Head of Serbian Church visits Croatia

Serbian Patriarch Irinej and members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) will pay a visit to Zagreb from June 7-9. They will confer with Archbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Josip Bozanic, Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic. Head of Serbian Church visits Croatia The patriarch was welcomed by about hundred believers in the Church of Holy Transfiguration in Zagreb on Thursday. Irinej called on the Orthodox believers to preserve their faith, stressing that “it should be confirmed not only with mind and words but also with life”. Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana and all Italy Jovan expressed belief that “the visit is not only historically important but also a visit of peace and love”. The SPS patriarch pointed out strong spiritual ties with Zagreb. Serb National Council in Croatia President Milorad Pupovac and Serbian Embassy in Zagreb staff, led by Serbian Ambassador Stanimir Vukicevic, welcomed Irinej together with the believers. “We welcomed him in times which are much better than they used to be years ago but also in times when we all need support for everything we expect and when we need messages that will bring Catholic and Orthodox believers closer together and that will show that the churches respect each other,” Pupovac stressed. According to him, the messages “should show that the believers should respect each other and they should live in tolerance and mutual respect, just like they lived for centuries before a decision to create separate states and before evils they did to each other, often in the name of their religion”. Pupovac noted that Irinej’s visit was an “important sign that should show that we are all obligated to mutual respect, tolerance and wellbeing”. The Serbian patriarch will consecrate the Church of St. Sava, which is a part of the newly-built Serbian Orthodox Secondary School Kantakuzina Katarina Brankovic, and a spiritual center on the Holy Spirit hill in western Zagreb. This is the first official visit of Patriarch Irinej to Croatia, as last year he paid an unofficial visit to Zagreb. Previously, Patriarch Pavle paid a few visits to Croatia, including the installation of Bishop of Slavonia Sava in Daruvar, central Croatia, in 2000, and the ordination of Bishop of Gornji Karlovac Gerasim in 2004. The patriarch is scheduled to meet with Archbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Josip Bozanic and members of the Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishops' Conference on Friday morning and he will later have meetings with Josipovic and Milanovic. Patriarch Irinej (Tanjug) B92 Beta Tanjug

Head of Serbian Church visits Croatia

The patriarch was welcomed by about hundred believers in the Church of Holy Transfiguration in Zagreb on Thursday.

Irinej called on the Orthodox believers to preserve their faith, stressing that “it should be confirmed not only with mind and words but also with life”.

Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana and all Italy Jovan expressed belief that “the visit is not only historically important but also a visit of peace and love”.

The SPS patriarch pointed out strong spiritual ties with Zagreb.

Serb National Council in Croatia President Milorad Pupovac and Serbian Embassy in Zagreb staff, led by Serbian Ambassador Stanimir Vukićević, welcomed Irinej together with the believers.

“We welcomed him in times which are much better than they used to be years ago but also in times when we all need support for everything we expect and when we need messages that will bring Catholic and Orthodox believers closer together and that will show that the churches respect each other,” Pupovac stressed.

According to him, the messages “should show that the believers should respect each other and they should live in tolerance and mutual respect, just like they lived for centuries before a decision to create separate states and before evils they did to each other, often in the name of their religion”.

Pupovac noted that Irinej’s visit was an “important sign that should show that we are all obligated to mutual respect, tolerance and wellbeing”.

The Serbian patriarch will consecrate the Church of St. Sava, which is a part of the newly-built Serbian Orthodox Secondary School Kantakuzina Katarina Branković, and a spiritual center on the Holy Spirit hill in western Zagreb.

This is the first official visit of Patriarch Irinej to Croatia, as last year he paid an unofficial visit to Zagreb.

Previously, Patriarch Pavle paid a few visits to Croatia, including the installation of Bishop of Slavonia Sava in Daruvar, central Croatia, in 2000, and the ordination of Bishop of Gornji Karlovac Gerasim in 2004.

The patriarch is scheduled to meet with Archbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Josip Božanić and members of the Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishops' Conference on Friday morning and he will later have meetings with Josipović and Milanović.