Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia met on 26 February 2026 at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade with Mr. Ivan Stoiljković, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.
During the meeting, Mr. Stoiljković, on behalf of the Serbian community in North Macedonia, presented the Patriarch with the “Svetosava Charter,” the highest distinction conferred by that community on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Sava.
“By this act, the Serbs of North Macedonia express their profound respect and deep gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije for all that he does for the benefit of the Serbian Orthodox people, and especially for those living in North Macedonia,” Mr. Stoiljković stated.
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia emphasized that, throughout the centuries, the Serbian Church has constituted the cornerstone of the spiritual, cultural, and national identity of all Serbs.
The interlocutors unanimously concluded that ecclesial unity and conciliarity, as a shared aspiration, are most authentically manifested and confirmed through the mutual love, respect, and fraternal relationship between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archbishopric of Ohrid. They further stressed that the spirit of Saint Sava remains a sure guide and spiritual compass in the face of contemporary challenges.
