Patriarch Porfirije consecrates Chapel and monastic residence at the Monastery of Mislođin
– The Lord is love. He gives His entire self for us. He invites everyone into the joy of encountering Him, into an embrace with Him; yet, alongside His call, His embrace, His warmth and love toward every human being – His incomprehensible, mind-exceeding, boundless, even “foolish” love for us – it is also necessary that we ourselves desire that divine embrace – said His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije on 17 April 2026, on the Feast of the Life-Giving Spring – Bright Friday, at the Monastery of Mislođin, where, prior to the Holy Liturgy, he performed the rite of consecration of a Chapel dedicated to this wondrous feast of the Mother of God, as well as the newly built monastic residence.
And just as fifteen centuries ago the suffering and the infirm gathered at the church by the spring near Constantinople, known as the “Life-Giving Spring,” seeking from the Lord and His Mother healing and salvation, so today numerous pious faithful gathered at the Monastery of Saint Christopher in Mislođin to give thanks together with the Patriarch and the Bishops for all blessings, for, as the Patriarch emphasized on that occasion:
– The human mind cannot comprehend why and how God loves us – us as we are – but He is love by His very essence, and He grants His Kingdom and bestows salvation. For this reason, He has called us from non-being into being. Yet it is necessary and important that we first recognize this love of God, and then, no matter how much we may stumble, however weak, sinful, and erring we may be, however much we may fall short, we must have within us a longing, a love, and an unquenchable thirst for Him. It is necessary that we desire the embrace of God.
In the joy of the feast, with the prayerful participation of Hegumenia Justina of Mislođin and more than two hundred faithful, His Holiness was concelebrated by: Their Graces Vicar Bishops of Jenopolje kyr Nikon and kyr Petar of Toplica; Archimandrite Veniamin; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević, Chief of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch; Protopresbyter Goran Mišanović, Dean of the Deanery of Belgrade-Posavina; Priest Milovan Parezanović, spiritual father of the Monastery of Mislođin; Protodeacons Dragan Radić and Radomir Vrućinić; and Deacons Vasilije Perić and Vladimir Jović.
The restoration of the Monastery of Mislođin began in 2010 with the blessing of Metropolitan Amfilohije of blessed memory, then administrator of the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci. Through the efforts of Hegumenia Justina, the monastery church dedicated to Saint Christopher was built, and it was consecrated by Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory on 4 October 2015. The benefactress of the church is Mrs. Ljubinka Pejica.
And just as fifteen centuries ago the suffering and the infirm gathered at the church by the spring near Constantinople, known as the “Life-Giving Spring,” seeking from the Lord and His Mother healing and salvation, so today numerous pious faithful gathered at the Monastery of Saint Christopher in Mislođin to give thanks together with the Patriarch and the Bishops for all blessings, for, as the Patriarch emphasized on that occasion:
– The human mind cannot comprehend why and how God loves us – us as we are – but He is love by His very essence, and He grants His Kingdom and bestows salvation. For this reason, He has called us from non-being into being. Yet it is necessary and important that we first recognize this love of God, and then, no matter how much we may stumble, however weak, sinful, and erring we may be, however much we may fall short, we must have within us a longing, a love, and an unquenchable thirst for Him. It is necessary that we desire the embrace of God.
In the joy of the feast, with the prayerful participation of Hegumenia Justina of Mislođin and more than two hundred faithful, His Holiness was concelebrated by: Their Graces Vicar Bishops of Jenopolje kyr Nikon and kyr Petar of Toplica; Archimandrite Veniamin; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević, Chief of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch; Protopresbyter Goran Mišanović, Dean of the Deanery of Belgrade-Posavina; Priest Milovan Parezanović, spiritual father of the Monastery of Mislođin; Protodeacons Dragan Radić and Radomir Vrućinić; and Deacons Vasilije Perić and Vladimir Jović.
The restoration of the Monastery of Mislođin began in 2010 with the blessing of Metropolitan Amfilohije of blessed memory, then administrator of the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci. Through the efforts of Hegumenia Justina, the monastery church dedicated to Saint Christopher was built, and it was consecrated by Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory on 4 October 2015. The benefactress of the church is Mrs. Ljubinka Pejica.