Patriarch Porfirije: Our prayer must always be a prayer of humility
His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije served the Holy Liturgy on 1 March 2025, in the Church of Saint Sava, during which he consecrated antimensions for several churches in Belgrade.
Explaining to the faithful the sacred rite performed at the beginning of the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness the Patriarch reminded them that in the early Church, the Holy Liturgy was celebrated in places where martyrs had suffered or on the relics of those who died for Christ. – To this day, the Holy Liturgy is still celebrated on the relics of saints, with an antimension containing a particle of a saint’s relics placed on every Holy Altar Table. It is customary for antimensions to be consecrated when a new bishop arrives in a diocese – one who has been elected by the Assembly and recognized by all local Orthodox Churches. Therefore, the antimension is a guarantee of Orthodoxy, that is, of the ecclesiastical nature of the gathering that serves the Holy Liturgy – stated Patriarch Porfirije.
In his sermon following the reading of the Holy Gospel, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized: – The question arises: do we do what we do out of love for God, because we believe it to be right and natural, and because we recognize that we can only be authentic icons of God in this way? Or do we act for some other reason – above all, so that people may recognize us as spiritual, praise us, or honor us?
– Opposed to humility are self-love and pride. So many times in the Gospel, we not only see the distinction made between humility and pride and the affirmation of humility while condemning pride, but we also clearly witness that those who, even while fulfilling the law completely, are still filled with self-love, selfishness, pride, and judgment of others, end up being rejected. That is why our prayer must always be a prayer of humility. It is best expressed in the words of the prayer the Lord Himself taught us – the Our Father prayer – where we pray that God's will always be done. Not that things happen according to our wishes, nor even according to what we think God wants, but that, in humility, we listen for God’s voice and accept His will as the best path, the salvific path, the spiritual path, the path that leads us to the Kingdom of God – said Patriarch Porfirije.
Concelebrating with His Holiness the Patriarch were Their Graces Vicar Bishops: Petar of Toplica and Nikon of Jenopolje; Archimandrite Nektarije – Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops; Archimandrite Danilo – Director of the Patriarchal Administrative Office; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević – Head of the Cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch; Protopresbyter Ivan Štrbački; Protodeacons Dragan Radić and Radomir Vrućinić; and Deacon Vasilije Perić.
Explaining to the faithful the sacred rite performed at the beginning of the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness the Patriarch reminded them that in the early Church, the Holy Liturgy was celebrated in places where martyrs had suffered or on the relics of those who died for Christ. – To this day, the Holy Liturgy is still celebrated on the relics of saints, with an antimension containing a particle of a saint’s relics placed on every Holy Altar Table. It is customary for antimensions to be consecrated when a new bishop arrives in a diocese – one who has been elected by the Assembly and recognized by all local Orthodox Churches. Therefore, the antimension is a guarantee of Orthodoxy, that is, of the ecclesiastical nature of the gathering that serves the Holy Liturgy – stated Patriarch Porfirije.
In his sermon following the reading of the Holy Gospel, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized: – The question arises: do we do what we do out of love for God, because we believe it to be right and natural, and because we recognize that we can only be authentic icons of God in this way? Or do we act for some other reason – above all, so that people may recognize us as spiritual, praise us, or honor us?
– Opposed to humility are self-love and pride. So many times in the Gospel, we not only see the distinction made between humility and pride and the affirmation of humility while condemning pride, but we also clearly witness that those who, even while fulfilling the law completely, are still filled with self-love, selfishness, pride, and judgment of others, end up being rejected. That is why our prayer must always be a prayer of humility. It is best expressed in the words of the prayer the Lord Himself taught us – the Our Father prayer – where we pray that God's will always be done. Not that things happen according to our wishes, nor even according to what we think God wants, but that, in humility, we listen for God’s voice and accept His will as the best path, the salvific path, the spiritual path, the path that leads us to the Kingdom of God – said Patriarch Porfirije.
Concelebrating with His Holiness the Patriarch were Their Graces Vicar Bishops: Petar of Toplica and Nikon of Jenopolje; Archimandrite Nektarije – Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops; Archimandrite Danilo – Director of the Patriarchal Administrative Office; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević – Head of the Cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch; Protopresbyter Ivan Štrbački; Protodeacons Dragan Radić and Radomir Vrućinić; and Deacon Vasilije Perić.
