On Saturday, July 12, 2025, the Feast of the Holy and Glorious Chief Apostles Peter and Paul, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Divine Liturgy at the church dedicated to the Apostles in the Belgrade neighborhood of Kotež, built in 2009 in their honor.
During the service, His Holiness ordained Deacon Nemanja Radovanović to the priesthood. In his homily following the Gospel reading, the Patriarch delivered a powerful message:
“The Apostles Peter and Paul show us what faith truly is. Whoever has real, deep, and genuine faith holds the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. What such a person says will come to be, by God’s gift and power. More importantly, their example is crucial for our daily life. They were so different from each other that they even argued over very serious matters—issues of life and faith. In doing so, they show us that the Church is not a place of dictatorial uniformity, but a community where people think differently.
Yet, because they were people of faith and repentance, they also showed unity of spirit. We, too, can be different—and we are—and no one demands uniformity, especially not in the house of God, in Christ’s Church. But our goal should be unity of spirit. That means we desire to be one, even though we are different in how we think, speak, and act. The way to achieve this is the example set by the two Apostles: through repentance, through forgiving one another, and seeking forgiveness from one another.”
Concelebrating with the Patriarch were: Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Radomir Radovanović, Protopresbyter Vidan Tomanić, Presbyter Aleksandar Lučić, Priests Vladimir and Nemanja Radovanović, and Deacon Vasilije Perić.
Source: spc.sr
