On September 8, 2024, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Divine Liturgy and the solemn ordination of the elected and appointed high-ranking Archimandrite Tikhon as Bishop of Moravia, Vicar of the Serbian Patriarch, at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
The service was conducted by a distinguished group of metropolitans, including: Justin of Žica, Ignatius of Braničevo, Nicanor of Banat, Pachomije of Vranje, Jovan of Šumadija, Athanasius of Mileševo, Grigorije of Germany, Teodosije of Raška-Prizren, Hilarion of Timočka, and Arsenije of Niš. The ceremony was also attended by reverend bishops: Jovan of Pakrac and Slavonia, Kirilo of Buenos Aires and South-Central America, Cherubim of Osijek-Polje and Baranja, Hesyhije of Valjevo, Justin of Western Europe, Nektarije of Jegar and the elected Bishop of the British-Irish Diocese, Sava of Marcha, Aleksej of Hvostan, Hilarion of Novi Brda, Dositej of Lipjan, Nikon of Jenopolje, and retired Canadian Bishop Georgije.
The ordination ceremony was graced by the presence of several dignitaries, including Nikola Selaković, Minister of Culture; General Milan Mojsilović, Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces; and Dr. Vladimir Roganović, Director of the Administration for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities. Additionally, representatives from the capital’s cultural, political, and public spheres attended the event.
In his address to the newly ordained bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije offered a fatherly lesson, emphasizing the responsibilities and spiritual duties of his new role.
In his address, the Patriarch emphasized that Archimandrite Tikhon, chosen as Bishop of Moravia, should embody the service and mind of Christ, as outlined by Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer. The bishop is to align his service with the teachings of Christ, avoiding individualism and focusing solely on the Gospel’s guidance.
In response, Bishop Tikhon acknowledged his extensive experience in monastic life, expressed humility about his new role, and committed to serving with dedication, despite any personal challenges.
After the conclusion of the Holy Liturgy and the ordination of Tikhon as Bishop of Moravia, the Patriarch delivered an additional sermon in which he emphasized the following:
“Every day, when we recite the Our Father prayer, we say, ‘Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.’ Therefore, let us not only remember these words but let them truly guide our lives. We should forgive everyone for everything, regardless of whether others have forgiven us. The prayer asks, ‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ Thus, the Lord will inquire whether we have forgiven the debts of others—what we have done for our neighbors—not what they have done to us.”
Source: spc.sr
