On 17 March 2022 His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije received Mr. Karl Nehammer, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade.
In a friendly and cordial conversation, His Holiness the Patriarch spoke with pleasure about very good conditions in which the Serbian Orthodox Church functions in Austria and expressed gratitude to Chancellor Nehammer for that. Through the fact that hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Serbs live and work in Austria, the Patriarch emphasized the importance of preserving and improving the good relations between the Serbian and Austrian people, which will be given an important impetus by the meetings of Mr. Nehammer with the Serbian officials.
The interlocutors exchanged opinions on the crisis on the European continent, and great concern over the war in Ukraine was especially expressed. It was unanimously uttered that it is necessary to end the conflict as soon as possible, and the first Hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church advocated for maintaining a permanent dialogue as the best way to resolve all conflicts and misunderstandings. Chancellor Nehammer emphasized the importance of the role of religious leaders in overcoming conflicts.
The reception was attended by the Vicar Bishops Jerotej of Toplica, Justin of Hvosno and Sava of Marča, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria in Belgrade Mr. Nikolaus Lutterotti and associates of Chancellor Nehammer.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
