Serbian Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia presided over the Divine Liturgy on May 6, 2026, the feast of Saint George, at the Church of St. George in the Belgrade municipality of Čukarica.
The solemn celebration gathered a large number of faithful who filled both the church and its courtyard on the feast day known in Serbia as Đurđevdan. The impressive church, built between 1928 and 1932 through the generosity of Belgrade merchant Mitar Jovanović and designed by Russian architect Vasilij Androsov, became the center of prayer and reflection for the occasion.
In his homily, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that Christians celebrate Saint George not as a figure of the past, but as one who is alive in the joy and communion of Christ.
“We celebrate Saint George, who lives in the joy of the Lord and in communion with Christ. He is our measure and standard,” the Patriarch said, noting that although the saint appeared to be a “temporary loser” in the eyes of the world, it is not Emperor Diocletian or those like him who should serve as examples for humanity.
The Serbian Patriarch stressed that the law of Christ surpasses every earthly law and that Christ’s commandments often come into direct conflict with worldly systems established by human interests and ambitions.
“The law of Christ, the Cross, and faith are an obstacle to those who establish the laws of this world, because such laws are often created to fulfill personal or group interests,” Patriarch Porfirije said. He added that these worldly aims frequently undermine humanity’s true purpose — salvation, which he described as communion with God and unity among people within the Church.
Concelebrating with the Patriarch were several clergy members, including Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Časlav Marinković, Protopresbyters Goran Mišanović, Vitomir Kostić, and Dragan Vidović, along with Protodeacon Dragan Radić and Deacons Vasilije Perić and Savo Topalović.
The parish feast day also served as an opportunity for the Serbian Orthodox Church to express gratitude to several benefactors for their support of the Church and particularly for their contributions to the Church of St. George in Čukarica. Among those honored were Vladan Janković, owner of the company Gigatron, as well as Aleksandar Škundrić, Nenad Šakić, and Dušan Đorđević of Belgrade.
The celebration concluded in a spirit of festal joy and prayer, honoring the enduring witness of Saint George and reaffirming the central place of faith and spiritual unity in the life of the Church.
