His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije presided over the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy on 24 November 2024, at the Cathedral Church of Saint Sava in London, during which he enthroned His Grace kyr Nektarije as the Bishop of London and of Great Britain and Ireland.

In addition to the newly enthroned Bishop of London and of Great Britain and Ireland, His Grace kyr Nektarije, concelebrating with His Holiness there were Their Eminences Metropolitans Dositej of Scandinavia, Arsenije of Niš, and Iosif of Western Europe from the Romanian Orthodox Church; Their Graces Bishops Isihije of Valjevo, Nikon of Jenopolje, Matthew of Sourozh from the Moscow Patriarchate, and Anastasios of Bogdanija from the Romanian Orthodox Church; Archimandrite Nektarije, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Archimandrite Metodije, Hegumen of the Hilandar Monastery; Hieromonk Nektarije from Hilandar; Protopresbyters-Stavrophors Aleksandar Pavlović, Aleksandar Samaržić, Milan Vukašin, Goran Spaić, Aleksandar Ilić, Žarko Nedić, and Nenad Popović; Protopresbyters Dimitrije Nedostupenko from the Moscow Patriarchate and Pavel Elliot from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Đorđe Lukić, Roman Fischer, and Milan Živanović; Presbyters Viktor Stojčev and Gavrilo Galev from the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid, and Borislav Kovačević; Archdeacon Paul from the Romanian Orthodox Church; Protodeacons Dragan Radić, Radomir Vrućinić, and Damjan Božić; Deacons Đorđe Filipović, Momčilo Dimitrijević, and Filip Milivojević; as well as Subdeacons Dejan Nakić and Vladimir Jelić.

The festive service was attended by: His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent with his daughter Princess Gabriella Kingston; Mr. Nikola Selaković, envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Culture in the Government of the Republic of Serbia; Princess Katarina Karađorđević; Dr. Vladimir Roganović, Director of the Administration for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia; Mr. Edward Ferguson, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Serbia; Mr. Goran Aleksić, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United Kingdom; Mr. Will Lane, Head of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; Archimandrite Niphon Tsimalis, envoy of the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Archbishop of Belgrade Ladislav Cardinal Nemet; The Very Reverend Canon Robert Plourde and The Very Reverend Miguel Peraza from the Roman Catholic Church; His Grace Bishop Abraham of London from the Assyrian Church of the East; The Reverend Håkan Wilhelmsson from the Church of Sweden; The Reverend Dr. William Taylor, Vicar of Kensington, Chair of the Association of Anglican and Eastern Churches, and Ecumenical Advisor of the Church of England; The Reverend Alan Triggle from the Association of Anglican and Eastern Churches; representatives of the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as numerous clergy, monastics, and the devout faithful of the newly established Diocese of Britain and Ireland.

Serbians and the Serbian Orthodox Church in London

At its regular meeting from 14 to 18 May 2024, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to divide the Diocese of Britain and Scandinavia, thereby establishing the Diocese of Scandinavia, headquartered in Stockholm, and the Diocese of Britain and Ireland, with its See in London. The former Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch, His Grace Bishop of Jegar kyr Nektarije, was elected as the Bishop of the new Diocese of Britain and Ireland. It is estimated that about forty thousand Orthodox Serbians live in London and its surrounding areas. Most Serbians settled in London after World War II, primarily military and political emigrants, allies of the British army, who fled their homeland under the communist regime. The influx of Serbians increased during the wars of the 1990s, as they fled hardships caused by the breakup of Yugoslavia.

London’s Serbians gather at the renowned Cathedral Church of Saint Sava, built in 1903 as an Anglican church dedicated to Saint Columba. It was later adapted for Orthodox worship and consecrated in 1952 by Saint Bishop Nikolaj of Žiča and Ohrid. The building is very spacious and adorned with frescoes, mostly replicas of 13^th-century Serbian monasteries’ walls from the region of Kosovo and Metohija. Of particular value is the walnut wood-carved iconostasis, richly decorated with icons. In front of the altar are two thrones, also carved from walnut. One is designated for the bishop, and the other for the Royal Family. The royal throne was used not only by members of the Serbian royal family living in exile in London but also by Queen Elizabeth II in 1945 and 1957. She was a godmother at the baptism of Prince Aleksandar, the son of King Peter II, and later Maria Tatiana, the daughter of Prince Andrija Karađorđević. The renowned Serbian writer Miloš Crnjanski once served as the president of the Serbian Orthodox Church Parish in London. The Cathedral Church of Saint Sava hosts a Sunday school, a choir, a folklore school, and the Circle of Serbian Sisters.

Patriarch Porfirije: Repentance marks the beginning of our spiritual joy and salvation

Patriarch Porfirije delivered a homily on the Gospel passage read during the Holy Liturgy:

– The word of Christ is always the same because it is true. It is only necessary to interpret that word in a true and proper way in every era in which we live. The interpreter of God’s word is the Church of Christ. Therefore, gathered here now in the Church of Saint Sava, in a populous city where many cultures, ideas, and spiritual and ideological currents intersect, we know that the word of Christ carries the same power, meaning, and significance as it did when the Lord addressed His disciples, especially here at the altar served by Saint Nikolaj, which he consecrated – at a place where many tears of prayer and cries for salvation – of oneself, one’s people, and the whole world – have been shed.

– It is logical and common that we are all weak and powerless, that we all stumble, especially in our relationships with one another. This is because we often fail to show or affirm love but act selfishly, seeing each other as rivals, adversaries, or usurpers. In this parable, the rich man desires to change, to transform, but once one leaves this world, there is no longer any opportunity to change one’s stance. In fact, the transformation of one’s attitudes must occur here and now. This parable calls us to a change of mind, to repentance. Repentance, however, is not about pouring ashes on our heads or punishing ourselves. According to the Holy Fathers, including Saint John Chrysostom, repentance is a joyful sorrow – a moment when we realize we have erred, failed to respect, love, or embrace our neighbor, failed to bear their cross and share their burden. When we recognize these shortcomings and more as our failures to honor and fulfill God’s commandments, we wish to be different. This is the moment when we are saddened by our fall, sin, and failures, but even more joyful because in recognizing our mistake, we suddenly feel God’s love and His grace, which is greater, broader, and deeper than any of our deficiencies. It is enough to recognize ourselves and turn to Him, our Lord, in prayer – concluded His Holiness Patriarch kyr Porfirije.

Bishop Nektarije: Following the example of Christ the Great Hierarch, I have not come to be served, but to serve

After being enthroned to the throne of the Bishops of London and of Britain and Irelan, His Grave Bishop Nektarije gave an inaugural sermon, in which, among other things, he said:

– The unusual mysterious providence of God continues to manifest in my life. Today, I found myself in this sacred place, in this gracious throne from which oversight and administration are exercised, the Gospel is proclaimed and witnessed, and, most importantly, “service” is being performed in pursuit of the example of Christ the Great Hierarch. For in episcopal ministry, the Lord has woven these words into the essence and program of our hierarchical service in the living Church: “I have not come to be served, but to serve.” With such faith, I begin my new ministry here today. Today, my heart trembles as I am exalted to the sacred Throne of the Hierarchs of Britain and Ireland as the first Bishop of this newly established Diocese. Yet, I stand in the very place from which honorable Hierarchs of our Holy Church have proclaimed the Light of the Gospel of Christ: the late Bishop Lavrentije of blessed memory – an unforgettable missionary and laborer, and our beloved Metropolitan Dositej, who zealously preached and embodied the love of the Incarnate God for over thirty years in this region. From this moment, “the easy yoke of Christ” is placed around my neck, so that by serving God and His Church, I may attain salvation.

King Charles III: The creation of this new diocese will help to refresh and to deepen the longstanding ties between our peoples

– On the occasion of the enthronement of the newly-elected Bishop of London and Great Britain and Ireland, kyr Nektarije, I send my warm greetings to the Serbian Orthodox Church and to the Serbian people. I remember with fondness my visit to Serbia in 2016, the time I spent with His Holiness Patriarch Irinej and visit to Kovilj monastery, hosted so kindly by the then Metropolitan Bishop, His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije.

– This ceremony sees the enactment of the decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church to establish, for the first time, a diocese of London and Great Britain and Ireland. I very much hope that the creation of this new diocese will help to refresh and to deepen the longstanding ties between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Church of England, as well as between our peoples. My wife joins me in sending our very best wishes to Bishop Nektarije at the start of his pastoral tenure in our country – it is stated in the message of King Charles III.