Telegram of condolences from the President of the Republic of Serbia

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, sent a telegram of condolences to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the repose of Serbian Patriarch Irinej:

On behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, as well as on my own behalf, I express my sincere condolences on the occasion of the death of His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Today, Serbia and the whole of Serbia are mourning. Our Patriarch, a quiet and peaceful, noble and peace-loving man, our responsible spiritual shepherd, has passed away. The man we would all like to be and the way our faith teaches us to be has died. Only great peoples can produce great men. The great ones are born and live in their people, never higher than them and in everything submissive to their benefit and progress. Great people do not master, they serve. Their choice is not any side but the whole of people. They are patient with doubts, calm in tension and peaceful in every division and difference. Slow in words and quick in kindness. And when we do not see them, we know that they are there, we feel the power of their commitment to their family, homeland and their faith.

Our Serbian people had great patriarchs and men, and Patriarch Irinej was one of them. Such one that this time demanded and as our people wanted. That is why, carried by the respect of his people, he was getting greeater every day, closer and dearer to every one of our hosts, every Serb, no matter where they lived. Patriarch Irinej was a great man of the Serbian Church, Orthodoxy and our Serbian people. Our people can be proud of such a spiritual Shepherd, as they have always been proud of their people and their Church. May God grant forgiveness to his soul and mayt his soul abide a paradise settlement.

Source: president.rs