Statements

The Position of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the Church Crisis in Ukraine

The Position of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the Church Crisis in Ukraine

Last November the Serbian Orthodox Church was the first among the autocephalous churches to officially react at the highest level, (i.e. the Holy Assembly of Bishops) to the intentions of His Holiness the Patriarch of Constantinople who, according to his own findings and in a self-willed manner wanted to “decide” and “resolve” the church problems in Ukraine as the “first without equals” (primus sine paribus) -  and not as the “first among equals” (primus inter pares) which is, in fact, the centuries-old Orthodox ecclesiological and canonical principle - and we pleaded with him not to do so, but rather that he, in fraternal dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church and in consultation with the other Churches, actually help to resolve this crisis. 

Patriarchal Nativity Encyclical 2018

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Christmas, 2018

+IRINEJ

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Christmas greeting:

Peace from God! Christ is Born!

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth!”
(St. John 1:14)

John, the Holy Apostle, Evangelist, and the beloved disciple of Christ, expresses with his words The Word became flesh the great mystery of our Christian faith. He Who was “at the beginning”, that is from eternity, through Whom everything came to be, and without Whom nothing that exists came into existence, He Who is Life (cf. St. John 1:1-3), the Logos—the Word of God—became flesh when the fullness of time was fulfilled (Gal. 4:4), in order to bring to all people the gift of adoption to sonship, and to bring and to elevate them all to His and our Heavenly Father for their salvation and eternal life. (2 Cor. 6:18) 

Position of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the Church Crisis in Ukraine After the Newest Decisions by the Patriarchate of Constantinople

The two-day meeting of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church (November 6-7, 2018) was dedicated to three topics - the state in Kosovo and Metohija, the improvement of education in the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Church crisis in Ukraine after the recent decisions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

The Church's vision of the state in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as its perspective on the struggle in preserving the suffering Serbian province within the make-up of Serbia, under the constant provocation by the leadership of the false state and the constant pressures of the great Western powers, the Assembly of Bishops has already pointed out in its encyclical here.

Communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops 
of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Kosovo and Metohija

COMMUNIQUE OF THE HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ON KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Gathered at the autumn meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops, we the Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church headed by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, in these difficult times which our Church and the faithful are facing in Kosovo and Metohija, first of all express our support to His Grace Bishop Teodosije of Raška-Prizren, his clergy, monastics and the faithful people of the Diocese of Raška-Prizren in their efforts to persist and remain in Kosovo and Metohija, the heartland of the Serbian Orthodox spirituality and our identity.

Bishop Irinej Responds to Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

The shocking news of this morning’s shooting attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing and wounding innocent worshippers, has pierced the hearts of all people of faith.

The Diocese of Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church extends its sincere condolences to the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, to Mayor Peduto, and to all local and state officials and members of the community affected by this senseless hate crime.

Joint Statement of the Serbian and Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchates

Irenic^[1]& Official visit of His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X to the Serbian Orthodox Church
From October 11^th to 19^th, 2018

BELGRADE – 19^th of October 2018 - This historical visit, the first since Antiochian Orthodox Patriarch THEODOSIOS VI (Abou-Rjaili) visited Belgrade, was made in the context of the difficult and painful circumstances that are facing the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Syria, Lebanon and the Middle East. This visit also coincides with the crisis that is currently facing the world-wide Orthodox Church, where developments are evolving rapidly and in a disturbing manner, and could lead to the occurrence of permanent detrimental impacts on the bonds of communion, peace and unity between brothers.