Patriarch Porfirije awarded with the certificate of appreciation of the Union of the Blind of Serbia
On 21 December 2023, at a ceremony held at the Library of the Union of the Blind of Serbia, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije was awarded with a certificate of appreciation by the Union of the Blind of Serbia for supporting the association that gathers over twelve thousand blind and visually impaired individuals in our country.
Receiving the acknowledgment from the President of the Union of the Blind of Serbia, Mr. Milan Stošić, His Holiness emphasized that the presented recognition is primarily “an expression of love for our Church, and then an expression of respect for my modest self.” Addressing those gathered, the Patriarch explained that the Gospel states that we owe love to each other, and if there was anything good in the relationship between the Church and the Union of the Blind of Serbia, then it is primarily God's work, not ours.
– We are obliged to demonstrate love, and when we fulfill that duty, then God is among us, – His Holiness said, emphasizing that regardless of our physiological predispositions, capacities, and abilities, regardless of the physical abilities we possess, when we talk about what is most important and the essential organ of every man, we must underscore the word “love.” – Love is the organ, method, and way that offers us knowledge, leading us to understanding. One who is devoid of love or has a deficit of love is simply devoid of the possibility to come to true insights and understanding on any topic – explained Patriarch Porfirije.
His Holiness highlighted that in pleasant and friendly encounters with people from the union, he met those who, through love toward others, have incomparably broader, higher, and deeper understanding of essence, even compared to people with the capacity for external vision. This is precisely because the main organ of vision is love towards others, not just physiological sight. In the end, the Patriarch blessed all the efforts and work of the people from the Union of the Blind of Serbia, paternally reminding them that the most important and essential vision is the vision of the heart, the vision of love, “because that is the compass that will ensure a safe path for us and enable us never to wander anywhere."
You can read the Patriarch's full speech HERE
Receiving the acknowledgment from the President of the Union of the Blind of Serbia, Mr. Milan Stošić, His Holiness emphasized that the presented recognition is primarily “an expression of love for our Church, and then an expression of respect for my modest self.” Addressing those gathered, the Patriarch explained that the Gospel states that we owe love to each other, and if there was anything good in the relationship between the Church and the Union of the Blind of Serbia, then it is primarily God's work, not ours.
– We are obliged to demonstrate love, and when we fulfill that duty, then God is among us, – His Holiness said, emphasizing that regardless of our physiological predispositions, capacities, and abilities, regardless of the physical abilities we possess, when we talk about what is most important and the essential organ of every man, we must underscore the word “love.” – Love is the organ, method, and way that offers us knowledge, leading us to understanding. One who is devoid of love or has a deficit of love is simply devoid of the possibility to come to true insights and understanding on any topic – explained Patriarch Porfirije.
His Holiness highlighted that in pleasant and friendly encounters with people from the union, he met those who, through love toward others, have incomparably broader, higher, and deeper understanding of essence, even compared to people with the capacity for external vision. This is precisely because the main organ of vision is love towards others, not just physiological sight. In the end, the Patriarch blessed all the efforts and work of the people from the Union of the Blind of Serbia, paternally reminding them that the most important and essential vision is the vision of the heart, the vision of love, “because that is the compass that will ensure a safe path for us and enable us never to wander anywhere."
You can read the Patriarch's full speech HERE
