On November 8, 2025, the feast of St. Demetrius the Great Martyr, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Divine Liturgy in the magnificent Church of St. Demetrius in New Belgrade, dedicated to this revered saint.
Addressing the large congregation gathered beneath the church’s grand domes, the Patriarch offered a homily on the Gospel according to St. John, emphasizing that love is not merely a moral ideal but a divine commandment that defines the very essence of Christian life:
“In the language of the New Testament, when it speaks of ‘the world’ or ‘the spirit of this world,’ it most often refers to the fallen world — one that lives according to the law of sin and self-love. Yet the Lord commands us to love one another, not merely as an idea or declaration, but as a law, a rule of life.
The entire law and the prophets depend on this one commandment of love, which has two directions: love for God with all our being, and love for our neighbor — which grows in proportion to our love for God,” said Patriarch Porfirije.
He continued: “We cannot truly love our neighbor unless we love God, unless we identify ourselves with Christ. As St. Paul says: ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.’ Christ is love, and in the measure that He lives within us, love also dwells in us and radiates outward toward others.
Every person is our neighbor — even those who consider us their enemies. The Lord calls us to love them too. This becomes possible when we break the chains of egoism and self-love and recognize in every person the image of God.”
Concelebrating with the Patriarch were Bishop Nikon of Jenopolje, Bishop Petar of Toplica, Archimandrite Danilo, director of the Patriarchal Administrative Office and abbot of the Church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, Hieromonk Gavrilo of Gornjak Monastery, Archpriest Boris Savić, vicar of Zemun–New Belgrade, along with numerous archpriests, priests, deacons, and the choir of St. Demetrius Church.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Bishop Petar, abbot of the church and host of the celebration, welcomed the faithful to a festive meal of love in the recently renovated church courtyard. The celebration continued with a cultural program featuring chanters, a children’s choir, a tamburitza orchestra, and performances by the Talija Cultural Ensemble.
Source: spc.rs
