LONDON: 27 January 2025
Hierarchs of the Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches concelebrate Divine Liturgy in London

On 26 January, 2025, the feast day of St Sava the Sanctified, to which the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in London is dedicated, three hierarchs concelebrated Diving Liturgy in London. His Grace Bishop Ilarion of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch Porphyri, headed the Divine Liturgy, in concelebration with the newly-enthroned Bishop Nektarije of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the United Kingdom, and His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, who had been invited for the occasion.

The three Hierarchs concelebrated the Liturgy amongst a great number of clergy — including Archpriest Vitaly Serapinas and Deacon Sergei Baranov, who travelled with Vladyka Irenei to the Serbian Cathedral — in a church filled with faithful, the majority of whom came forward to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a “slava” was served by the Hierarchs and clergy, joyfully sung by all the faithful, and Bishop Nektarije presented Bishop Irenei with an icon of St Sava in commemoration of His Grace’s visit.

Thanking his host for the kindness of the fraternal celebration, Bishop Irenei offered words of prayerful congratulation to Bishop Nektarije, expressing the joy of all the parishes and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Diaspora at the arrival of an Archpastor dedicated to the spiritual lives of those of the Serbian Diaspora in the ancient islands of the UK and Ireland. “Since the time of the Russian revolution in 1917,” Vladyka Irenei noted, “the lives of both of our communities — already united in fraternal unity for generations before — became intertwined in a new and profound way. Forced to flee their homeland by godless persecutors, our forebears were given the most gracious of all possible welcomes by their Serbian brethren, who saw the suffering of their spiritual kin and opened their doors and hearts without hesitation, manifesting in vivid manner the Gospel exhortation to love one’s neighbor in need.

“In the years that followed,” continued the Bishop, ‘”t was in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church that the hierarchs and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Diaspora would be formed, educated, and prepared to take up their pastoral works. Amongst these, in addition to blessed First Hierarchs of our Church Abroad, we are honored to number a whole litany of the Bishops and Archbishops who have headed our Diocese in Great Britain and Western Europe, who received tonsure, education, ordination and formation in Belgrade, Karlovski, and other places — amongst the very first, the long-serving Ruling Bishop of this Diocese, now known to all the world as St John the Wonderworker. Their sanctity still preserves us, and both our Church and yours continue to be shaped by the careful and prayerful approach to Church life they have handed down to us.

“Now our God has called Your Grace here, and you stand on soil sanctified by a cloud of witnesses to Holy Orthodoxy that goes back to the beginnings of the Church. Here have walked Apostles, martyrs, ascetics and luminaries, in countless number from the first millennium, and even in our own day. Here stood our St John, here stood St Nicholas of Zhicha. And here, today, stand thousands of faithful, crying out to receive the Gospel of salvation.

"It is our deepest desire,” concluded Bishop Irenei, “that despite the great gulf of sanctity that stands between us in these weak days and those great saints who stood before us, we might nevertheless maintain that unique bond of brotherhood and piety that has bound our Serbian and Russian Orthodox diasporas together for the past century. For my own meagre part, I assure you of my daily prayers for the sustenance of your new ministry here, and the open arms of welcome and a readiness to assist Your Grace in any way I can.”

Following his remarks, Bishop Irenei presented Bishop Nektarije an icon of St John the Wonderworker, blessed on the saint’s relics. The Hierarchs then attended a concert and programme in honour of St Sava, put on by the Serbian Cathedral’s Sunday School and guest performers, before enjoying a wonderful festal meal together with many of the parish’s faithful.

orthodox-europe.org