On the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, July 12, 2026, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, joined in prayer by cadets of the 147th class of the Military Academy and the 12th class of the Military Medical Academy.
In his sermon following the Gospel reading on the healing of the paralytic, the Patriarch stressed that authentic Christian faith is never an individual accomplishment but is rooted in the life of the Church.
“Faith is not a personal achievement of any one of us, nor a guarantee that God will recognize us as His children. It is the faith of the four men, the faith of the Church,” he said, referring to the Gospel account of the paralytic carried by four companions.
“Our faith is salvific and therapeutic because it is the faith of the Church, the faith of the community. No one can say that he is sufficient unto himself. Everyone needs the support of his neighbor,” Patriarch Porfirije added, citing the words of Saint Paul: “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).
The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church emphasized that believers are called to strengthen their prayer and faith even when confronted by hatred, selfishness, and divisions in the world around them.
“The stronger we become in God, the better we become for ourselves, for every person, and for every community,” he noted.
Reflecting on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Patriarch pointed to the striking differences between the two apostles. Peter was a simple fisherman who denied Christ out of fear, while Paul was a learned and zealous defender of the faith who initially lacked discernment and mercy. Yet both were transformed through their encounter with Christ.
“Peter became the unshakable foundation of faith through repentance, while Paul became the Apostle to the Nations, carrying the word of Christ throughout the world,” he said.
Patriarch Porfirije also highlighted that despite their differences and disagreements, the two apostles remained united in Christ.
“The Church is not a community of identical individuals who think in the same way. It is a community of diverse gifts, yet one and unique because it has one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.
Concluding his sermon, the Patriarch prayed that the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul would continue to serve as examples and intercessors for the faithful through their zeal, faith, trust in Christ, and repentance.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije celebrated a thanksgiving service marking the successful completion of studies by the 147th class of the Military Academy and the 12th class of the Military Medical Academy.
Following the service, he participated in a voluntary blood donation campaign organized at the parish hall of the Church of Saint Sava by the Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia in cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
