Patriarch Porfirije: May Christmas give us all peace, the absence of fear and the courage to embrace each other

The traditional Christmas reception organized by the Serbian National Council on Christmas Day, January 6, this year was held in the atrium of the Kantakuzina Katarina Brankovic Serbian Orthodox Secondary School at the Holy Spirit in Zagreb.

At the reception, speakers were: Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia;  Goran Jandroković, President of the Croatian Parliament; Tomislav Tomasevic, Mayor of Zagreb; Veran Matic, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia; as well as Milorad Pupovac, president of the Serbian National Council and the host of the Christmas reception. His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije addressed the present: - We are between two Christmases, the one that is celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, and the Christmas one that is celebrated according to the Julian calendar. We are framed in this area, but also on the wider European continent, with the meaning of the message and the content of Christmas, and that is the Nativity of Christ .

Press Release

Considering that His Holiness Porfirije, the Serbian Patriarch, tested positive for SARS - CoV2 during today's testing, according to the specific protocol and doctors' advice, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church will spend the upcoming days on home treatment.

His Holiness has very mild symptoms of the viral infection, he has been prescribed appropriate therapy, and he respects all epidemiological measures. He is in regular contact with associates through electronic communications and performs administrative tasks completely undisturbed. Also, he does not stop prayerfully supporting doctors and medical staff in their work, and he especially prays for the healing of all those affected by the epidemic. The Patriarch expresses regret that the public manifestations in which he was supposed to participate have been postponed until further notice.

The Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Bishop Jerotej served in Cathedral church

Bishop Jerotej served in Cathedral church
Bishop Jerotej served in Cathedral church
Bishop Jerotej served in Cathedral church
Bishop Jerotej served in Cathedral church

His Grace Bishop Jerotej of Toplica, Vicar Bishop of Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Liturgy in the Cathedral church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Belgrade, on 14 January 2022, on the feast day of the Circumcision of the Lord and the feast of Saint Basil thje Great.

Bishop Jerotej celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Saint Sava Cathedral

Bishop Jerotej celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Saint Sava Cathedral
Bishop Jerotej celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Saint Sava Cathedral
Bishop Jerotej celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Saint Sava Cathedral
Bishop Jerotej celebrated the Holy Liturgy in the Saint Sava Cathedral

His Grace Bishop Jerotej of Toplica, the Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy at the Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district, in Belgrade, on 16 January 2022, on Sunday before the Epiphany. 

Christmas in the Orthodox Archbishopric of Ochrid

His Beatitude Jovan, Archbishop of Ochrid and Metropolitan of Skopje, served the Holy Liturgy in the stauropegic monastery of Saint John Chrysostom in Nizepolje near Bitola on 7 January 2022, on the feast day of the Nativity of Christ. 

His Grace Bishop Jaokim of Polog-Kumanovo celebrated in Ochrid, His Grace Bishop Marko of Bregalnica in Stip, while His Grace Bishop David of Stobi celebrated in Skopje. Christmas Liturgies were celebrated also in other places throghout the Orthodox Archbishopric of Ochrid.