Statements

Communique – 20 May 2015

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on today’s session brought its final decision in which His Grace Bishop Georgije of Canada was permanently released from administering the Diocese of Canada.

The Diocese of Canada is temporarily administered by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej.

Press Release of the Holy Synod of Bishops

The Holy Synod of Bishops, in reviewing the report and conclusions of the formed Commission (chaired by His Grace Bishop Teodosije of Ras-Prizren and members: His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America, Protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Velibor Dzomic (co-ordinator of the Legal committee of the Diocese of Montenego and the Coastlands), Protopresbyter-stavrophor Djuro Krosnjar (priest at St. Vasilije of Ostrog Church in Lake Forest, IL; Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America) and Veroslav Vjurdjevic (financial secretary from Hamilton, Diocese of Canada) in compliance with the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, in reviewing the material-financial dealings in the Diocese of Canada and a general overview of the life of the Diocese and the pastoral work of His Grace Bishop Georgije of Canada, related to many charges brought against him by the clergy and people, the Holy Synod rendered a decision (on April 20, 2015) in which Bishop of Canada Georgije with that date is temporarily released of his duties of administering the Diocese of Canada until completion of the canonical proceedings, or until the forthcoming meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops.

At the same time, in accordance with the articles of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church the Holy Synod of Bishops requested that His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia serve as administrator of the Diocese of Canada until the Holy Assembly of Bishops renders a final decision, whereby assiting His Holiness would be His Grace Bishop Teodosije (member of the Holy Synod) and His Grace Bishop Maxim.

From the Office of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Patriarchal Pascha Encyclical

The Serbian Orthodox Church
to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2015

+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 Paschal greeting:
 

Christ is Risen!

“Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women, rejoice, and giving peace unto Thine Apostles, O Thou Who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.”

(Paschal Kontakion)

     This song of immortality, our dear spiritual children, we sing ceaselessly during these days of our celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, which occurred, as the ancient seers of God's mysteries witnessed, on the same day of the week on which God created in the beginning - out of nothing - heaven and earth.
     On that same day, according to those same mystery-perceivers, the Lord delivered His chosen people from Egyptian slavery; hence, we call it Pascha – that is, the passing-over from slavery into freedom in the Lord through the Red Sea.

Transfer of the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Belgrade

TO ALL THE HIERARCHS, CLERGY AND FAITHFUL
OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN FATHERLAND, REGION AND ABROAD

ANNOUNCEMENT

It is Our Honour to inform you about a magnificent event of the transfer of the Holy Fire from the Holy City of Jerusalem to Belgrade, which is going to come from the Holy Land to our Fatherland Serbia, God permitting, on the eve of the Resurrection Day of  Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, i.e.  in the evening on Holy and Great Saturday, April 11^th, 2015.

Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovsky) of Ohrid released from prison

Statement by the Communication Service of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations and the Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

On February 2, 2015, in compliance with the ruling of the Skopje Court, Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovsky) of Ohrid, a hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was released from the Idrizovo prison.

Patriarchal Nativity Encyclical 2014

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Christmas, 2014

+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!

“Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. ”
(I Tim. 3:16)

     We are celebrating once again in this year of the Lord, brothers and sisters, the day of Christ’s Nativity, the day on which God descended to earth, the day on which the Only-begotten Son of God became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary in order to grant us, mortal and transitory people, eternal life.

     The Nativity of our Lord is the day on which God became man, so that men could become gods by grace; the Lord’s Nativity is the day of the revelation of the eternal truth about God, man and the world; the Nativity is the day on which heaven was united with earth; the day on which the eternal light of the knowledge of God shown forth; the Nativity is the day on which mankind is reconciled with God and people recognize that they are children of God – that all people are and will eternally be brothers, called to mutual love, reconciliation and forgiveness.