On the fifth Sunday of Great Lent, on the feast day of Saint Irinej, Bishop of Bačka and Confessor of the Faith, April 6, 2025, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral in Novi Sad.
Serving with His Holiness were: Metropolitan Irinej of Bačka, Metropolitan Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla, Metropolitan David of Kruševac, Metropolitan Ilarion of Timok, Metropolitan Arsenije of Niš; Bishops Isihije of Valjevo, Jerotej of Šabac, and Damaskin of Mohač; along with clergy and deacons from the Diocese of Bačka and other dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In his sermon following the Gospel reading, the Patriarch emphasized:
“Today we mark the 70th anniversary of the repose in the Lord of Saint Irinej, Bishop of Bačka, Confessor of the Faith. His entire life was lived in Christ, and Christ’s life was manifested through him.
We know many details from his biography — even though he far surpassed his contemporaries and fellow clergy in theological knowledge and many other areas, his life was not without struggle.
His life was an embodiment of the famous phrase about who is a true Christian and theologian: If you pray truly, you are a true theologian — and you are a true theologian if you pray truly.
In the person of Saint Irinej, we see this dual truth: there is no division between theory and practice — it is one and the same life, expressed in different aspects, but always revealing a Christ-like, God-like person.
What most connected Saint Irinej with Christ was his service in humility. In the difficult times he lived in, he tried to be everything to everyone, enduring humiliation and condemnation in order to serve others.
Many from Bačka, Baranja, and Srem testify that because of his love and sacrifice, their ancestors were saved from the terror of the Hungarian Nazis.
Yet even after WWII, despite all he had done for his people, not only was he scorned, but condemned and rejected by his own.
Confessing Christ and living the Gospel, seeing in Him the Savior of our souls and bodies, Saint Irinej not only walked with Christ, but was united with Him, fulfilling the words of the Apostle Paul: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
After the final prayer, Patriarch Porfirije blessed the festal offerings brought in honor of God and in commemoration of Saint Irinej, Bishop of Bačka and Confessor of the Faith.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, His Holiness addressed the faithful, expressing his wish that God grant everyone strength to carry their cross in difficult times and walk the path of Christ’s victory.
He was followed by Metropolitan Irinej of Bačka, who thanked the Patriarch for presiding over the Liturgy and for bringing blessings from the Holy Land.
The Metropolitan also expressed gratitude to the hierarchs and clergy from other dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church who came to Novi Sad to participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the repose of Saint Irinej.
The choir “St. George” of the Cathedral and the Choir School “St. John of Damascus” of the Novi Sad Church Community chanted during the Divine Liturgy. Among the attendees were Professor Dr. Dragan Stanić, President of Matica Srpska, and many faithful from Novi Sad.
Source: Diocese of Bačka
