His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr.. Porfirje celebrated the Holy Liturgy on November 8, 2024, the feast day of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, in the church dedicated to this God-pleaser and confessor of faith, in New Belgrade.
- St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, like all saints, is our representative before God and an example that every Christian should emulate in his or her life. The saints bear witness to the crucified and risen Christ at all costs. They testify to the truth that Christ is the meaning of the existence of history and the human race, that He is the Savior of the world, and that there is no truth outside of Him and outside of Him, there is no possibility for man to achieve a solid foundation for his existence," stressed His Holiness Patriarch Mr. Porphyrius also recalled the feat of the great Bpoy's favorite:
- Any progress requires faith in Christ, a faith that St. Demetrius placed at the foundation of his life. As a duke and a true witness to the faith, he laid down his life for Christ and became an example of a saint who remained steadfast in moments when witnessing to the faith was most difficult. He made faith in Christ the foundation of his life. He established a faith that is the only right, normal and healthy context and foundation for our lives and our existence, but not only ours, but for every person and the whole world. Without faith in the living God, man is dead in the here and now.
- Only in faith can man find true fulfillment. We Christians should rejoice in the fact that in the way of Christ we are called to love our neighbors as much as our enemies. Let us be concerned about our own spiritual progress. Let us not worry about those who slander and persecute us, but let us try to live in love and faith, which is manifested in deeds," said Patriarch Porphyrios.
His Holiness Patriarch Porphyrius was served by the Rev. Hierarchs chosen by British-Irish Msgr. Nektarije and Petar of Toplice, Vicar of the Patriarch of Serbia and Elder of St. Dimitrij Church in New Belgrade; and retired archpriests Stavrophoros Božo Bakajlić and Rajko Nedić; Archimandrite Danilo (Gavranovic) director of the Patriarchal Office; Archpriest Djordje Stoisavljevljevic, head of the Serbian Patriarch's Cabinet; and Hieromonk Siluan, brother of the Gregoriat Monastery on Mount Athos; Presbyter Bogoljub Ostojic from the Belgrade and Karlovac Archdiocese; Archpriest-Stavrophor Gregory Sapsaj; Archpriests Aleksandar Bajic and Vojislav Kostic; Priests Srboljub Ostojic, Stefan Vasiljevic and Marko Kojic; Archdeacon Marko (Momcilovic) Archdeacons Dragan Radic and Radomir Vrucinic, and Deacons Nikolaj Sapsaj and Filip Milivojevic.
At the end of the Holy Liturgy. Patriarch of Serbia Mr. Porfirije presented high ecclesiastical awards to the benefactors of St. Dimitrios Church. Mrs. Ružica Perić was awarded the Order of St. King Milutin, while Mrs. Miroslava Leković and Messrs. Dejan Dunjerski, Igor Stojanović, Nemanja Trifunović, Zoran Bulatović and Nebojsa Čović were awarded the Archbishop's Gramma.
- St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, like all saints, is our representative before God and an example that every Christian should emulate in his or her life. The saints bear witness to the crucified and risen Christ at all costs. They testify to the truth that Christ is the meaning of the existence of history and the human race, that He is the Savior of the world, and that there is no truth outside of Him and outside of Him, there is no possibility for man to achieve a solid foundation for his existence," stressed His Holiness Patriarch Mr. Porphyrius also recalled the feat of the great Bpoy's favorite:
- Any progress requires faith in Christ, a faith that St. Demetrius placed at the foundation of his life. As a duke and a true witness to the faith, he laid down his life for Christ and became an example of a saint who remained steadfast in moments when witnessing to the faith was most difficult. He made faith in Christ the foundation of his life. He established a faith that is the only right, normal and healthy context and foundation for our lives and our existence, but not only ours, but for every person and the whole world. Without faith in the living God, man is dead in the here and now.
- Only in faith can man find true fulfillment. We Christians should rejoice in the fact that in the way of Christ we are called to love our neighbors as much as our enemies. Let us be concerned about our own spiritual progress. Let us not worry about those who slander and persecute us, but let us try to live in love and faith, which is manifested in deeds," said Patriarch Porphyrios.
His Holiness Patriarch Porphyrius was served by the Rev. Hierarchs chosen by British-Irish Msgr. Nektarije and Petar of Toplice, Vicar of the Patriarch of Serbia and Elder of St. Dimitrij Church in New Belgrade; and retired archpriests Stavrophoros Božo Bakajlić and Rajko Nedić; Archimandrite Danilo (Gavranovic) director of the Patriarchal Office; Archpriest Djordje Stoisavljevljevic, head of the Serbian Patriarch's Cabinet; and Hieromonk Siluan, brother of the Gregoriat Monastery on Mount Athos; Presbyter Bogoljub Ostojic from the Belgrade and Karlovac Archdiocese; Archpriest-Stavrophor Gregory Sapsaj; Archpriests Aleksandar Bajic and Vojislav Kostic; Priests Srboljub Ostojic, Stefan Vasiljevic and Marko Kojic; Archdeacon Marko (Momcilovic) Archdeacons Dragan Radic and Radomir Vrucinic, and Deacons Nikolaj Sapsaj and Filip Milivojevic.
At the end of the Holy Liturgy. Patriarch of Serbia Mr. Porfirije presented high ecclesiastical awards to the benefactors of St. Dimitrios Church. Mrs. Ružica Perić was awarded the Order of St. King Milutin, while Mrs. Miroslava Leković and Messrs. Dejan Dunjerski, Igor Stojanović, Nemanja Trifunović, Zoran Bulatović and Nebojsa Čović were awarded the Archbishop's Gramma.
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