The Serbian Patriarch consecrated Sts. Cyril and Methodius church in Bern

The Serbian Orthodox Community in Bern as well as in the whole of Switzerland had an exquisite honour and the blessing to attend an historical event – consecration of the church of Saints Cyril and Methodius at Belp near Bern, the first ever built Serbian Orthodox Church in Switzerland on 2 September 2018.

On this occasion His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej paid a canonical visit to this church and officiated the so-called great consecration of the church with concelebration of Metropolitan Ignatije of France, Western and South Europe (Patriarchate of Antioch); Metropolitan Joseph of Western Europe (Romanian Patriarchate), Bishop Andrej of Austria-Switzerland, all the parish priests from the Hierarchal Deanery for Switzerland, as well as of priests and deacons from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Romanian Orthodox Church. After the church consecration the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was celebrated.

A special honour for the Serbian Church Community and the faithful was paid by a representative of the Suisse government, Dr. Michael Heckendorn, from the Federal department for migration and integration.

This historical event was attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Switzerland MDr. Snezana Jankovic, Ambassador of Bosnia Herzegovina to Switzerland Mr. Andjelko Grahovac, Ambassador of the Republic of Greece to Switzerland Mrs. Hara Skolariou, deputy Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Switzerland Mr. Sergey Kudryavtsev, as well as by representatives of the Suisse Reformation Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

One has to point out that this new church was built thanks to special efforts of the Archpriest-Savrophor Stanko Markovic and his congregation of Berne.