Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia awarded the annual scholarships to final-year students of the Schools of Medicine, Electrical Engineering, Law, Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering, and Theology, on 27 November 2025, during the customary ceremony held in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade.
Continuing the tradition of Serbian hierarchs and patriarchs who personally supported the education of young people and founded schools, universities, endowments, funds and institutions, Patriarch Porfirije last December, for the fourth time, gave his blessing for the Archdiocese of Belgrade–Karlovci to announce a competition for the granting of scholarships to final-year students of the schools that were founding members of the University of Belgrade.
The decision regarding this year’s scholarship recipients, made by the special committee appointed by Patriarch Porfirije, was read by Dr. Sandra Dabić, Secretary of the Archdiocesan Committee for Religious Education and a member of the said committee, whose president is Bishop Ilarion of Novo Brdo, with Archimandrite Danilo, Director of the Patriarchal Administrative Office, as its second member.
Presenting the committee’s work and method of evaluation, Dr. Dabić emphasized: “The work of the committee was by no means easy, since this year as well applications were submitted by students with exceptionally high grade averages, many of whom presented transcripts consisting entirely of top marks.
Taking into account the academic performance and financial circumstances of the candidates, the committee selected the following students as scholarship recipients:
Andrija Jakovljević and Nevena Tanasić, students of the Faculty of Law;
Igor Nenadović, student of the School of Electrical Engineering;
David Atlagić and Veselin Vračar, students of the Faculty of Philosophy;
Uroš Vučković and Mihailo Kovačević, students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering;
Ana Vilimonović and Stefan Janković, students of the Faculty of Medicine;
as well as Aleksandar Mitić and Milan Milojević, students of the Faculty of Theology.”
Following the formal presentation of the scholarships, Patriarch Porfirije addressed the students with paternal words:
“I am glad that we have gathered here for such a beautiful reason. We have already heard a few words that describe this initiative of ours. We, as the Church, inspired above all by our faith in Christ and His call to love Him, our Lord, with our whole being, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, and at the same time moved by the concern of Saint Sava, the first Archbishop of the Serbs, for his people in all aspects of their lives—guided by the principles that flow from the work of Saint Sava, among which is the care for the education and upbringing of our people—have understood that, as far as possible and in every way, we must stand beside education and learning: beside our schools, primary and secondary, as well as our universities. Naturally, in addition to other activities and the direct contact we have with those who attend all these levels of education, we felt the need to support also in this way—namely, through the granting of scholarships—the final-year students of the faculties that founded the University.”
“Of course, we have other initiatives in the same field, different kinds of funds, such as the Fund for Scholarships for Children from Large Families, as well as others that support pupils and students. Today, we rejoice that we are able to award the annual scholarship to the final-year students of the founding faculties of the University. We pray to God that you grow in every kind of knowledge, first in that essential and fundamental knowledge for every human being, which is spiritual knowledge. This knowledge encompasses the principles of honesty, goodness, and virtue, and only then the external forms of knowledge. For external knowledge, no matter how powerful or significant it may be for an individual or for a community, if it is not united with spiritual knowledge—if external values are not connected with inner values—it can often become contradictory to its own purpose. Such knowledge and values may even become counterproductive,” the Patriarch stressed, and concluded:
“May God grant that you grow in every kind of knowledge, in every virtue and in every value, so that the gifts you possess—as gifts from God—may be used for your own good and for the benefit of the entire community, in every place and for every person with whom you will come into contact and communion. Congratulations, and may the Lord bless you all.”
