Five years ago today, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, meeting at the Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade, elected Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb–Ljubljana as Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Immediately after the election, a thanksgiving service was celebrated and the traditional acclamation of “Many Years” was offered for the newly elected Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade–Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, Porfirije. The bells of the Saint Sava Cathedral on Vračar rang shortly before 4:00 p.m., announcing the election of the 46th Serbian Patriarch. The solemn enthronement of Patriarch Porfirije began on 19 February 2021 with a conciliar hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade.
Over the past five years, Patriarch Porfirije has shaped a living chapter in the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church—through his election and enthronement, liturgical ministry, canonical visits to dioceses, meetings with leading figures from Serbia and abroad, charitable initiatives, interviews, and pastoral messages to the faithful.
A Brief Biographical Note
Patriarch Porfirije (Perić) was born on 22 July 1961 in Bečej to parents Radivoj and Radojka and was baptized with the name Prvoslav. He completed his primary education in Čurug and graduated from the “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” Gymnasium in Novi Sad in 1980. He was tonsured a monk at the Monastery of Visoki Dečani in 1986 and graduated from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade in 1987. He pursued postgraduate studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (1987–1990) and was ordained to the priesthood in 1990.
As abbot of the Monastery of Kovilj, he led a spiritual and material renewal of the monastic community, which became a spiritual home for many young people. He was deeply involved in pastoral care for those struggling with addictions and in 2005 founded the therapeutic community “Land of the Living,” recognized for its work in rehabilitation.
Elected Bishop of Jegar in 1999, he later earned his doctorate in theology in Athens in 2004 and served as a professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade, succeeding the renowned academic Vladeta Jerotić in the field of pastoral psychology. He played an important role in church media and public broadcasting, the establishment of chaplaincy in the Serbian Armed Forces, and numerous ecclesiastical and academic initiatives. In 2014, he was elected Metropolitan of Zagreb–Ljubljana, where he worked for the spiritual and material renewal of the Metropolis.
His pastoral and peacemaking efforts have been recognized internationally, including awards for promoting reconciliation in the Balkans and fostering Christian unity. He speaks Greek and English and has working knowledge of Russian.
On 18 February 2021, the Holy Assembly of Bishops elected him Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
From his election and enthronement to his pastoral visits, charitable work, encounters with leaders at home and abroad, and his continuous guidance of the faithful, Patriarch Porfirije has, over the past five years, left a distinctive pastoral imprint on the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
