Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided, on 9 January 2026, the feast of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, the day on which Republika Srpska celebrates its patron saint, over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of Christ the Saviour in Banja Luka.
Congratulating the faithful people on their patron saint day, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that he was deeply pleased to see the Serbian people bearing witness to their faith through the construction of new churches and the restoration of old ones, but above all through the gathering of the Saint Sava–inspired people within them.
“Let us be better to one another, for only then will we be a source of pride to our father and teacher, Saint Sava,” Patriarch Porfirije said, adding:
“May Saint Stephen be a prayerful intercessor for all the faithful of Republika Srpska who celebrate his name and regard him as their protector. May Saint Stephen be an example worthy of imitation, for the saints are the living Gospel of Christ, whose Nativity we celebrate in these days. By celebrating the Nativity of Christ, we celebrate the truth that God is with us, and if He is with us, no one can be against us,” the Patriarch said.
“The Lord, through His Nativity, confirms that He is on our side. Each person knows their own soul and life in their heart. We need only to ask for God’s help, for in doing so we express our awareness that we need the Lord, and this is an expression of our faith. Saint Stephen identified himself with Christ, and this is a need of every human being from the earliest days. Let us pray for everyone, even for those who are against us. Let us extend our hands to one another and show that we are one people, one faith, and one Church,” Patriarch Porfirije concluded.
Hierarchs and clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church concelebrated at the Divine Liturgy, attended by a large congregation of faithful.
Among those present were state and political officials from Republika Srpska in Bosnia and from Serbia, as well as the former Governor of Illinois and close associate of the President of the United States, Rod Blagojevich.
Source: spc.rs
