“We are called to live in humility and repentance, while at the same time to struggle against pride and arrogance within ourselves,” said Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia on February 8, 2026, during the Divine Liturgy over which he presided at the Church of Saint Sava in Vračar.
Interpreting the content, purpose, and message of the moving Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32)—which, as the Patriarch noted, stands among the finest and most beautiful literary works in human literature—the Patriarch emphasized:
“In this Gospel parable we encounter three persons: the father and the two sons. One, the elder son, is someone who remains constantly obedient to his father, lives in accordance with his father’s will, and does all that the father asks of him. We also have the younger son, who rebels against his father, seeks his own way, and desires to begin an independent life far from his father’s home. Of course, both models of life are familiar to us.
Moreover, we often recognize within ourselves, at times, the elder son and, at other times, the younger son. Sometimes we are obedient to our parents; at other times we wish to follow our own path. If we understand this parable in a spiritual sense, we recognize God in the father, and in the two sons we see two different patterns of human behavior: in our relationship with God, at times we resemble the elder son, and at times the younger.”
“No matter how far we may estrange ourselves from God and from our true selves, the fact remains that we are created in the image and likeness of God, and that within us there always remains a longing and a need for fullness. This fullness is found only in God.
Therefore, each of us is called to live in humility and repentance, while also struggling against pride and arrogance within ourselves. Let us be merciful and always ready not only to embrace those who come to meet us and seek our embrace, but also to act like the compassionate father, who went out to meet his runaway son and awaited him with an open soul and an open heart.”
Following the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije visited and blessed representatives of the Red Cross and the Institute for Blood Transfusion, as well as participants in the voluntary blood donation drive held today at the Parish Hall of the Church of Saint Sava in Vračar.
Concelebrating with the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church were: Bishop Nikon of Jenopolje; Archpriests Nenad Jovanović, Dragan Šovljanski, Ivan Štrbački, and Branislav Kličković; Priests Dalibor Stojadinović and Nemanja Kalem; Protodeacons Dragan Radić, Radomir Vrućinić, and Mladen Kovačević; and Deacon Vasilije Perić.
Source: spc.rs
