On May 3, 2024, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije celebrated the Holy Liturgy in honor of the temple feast at the Church of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Empress Helen in Voždovac.
During his sermon, the Patriarch highlighted the profound secret that led Saint Emperor Constantine to embark on his path to sainthood:
“We rejoice today because we not only remember but celebrate Christ’s victory over all His enemies, and importantly, over our own. We celebrate the triumph of freedom, life, justice, and joy. We celebrate all these things through the Resurrection of Christ. We were created to live, to be free, to embrace justice, and to experience joy. Salvation encompasses all these aspects—it means being whole, complete, not fragmented or conflicted. Salvation is union with Christ, for He is fullness, harmony, life, joy, and justice.”
The Patriarch emphasized the significance of Saint Emperor Constantine and Saint Empress Helen, who bear witness to the great mystery and truth that one who enters life and eternity through Christ is saved.
He said: “They recognized Christ as God, the Messiah, the Saviour. They understood that Christ is the answer to the many wanderings and searches throughout history. Before Christ, people sought the true God through religion, philosophy, art, and science. The question was not whether God exists, but who God is and what He is like. Every nation glorified some god. If God is sought where He is not, there can be no true joy, beauty, or comfort, for God is eternal and not of this world. Man did not create God in his own image; rather, man was created in God’s image and likeness. A person can only open their soul and heart and strive modestly so that their being becomes a vessel where God manifests Himself.”
This celebration underscored the belief that without Christ, we are weak, but with Him, we become all-powerful.
Source: Patriarchate of Serbia
