The President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr Aleksandar Vucic, sent a congratulatory letter to the newly-elected Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Patriarch of Serbia, Porfirije.
In his congratulatory letter he said the following:
“Your Holiness, I was glad to receive the news of your election as heir to the Holy Throne of Pec – the throne of our father Saint Sava of Serbia. On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, of all of our citizens of the Orthodox faith, I wish you a long and fruitful ministry in the Vineyard of the Lord for Christ’s sake, as well as for the honour of the Serbian people and the entire Orthodox family. Great and famous Serbian archbishops and patriarchs, who knew how to preserve faith, honour and image of our people in difficult times and how to respond to the temptations that were facing them, were going along that road while leading our people.
And now, a difficult but honourable responsibility was entrusted to you – to preserve the unity of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the faith among the people of Saint Sava. I assure you that in the times ahead, our Serbia together with you will do its best for the honour and benefit of all the people of goodwill and true faith, and of all Serbs wherever they might live, trying to survive and stay firm on the path that was taken by Saint Sava, Arsenije, Maksim, Georgije Brankovic, Varnava, German, Pavle and Irinej. For many years, Your Holiness!”
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
