Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia arrived on the evening of July 5, 2026, at the Patriarchate of Peć, the historic stavropegial monastery and spiritual center of the Serbian Orthodox Church, accompanied by Pastor Dr. Mark Burns, spiritual adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.
At the courtyard of the ancient monastery, the delegation was welcomed by Mother Haritina and the sisterhood of the Patriarchate of Peć, the centuries-old seat of the Serbian Patriarchs.
Following the official reception, Patriarch Porfirije and Pastor Burns venerated the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of Peć and the holy relics of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs preserved within the monastery. The Patriarchate of Peć, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Serbian-Byzantine architecture and one of the most significant spiritual landmarks of the Serbian people.
On the occasion, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized the spiritual importance of the visit.
“By the love of God, we have arrived in Kosovo and Metohija, at our stavropegial monastery, the Patriarchate of Peć,” he said. “With us is Pastor Mark Burns, spiritual adviser to the President of the United States, Donald Trump. From the ancient seat of the Serbian Patriarchs, we invoke God’s blessing upon all people of good will, praying that the Lord grant peace, understanding, and brotherly love to all.”
For more than eight centuries, the Patriarchate of Peć has safeguarded the sacred throne upon which the successors of Saint Sava are enthroned and from which Serbian archbishops and patriarchs have guided the Church within its canonical jurisdiction.
Following the restoration of unity within the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1920, the tradition of enthronement at the Patriarchal Throne of Peć was renewed, serving as a visible expression of continuity with the Church’s God-bearing archbishops and patriarchs from the granting of autocephaly in 1219 to the present day.
The visit highlights the enduring significance of the Patriarchate of Peć as the spiritual heart of the Serbian Orthodox Church and a symbol of its historical and ecclesiastical continuity.
