| |     ћирилица | latinica  
Home
Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana elected as the new Patriarch of Serbia

 

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, PhD, as the new Serbian Patriarch, in its convocation in Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade on 18 February 2021.

Immediately after the election a thanksgiving service was officiated and Many Years was chanted to the Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Bells at Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district of Belgrade rang a few minutes before 4:00 pm indicating that the 46th Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

Newly-elected Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (Peric) was born on 22 July 1961 in Becej, to father Radivoje and Mother Radojka. He was baptized as Prvoslav. He finished primary school in Curug, and the “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj” Grammar School in Novi Sad. He was ordained a monk according to the rite of small schime by his spiritual father, then hieromonk Dr. Irinej (Bulovic), at Decani Monastery on Sunday of St. Thomas in 1985.

He graduated from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade in 1986, when the then Bishop of Raska-Prizren Diocese, future Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory, ordained him a hierodeacon at the monastery of Holy Trinity in Musutiste.

He attended postgraduate studies in Athens from 1986 until 1990. That year, upon the blessing of Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa, he joined the monastery of Holy Archangels in Kovilj, where he was ordained as hieromonk and became its abbot.

Many young monks and novices came to the monastery following him. These were the years when the Kovilj Monastery became a spiritual center for many young people: intellectuals, artists, popular actors and rock musicians, especially from Novi Sad and Belgrade. Since then abbot Porfirije has particularly dealt with drug-addicted patients. In 2005, he formed for this purpose a therapeutic community called “The Land of the Living”, which is recognized as the most successful drug-addiction therapy project and, under the leadership of Bishop Porfirije, it has more than a hundred residents in camps throughout Serbia today.

During the ordinary meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on 14 May 1999 he was elected as Bishop of Jegar, Vicar of the Diocese of Backa.

He defended his PhD thesis Possibility of knowability of God in St. Paul’s understanding according to the interpretation of Saint John Chrysostom at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Athens in 2004.

He became a lecturer at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology - Department of Pastoral Psychology - succeeding famous psychiatrist, academician Dr. Vladeta Jerotic. His lectures have been attended not only by students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, but other Belgrade faculties as well.

Together with a group of experts: psychologists, doctors, criminologists, sociologists, Bishop Porfirije founded a civic association that deals with the resocialization of victims of destructive religious sects and cults.

Bishop Porfirije has not been just president of the Steering Board for a decade, but a real spiritus movens of the Humanitarian Fund “Privrednik”, which has provided scholarships for a great number of gifted, but poor pupils and students, regardless of their nationality or religious affiliation.

In 2005, the National Assembly elected him as representative of all Churches and religious communities, to be a member of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, and in 2008 the RBA elected him its president. As President of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, Bishop Porfirije supported the long-term interests of society and citizens, unaffected by political influences.

Since then, church radio stations have been heard in the broadcasting spectrum of Serbia. He has made a key contribution to launching of a series of radio and television shows dealing with religious topics.

In 2010, The Holy Assembly of Bishops entrusted him to establish military chaplaincy in the Serbian Armed Forces. The fruits of his labour in that field include not only the suitable legal regulations, but also the selection of military chaplains, the organization and equipping of churches at barracks and performance of the first religious services.

His expert theological works Bishop Porfirije published in magazines both in Serbia and abroad. He participated in a large number of scientific conferences and symposia across the globe.

Bishop Porfirije, as one of the most prominent contemporary Serbian clergymen and intellectuals, has an extremely wide circle of friends, not only in the Homeland, and he fosters personal friendship and close cooperation with priests and representatives of other Churches and religious communities.

He speaks Greek, English, German and uses the Russian language, while his style of communication is always adapted to his interlocutors.

He was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana on 13 July 2014 in the Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Zagreb. The solemn Hierarchal Liturgy was served by Serbian Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by a large number of archbishops of the Serbian Church and other sister Churches, as well as priests and monks, and pious people. Source: SPC/Serbian Orthodox Church


Print version
News
Visit of the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Lebanon to the soldiers on the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission
SERBIAN NATIONAL DAY (15.02)
45 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon
Ambassador Elfic met with LR Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib
Serbia expects support for opening clusters by end year
02.11.2021 - Address of the President of the Republic of Serbia at the United Nations climate change conference COP26 held in Glasgow
Selaković in UNSC: Dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached are the only right way to resolve all open issues
Telephone conversation of President Vučić and General Secretary of NATO
BRNABIĆ: Pristina seriously jeopardised regional stability
Minister Selaković visits Serbian peacekeepers in Lebanon
Selaković met in Beirut with the commander of the Lebanese army and Metropolitan Audi
Selaković: Lebanese officials expressed great gratitude to Serbia for its selfless help
Selaković handed over vaccines – a donation from Serbia to Lebanon
Operation "Storm": Marking the Remembrance Day of all Serbs who died and were expelled in the armed operation "Storm"
President Vučić: We have decided – our goal is the EU, but China is an important partner
Selaković invited representatives of members of the NAM to gather in Belgrade in October
President Vučić at the session of the United Nations Security Council
President Vučić met via video link with representatives of the IMF delegation
Marking the Day of Remembrance of the victims of the NATO aggression
17.03.2021 - The Republic of Serbia in the Month of Francophonie / La République de Serbie au Mois de la Francophonie
Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana elected as the new Patriarch of Serbia
15.02.2023. - The Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia
President Vucic: Serbia is ready for dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija, but will refuse being humiliated
President Vucic: Serbia is the first in Europe in terms of growth
President Vucic: Serbia to remain on the course of a winning policy of stability
Regime of entry into the Republic of Serbia
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Brochure "Serbia- Emerging tech development hub"
Ambassador Emir Elfić met with the Prime Minister of Lebanese Republic, HE Hassan Diab
Ambassador Emir Elfić met with the Minister of Sports and Youth of LR HE Vartine Ohanian
Ambassador Emir Elfić met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanese Republic HEأُNasif Hiti
Ambassador Emir Elfić met with the Minister of Finance of Lebanese Republic HE Ghazi Wazni
Serbian Ambassador in Sarba
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA CANDIDATE FOR THE UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD, 2019-2023
Celebration of the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia 02/15/2019
MInister of Agriculture from Republic of Serbia visiting Lebanese Republic
ELFIĆ with Minister of Sports of Lebanese Republic
Study in Serbia
Minister of Defence of Republic of Serbia Mr. Aleksandar Vulin visiting UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
News - Archive