was read by the hieromonk Sava (Bundalo).

After the Holy Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije congratulated the faithful on Easter with the greeting: "Christ is Risen - Truly He is Risen!" And on that occasion pointed out the existential meaning that the Resurrection of Christ has for life:

"Our faith rests in the words of the troparion of the Resurrection of Christ:" Christ rose from the dead and to those in the graves He granted life ", and it is the faith that shaped our past from which our people grew. That is the faith we live today and that is the faith we will live until the second coming of Christ." But believing these words does not only mean formally pronouncing them, but it is necessary to bring them to life. May these words, which we have heard, be truly our life.

Patriarch Porfirije especially mentioned that today we pray for the love of Christ to enter our hearts, and that then, with that love, "we will embrace the whole world."

"There is so much trouble around us, so much suffering around us, so much it takes for us to be united, to understand each other, to accept each other," and for something like that, it is enough just to peek into our own families. What are all these challenges and in what troubles and inner spiritual emptiness is each individual, and often many communities ", asked the Patriarch Porfirije, pointing out that the absence of the Risen Christ in our hearts is the cause of such a state.

The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was attended by Archbishop of Belgrade, Msgr. Stanislav Hocevar and the Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Lucano Suriani, President of the National Assembly of Serbia Mr. Ivica Dacic, Ministers in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Mr. Goran Vesic, Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities, Mr. Vladimir Roganovic; Assistant Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities, Mr. Marko Nikolic; and many people from cultural,sport and public life.

Source: TV Hram