Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia attended a solemn academy marking the consecration of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Maribor, held in the grand hall of the “Habakuk” Hotel under Pohorje Mountain.
Addressing the gathering, the Patriarch emphasized the importance of unity and mutual support among all people, noting that the city of Maribor exemplifies this spirit through its openness and respect for all its inhabitants, including the Orthodox faithful.
“Although the former church was destroyed by those who sought to tear down all that is spiritual — indifferent even to the name of faith — the Orthodox faith of our people here not only endured but lived fully,” said Patriarch Porfirije. “We prayed in Evangelical and Catholic churches, and now, by God’s love and providence, and through the support of our Catholic and Evangelical brothers, we have a place of our own — where we will gather, celebrate the Divine Liturgy, and understand that Paradise is not only something that awaits us in the future, but a reality accessible here and now, when we live in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity.”
Following the Second World War and until 1998, the Orthodox residents of Maribor shared the church on Trubar Street 1 with the Evangelical community. Later, through the generosity of the Roman Catholic Church, they were granted the use of a museum chapel in the city center.
In March 2006, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the premises on Tržaška Street 13. Through the vision of the late Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb and Ljubljana and the dedicated support of the Orthodox Church Municipality of Zagreb and the faithful of Maribor, the current church building was purchased, followed three years later by the acquisition of land for the new church.
The consecration of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius now stands as a symbol of faith, resilience, and brotherly love shared among Christian communities in Slovenia.
