Telephone conversation between the Serbian President and the Serbian Patriarch

The President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vucic, had a telephone conversation with His Holiness Irinej, the Patriarch of Serbia. After the conversation, the joint statement of the two cabinets was issued:

President Vucic pointed out that he understood the need of the people and the Church to celebrate the greatest Christian feast-day, the Resurrection of Christ, for which the Holy Synod, with paternal care for their faithful, asked the state authorities. However, due to the current epidemiological situation in Serbia and consequent observing of the measures and instructions prescribed by the professionals, it is impossible to abolish the ban on movement during the curfew.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej noted that after the Communiqué of the Holy Synod of Bishops, many people, and even some official representatives, made inappropriate statements thus creating a biased media image that could harm the reputation of the Serbian Church as well as of the Serbian State, misinterpreting the intent of both the Church and the State. So far, the Serbian Orthodox Church has respected the prescribed measures and recommendations of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and the State has carefully issued not orders but the most benevolent recommendations for the benefit of the faithful of all traditional Churches and religious communities in the Republic of Serbia.

President Vucic expressed his hope that the SPC would continue to do so in the future and thus continue to participate in the fight against this world pestilence. The President used the opportunity to thank the Serbian Orthodox Church for her high social responsibility and assistance, with the conviction that all of us together would come out of this struggle as winners. Hoping for the understanding of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the faithful, President Vucic congratulated His Holiness and the faithful the feast of Christ’s Resurrection with the ancient Orthodox greeting: Christ is Risen!