Statements

Bishop Teodosije: Support for the initiative of the President of Serbia to help the survival of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija

On the occasion of yesterday's statement of the President of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, at the meeting with the political representatives of our people in Kosovo and Metohija in Kursumlija, the Diocese of Raska and Prizren wholeheartedly welcomes the initiative of the President and the announcement that the state of Serbia will take additional steps to encourage our people to survive and stay on their centuries-old homes.

It is especially important that all citizens living in Kosovo and Metohija will receive financial assistance, the unemployed 200 euros per person, and the employed and each child 100 euros. This financial assistance from the state will significantly contribute to the economic recovery of our people, which is additionally endangered due to the recent floods and the coronavirus pandemic.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije congratulated Novak Djokovic on his victory at the Australian Open

On the occasion of another great success of tennis player Novak Djokovic, His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch sent a greeting card with the following content:

I congratulate our Novak Djokovic on his great victory at the Australian tournament, but also, even more, on his new feat. What he does is a top sport, but also something much more than that. Something that raises morale and fills the hearts with pride of all of us who participate with him in joint struggles with discouragement, learning to endure pain and overcome all physical limitations, just like him. That is the very purpose of what we have been getting from the unbreakable, rock-solid Novak for years.

And it was shown again in the far south of the planet, in Melbourne, for the ninth time. There, far from us - physically, but also in front of us, as another scene where the Serbian character is shown in the best light. Thank you, Novak, for that and for everything else he will show and bring to us. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart, with our prayers for Novak and his entire family!

Statement of condolences from Serbian Patriarch Porfirije to the Balasevic family

On the occasion of the repose of the prominent artist Djordje Balasevic, His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch sent a statement of condolence to the Balasevic family with the following content:

I pray for the salvation of the soul of that Djordje who, in difficult years, brought meaning and serenity to the everyday life of many generations. The love he sang about tirelessly was the very content of his life, dedicated to his wife Olivera and their children. And because of that love, and because of this cheerfulness and meaning that was gently hidden everywhere in his verses, but also because of personal meetings in which I met the invisible dimensions of his personality, I extend my sincere condolences to the family of Djordje Balasevic.

Whoever is without sin, let him throw a stone at those whom he thinks are sinners, and I will return that unlimited amount of love for everything beautiful, gentle and tame, like the Backa plain of our Djole.

New e-mail address of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch

We would like to inform the public that the new e-mail address of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch is:

kancelarijapatrijarha@gmail.com

Help for earthquake victims

Considering the catastrophic consequences caused by the earthquake in Croatia, showing solidarity with those who suffered, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church purposely opened an account with the bank Poštanska štedionica a.d. Beograd to which contributions can be made:

• local Serbian Dinar account : 200-3274971601759-51
• foreign currency account: RS35200327497060198827 (instructions for EUR  and USD)

Press release regarding the statements of Bishop Grigorije

The faithful people and the public on general were in the previous festal days, otherwise tormented by the epidemic and the suffering of people and their property by the earthquake in the Banija region, additionally confused by some statements of Bishop Grogorije of Dusseldorf and Germany, which are exclusively of a political, even of a party character, and have nothing to do with the faith in Christ the Savior or with the mission of the Orthodox Church.

 The Holy Synod of Bishops feels obliged to inform in this matter all those who the relating political statements attribute to the Serbian Orthodox Church or bring them in any way in connection with her, that they are exclusively personal attitude and an engagement of an individual, done not in capacity of a hierarch of the believing People of God, but exclusively in capacity of a citizen.  To what an extent a political or a state-legal activity of bishops and clerics is allowed and blessed, the Church itself exclusively values and judges,   autonomously and independently, on the basis of her canonical order.

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