The Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church thanked the people for their love today and blessed all the believing people of Herceg Novi and Montenegro.

“Today I am blessed by God, as I have been given the opportunity to pray to God in the orthodox manner along with my brothers and sisters in this place dedicated to Saint Sava and Saint Stefan. Those two cornerstones of faith are enough to fill with peace and joy, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Brothers and sisters, it was the Orthodox faith that had shaped all that which exists in this place. And all that which we are, as a spiritual people,” said Patriarch Porfirije.

His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije served the Holy Bishop’s Liturgy at the Savina Monastery today, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast day of the monastery.

He was assisted by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Mr. Joanikije, the Bishop Jovan of Pakrac and Slavonija, the Bishop Nikodim of Dalmatia and Toplica, and the newly elected Bishop Jerotej of Šabac, as well as the clergy and monks from several eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church, while a large number of faithful people participated in prayer.

Ministers in the Government of Montenegro attended the liturgy at the Savina Monastery, including Vladimir Joković, Dado Šćekić, Aleksandar Damjanović, Marko Kovač, the President of the Assembly Danijela Đurović, Members of the Assembly Jovan Vučurović, Dejan Đurović, Momo Koprivica, Marko Milačić, Municipality Presidents Stevan Katić of Herceg Novi, Vladimir Jokić of Kotor, Željko Komnenović of Tivan, Vice President Siniša Kovačević, as well as the Mayor of Budva Milo Božović, the Manager of the Municipality of Budva Nikola Jovanović, Mladen Mikijelj, Nebojša Jušković, and the Ambassador of Serbia to Montenegro Vladimir Božović.