Statements

Press Release

Press Release

His Eminence Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia, the Locum Tenens of the Serbian Church Patriarchal Throne, left the Clinical Hospital Center "Dr, Dragisa Misovic" in Belgrade. His Eminence Metropolitan has no symptoms and is in good general condition.

From the Metropolitan's Office

Press communication

On the occasion of the repose of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held a meeting at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade on November 20, 2020 and made some decisions provided by the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in such situations.

A decision was made that the Holy Synod of Bishops should take over the patriarchal responsibilities in accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and that the Holy Synod should be chaired by the Metropolitan of Dabar-Bosnia Hrisostom until the election of a new Serbian Patriarch.

The Holy Synod of Bishops appointed His Grace Jovan, Bishop of Sumadija, as administrator of the vacant Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci,  in accordance with Article 70 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The body of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory will be exhibited in the Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade during the Holy Liturgy on the feast day of the Cathedral, November 21, 2020, and then transferred to the Church of Saint Sava in Vracar district, Belgrade, where the faithful may have opportunity to make a homage to the blessed Patriarch.

The Holy Liturgy will be celebrated on Sunday, November 22, 2020, in the church of Saint Sava in Vracar, starting at 9 am. Immediately after the Holy Liturgy, the Funeral Rite will be served and the body of the Patriarch will be buried in the crypt of the church of Saint Sava.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej reposed in the Lord

The Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch (Gavrilovic) reposed in the Lord in the Military Covid Hospital "Karaburma" in Belgrade, on Friday, November 20, 2020, at 7:07 AM.

All other details regarding the funeral of His Holiness the Patriarch will be announced soon. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven!

His pious parents Zdravko and MilijanaGavrilovic from the village of Vidova near Cacak - and with them the entire Serbian family - were blessed the by the Lord, on August 27, 1930, with the birth of a male child whose baptismal name was Miroslav. He finished elementary school in his native village and high school in Cacak and the Theological School in Prizren, Kosovo and Metohia. Thereupon he graduated from the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade. 

After completing his military service, he was appointed professor of the Prizren Theological School, but before accepting the appointment he received monastic tonsure in the monastery of Rakovica, n. Rakovica, by the Serbian Patriarch German, receiving the monastic name Irinej, inOctober 1959. On the Holy and Great Friday of the same year, he was ordained a hieromonk in the church of Ruzica, Belgrade. As professor at the Prizren Theological School, he spent some years at postgraduate studies in Athens. He was appointed principal of the Monastic School in the Ostrog monastery in 1969, from where he returned to Prizren to the position of Principal of that famous Theological School.

It was in 1974 that he was elected Vicar Bishop of the Serbian Patriarch with the title of Bishop of Moravica. He was elected Bishop of Nis in 1975.

Rebuttal

Rebuttal

As regards the disinformation on alleged decease of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, hereby we would like to inform the public that according to the official report of the team of medical experts which takes care of the health of the Primate of our Church – his health condition is unchanged compared to the contents of the Press Release we have issued this morning.

It is highly irresponsible and immoral to post such fake news and intentionally mislead and disturb the entire public, whoever may have spread such news – some church members or some media which have been relatively credible sources of information up to now.

We invite everyone to pray for the health of our Patriarch and to get informed of his health condition by resorting to the official information issued by the team of medical experts and posted on the official webpage of the Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Press release

In the morning of 19 November 2020 the general health condition of His  Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, has deteriorated as the consequence of COVID 19

The standing team of medical experts along with the physicians from the Russian Federation has examined His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej and analysed the results of laboratory testing executed this morning and concluded that the morning health deterioration is the consequence of COVID 19 infection and that the general health condition of His Holiness is complex, but stable. The public shall be further informed of the health condition of His Holiness.

On behalf of the team of medical experts
Colonel Ivo Udovičić, Assistant Professor
Hospital Commander in Chief

Press Release

On 19 November 2020 the general health condition of
His  Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, has deteriorated
as the consequence of COVID 19

The standing team of medical experts along with the physicians from the RF is monitoring the general standing and clinical condition of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej. The public shall be further informed of the health condition of His Holiness.

On behalf of the team of medical experts
Colonel Ivo Udovičić, Assistant Professor
Hospital Commander in Chief