Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia led the Divine Liturgy on December 22, 2024, at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade.
Following the reading of the Sunday Gospel passage about the foolish rich man, Patriarch Porfirije addressed the congregation, expressing:
As we approach the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, the feast of peace, it is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the various disturbances that have affected our people for a long time, especially in recent days following the tragic events in Novi Sad.
As faithful individuals, our first response is to pray for all the victims and their families. We pray both individually and collectively, not only for our nation but for peace worldwide. It is only natural to expect that those responsible for the tragedy will be brought to justice.
Simultaneously, our Church, along with all of us, watches with great concern the unfolding events in our society. The increasing atmosphere of conflict and hostility, coupled with daily incidents, poses a risk of escalating into a situation with significant casualties.
The growing divisions threaten the dignity, freedom, and unity of our people, all of which are core values in the Christian concept of conciliarity. It is disheartening that many fail to grasp this, and some may even intentionally overlook the true nature of the Church, its mission, and its role, which, especially during the days leading up to Christmas, is fundamentally about promoting peace.
Patriarch Porfirije was joined in the service by the following clergy: auxiliary bishops Alexije of Hvosno and Ilarion of Novo Brdo; Archimandrite Danilo (Ljubotina); Protopresbyter Bogoljub Ostojić, the head of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Archangel Michael; Protopresbyters-Stavrophores Branko Topalović and Petar Lukić; Protopresbyter Slaviša Popović; Priests Arsen Milovanović and Radovan Radovanović (from the Diocese of Britain and Ireland); Protodeacons Radomir Vrućinić and Damjan Božić; and Deacons Nikolaj Vuković and Vasilije Perić.
Source: spc.sr
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