Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Divine Liturgy and the consecration of the restored Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Pakrac, the cathedral of the Diocese of Slavonia. The nearly 280-year-old church had been almost completely destroyed during the war from 1991 to 1995. Its restoration and consecration bring profound joy and support to the Serbian community in Slavonia, who, despite wars and great suffering, have remained on their land under the care of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In his homily after the reading of the Holy Gospel, the Patriarch offered prayerful wishes that the faithful would always gather in love, mutual understanding, and a willingness to listen to one another. He called upon the people to continue coming to Pakrac with prayer to glorify the One God in Trinity, to whom the cathedral is dedicated. Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that the church in Pakrac testifies both to crucifixion and to resurrection. Although gravely wounded, the church stands as a witness that God is the Lord of history and that God is love.
On the occasion of the restoration and consecration, Bishop Jovan of Slavonia presented medals and certificates of the Diocese to distinguished individuals and institutions who contributed to the revival of the holy site. Among those honored were Patriarch Porfirije, the late Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Đorđe Teodorović.
Following the consecration, the library of the Diocese of Slavonia was solemnly reopened in the Bishop’s Palace. Known as the Episcopal Library of Pakrac, the collection was named by the renowned Bishop Nikanor Grujić. In addition to manuscripts, it houses the second-largest collection of early Serbian printed books in the world, a large collection of Serbian books from the 18th century, and works of European thought up to the present day.
The library was confiscated and looted during the period of the Independent State of Croatia, further alienated under communist authorities, and only partially returned to the Diocese in the mid-1980s. It survived the most recent war largely thanks to the prudence of Croatian officer Ivan Hitij, who was later decorated by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church for his efforts.
Source: Patriarchate of Serbia
