Serbian Orthodox Church

Biography of Archimandrite Jovan (Stanojevic), elected Bishop of Hum, Vicar of the Bishop of Düsseldorf and Germany

Jovan Stanojević was born on Vidovdan (St Vitus Day) in 1979 in Vukovar as the third child of Dusan and Boja (nee Milovanovic). At his baptism, he was named Radoslav. He grew up in Borovo, where he finished elementary school, after which he finished his auto mechanic trade in Vukovar. With the blessing of the then Bishop Lukijan of Osijek-Polje and Baranja of blessed repose, in 1998 he enrolled in the seminary "St. Arsenije I Sremac" in Sremski Karlovci, which he finished in 2004. On September 16, 2000, Bishop Lukijan ordained him a monk, ordained him a hierodeacon the next day, and in 2014 a hieromonk. With the blessing of the competent hierarch, in 2004 he enrolled in basic studies at the Faculty of the Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade, where he graduated in 2009.

Order of Saint Sava to Mr. Milorad Vucelic

His Holiness Porfirije, the Serbian Patriarch, presented the Order of St. Sava to Mr.  Milorad Vucelic, editor-in-chief of Vecernje Novosti, in the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade, on October 7, 2021.

The solemn award ceremony was attended by Their Graces Bishops Irinej of Backa, Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla and David of Krusevac, family, friends and associates. The decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops, which was read on that occasion, states that, at the suggestion of His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, Mr. Milorad Vucelic, editor-in-chief of Vecernje Novosti, is awarded a high decoration of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Order of Saint Sava of the second order, for many years of successful cooperation, journalistic professionalism and affirmation of Christian values ​​and virtues.

Biography of Archimandrite Sava (Bundalo), elected Bishop of Marca, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch

Very Reverend Archimandrite Sava (Bundalo), a brother of the monastery of St. Petka in Zagreb, was born on December 9, 1984 in Banja Luka, to father Jova and mother Gordana. He finished elementary school in Srbac. He enrolled in the seminary of St. Peter of Cetinje in Cetinje in 1999, and graduated in 2003 as a student of the generation.

After graduating from the seminary, he enrolled at the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade, where he graduated in 2010. He completed his master's studies in Canon Law in 2015 at the Institute of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for postgraduate studies in Orthodox theology in Geneva. He is a PhD student at the Faculty of Theology, University of Belgrade.

He studied Greek at the University of Athens from 2015 to 2017, and in 2019/20 he spent the academic year at the General Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, as well as at the State Institute for the Russian Language "Pushkin", improving his knowledge of the Russian language.

During his studies at the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade, he became met Patriarch Porfirije, then a professor at this Faculty, under whose spiritual guidance he completed his studies and moved to the Metropolitanate of Zagreb-Ljubljana, where he became one of his closest associates. when he decided and prepared for monastic life.

He received the monastic vows from the hands of His Grace Bishop Jefrem of Banja Luka in his hometown, in the Osovica monastery, on Lazarus Saturday, April 20, 2019, after which he was assigned to the brotherhood of the monastery of St. Petka in Zagreb. He was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon by the then Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana in the Cathedral church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Zagreb, on the second day of Christmas 2020. The ordination to the rank of hieromonk was performed by Patriarch Porfirije in the same church on April 18, 2021.

Since the election of Patriarch Porfirije  to the throne of the primates of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the blessing of the Patriarch, he moves to the Patriarchate in Belgrade, where he performs obedience, trying to help His Holiness in his responsible archpastoral ministry.

At the suggestion of His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at its regular session on May 29, 2021, elected hieromonk Sava as the vicar Bishop of the Serbian Patriarch with the title Bishop of Marca.

The elected Bishop Sava of Marca, speaks French, Greek and Russian, and understands English.

Consecration of Bishop Sava of Marca, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch

His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy and the solemn rite of the consecration of the elected and proclaimed Very Reverend Archimandrite Sava (Bundalo) to the rank of Bishop of Marca, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch, at the Cathedral church of Saint Sava in Belgrade on 3 October 2021.

• Consecration of Bishop Sava of Marca  -photo gallery 1
• Consecration of Bishop Sava of Marca - photo gallery 2
• Consecration of Bishop Sava of Marca - photo gallery 3
• Consecration of Bishop Sava of Marca- TV Hram

His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije was concelebrated by Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Kyr Jovan, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Their Graces Bishops: Lukijan of Buda, Nikanor of Banat, Irinej of Backa, Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, Pahomije of Vranje, Jovan of Sumadija, Ignatije of Branicevo, Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla, Atanasije of Milesevo, Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac, David of Krusevac, Jovan of Slavonia, Sergije of Bihac-Petrovac, Ilarion of Timok, Arsenije of Nis, Nikodim of Dalmatia, Heruvim of Osijek-Polje and Baranja, Metodije of Budimlje-Niksic, Dimitrije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina, Antonije of Moravica, David of Stobi, Stefan of Remesiana, Jerotej of Toplica, Justin of Hvosno and Damaskin of Mohács.

Proclamation of Bishop Sava (Bundalo) of Marca, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch

His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the solemn rite of proclamation of Very Reverend Archimandrite Sava for Bishop of Marca, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch in the old Cathedral church of Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade on 2 October 2021 (photo gallery).

Besides the primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the following participated in the rite of the proclamation: Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Kyr Jovan, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral  and Their Graces Bishops: Lukijan of Buda, Nikanor of Banat, Irinej of Backa, Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, Pahomije of Vranje, Jovan of Sumadija, Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla, Atanasije of Milesevo, Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac, David of Krusevac, Sergije of Bihac and Petrovac, Ilarion of Timok, Arsenije of Nis, Nikodim of Dalmatia, Heruvim of Osijek-Polje and Baranja, Isihije of Valjevo, Dimitrije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina, Antonije of Moravica, David of Stobi, Stefan of Remesiana, Jerotej of Toplica, Justin of Hvosno and Damaskin of Mohács.

After accepting the will and decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops before the present assembly of the Holy Church, which elected him Bishop of Marca,Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch at this year's session, the proclaimed Bishop Sava officiated the Vesper service.

Bishop Irinej of Backa awarded the Hungarian Order for his contribution to the historical reconciliation of the two peoples

"The role of Bishop Irinej Bulovic in the historical reconciliation of the Hungarian and Serbian people and his work on the promotion of interfaith dialogue have significantly contributed to the strengthening of trust and the development of relations between the two peoples," the letter from the President of Hungary János Áder says.

At the appropriate ceremony held on September 28, 2021, at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade, in the presence of His Holiness Porfirije, the Serbian Patriarch, Bishop Jerotej of Toplica, Bishop Justin of Hvosno, elected Bishop of Marca, Archimandrite Sava, the head of the Patriarch's Office; members of the state delegation of Hungary, as well as Mr. Bálint Pásztor, Member of Parliament and prominent representative of the Hungarian people in Serbia; Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary Mr. Zsolt Semjén, on behalf of the President of Hungary Mr. János Áder, decorated His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit.

The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Antal Benkovics from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the representative of the Serbs in the Parliament of Hungary, Mr. Ljubomir Aleksov; Consul General of Hungary in Subotica, Mrs. Eszter Csallóközi; Mr. Radován Rusz from the Consulate General of Hungary in Subotica, Secretary at the Embassy of Hungary Mr. Robert Kaszab and Mr. Bálint Pásztor from the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians.