Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church visits DECR

DECR Communication Service, 08/11/2023

On November 8, a delegation from the Diocese of Banja Luka of the Serbian Orthodox Church, while on a visit to Moscow with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, met with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations. The delegation led by Bishop Sava of Marča, Vicar of the Banja Luka Diocese, also includes Hieromonk Metodije (Kragulj), abbot of the Gomionica Monastery, and Protodeacon Radojica Zagran, a cleric of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Banja Luka.

Taking part in the meeting held at the Department for External Church Relations were also Bishop Antonije of Moravica, rector of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Metochion in Moscow; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR vice-chairman; and Mr Andrei Khoshev of the DECR Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations.

Bishop Sava of Marča conveyed to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk greetings and warm wishes from Bishop Jefrem of Banja Luka. As he also told, a special event took place at the Moscow Theological Academy on November 5, during which a particle of the relics of the Holy Martyr Platon the Bishop of Banja Luka (1874-1941) was presented as a gift to the Academy. Bishop Platon was an Academy alumnus, having graduated in 1901.

While in Moscow, the hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church had con-celebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on the commemoration day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on November 4, 2023, and visited various churches and monasteries. He shared his impressions with those present at the meeting.

In a spirit of fellowship, the participants in the meeting discussed the situation in the Orthodox world, as well as church life in the Banja Luka Diocese and the current state of affairs and prospects of the Russian-Serbian inter-church relations.

An exchange of gifts took place at the conclusion of the meeting.

That same day later, during a tour of St. Daniel Stavropegial Monastery, the guests from the Diocese of Banja Luka venerated the relics of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow and other shrines of the ancient abode.

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Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church visits DECR

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Department Chairman

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Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons