At the end of the funeral service of the head of the Representative Office of the Serbian Church in Moscow, Bishop Anthony of Moravica, which was performed at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on March 16, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia, a memorial meal was held, which was attended by the Primates and hierarchs of the two Churches, clergy, representatives of the state authorities of Serbia, relatives and the relatives of the deceased.
During the meal, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed his joy at having the opportunity for personal communication with the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who heads "the Church closest to us in culture, spirit, and history, the Church of the pious Serbian people," although the reason for this was sad.
"But for us Christians, death is not associated with a complete loss of connection with the one who died. On earth, we maintain this connection through prayer, and then, having passed away and having come to the world in which the deceased are already located, we hope that we will have communication there, because in the Kingdom of God there can be no restrictions that would cause sorrow to a person, there can be neither sorrow nor suffering. And the lack of communication with loved ones, with loved ones, is always a sorrow. Undoubtedly, in the Kingdom of Heaven, if we are worthy of seeing the glory of God, the communion that we lose here through the physical death of a person will be restored," His Holiness said.
His Holiness stressed that he and many bishops and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church had very kind, fraternal, friendly relations with the deceased: "He was one of his own among his own — there was no mediastinum, no feeling that he was still a foreigner and a representative of another Church. He was a dear, close person to us. That's why we perceive his death as the death of a loved one."
"But in people's lives, sorrows and joys are intertwined. And today's commemoration and participation in the burial of our dear brother is accompanied by the joy of communion with His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia, with his venerable retinue, our brothers," the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church continued. — Every time we meet, we realize our closeness — spiritual, historical, cultural, as well as closeness in our views on what is happening in the world, including in inter-Orthodox relations. For this, I sincerely thank both the Primate and the entire episcopate of the Serbian Church. And the whole Serbian people."
During the collapse of many human and interstate ties, in an era of very dangerous tension between the countries, the relations of the faithful of the Moscow and Serbian Patriarchates, belonging to the One Church, complemented by cultural, linguistic and other communities, create a unique image of interaction between the sister Churches belonging to the family of Orthodox Churches, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is convinced.
"God grant that no external circumstances overshadow our relationship. God grant that we work together for the unity of Holy Orthodoxy. And for this, we need to show an example of unity ourselves. And our two Churches give such an example," His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stated. He stressed that, while maintaining unity of mind, the Russian and Serbian Churches can "make a common contribution to the healing of those ailments that, unfortunately, exist today in the Orthodox family."
For his part, His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia, expressing solidarity with the words of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill about the late Bishop Anthony, said: "His personality is a testament to the unity of our two Churches, because he was our brother, but he was also your brother. For him, there was no boundary between the two Local Churches, and in his personality, his ministry, it was best seen that we really are One Catholic and Apostolic Church. With his faith, with his life, Bishop Anthony of Moravica calls us to pray for him, calls us to continue working on the path he was on — the path of unity of the Church, in this case, the unity of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches."
At the same time, as Patriarch Porfiry noted, Bishop Anthony is no exception among the Serbian episcopate, "he is a representative of what the Cathedral of our Holy Serbian Orthodox Church is in everything, especially in how we perceive the Russian Orthodox Church."
Russian Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people have done and are doing for the Serbian Church and the people of Serbia, especially noting the situation of Kosovo and Metohija. "I say, 'Saints of Kosovo and Metohija,' because without them it is not only impossible to imagine the Serbian people, but also the prospects of our Orthodox Church and its future are under threat," His Holiness stressed. — Therefore, we really need your prayers both for us and for our Kosovo and Metohija. And prayers also have as their continuation the specific actions of both your Church and your state. We are well aware that the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, although it is tragic for us now, is not what we would like, without Russia, without the Russian Church it would be even worse."
Russian Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "Thank you again, Your Holiness, for everything, may God give unity, harmony and strength to the Russian people, so that at this very difficult historical moment for them, the Russian people will do everything that depends on them. So that by God's grace, affairs and circumstances develop in such a way that Orthodoxy and the Holy Church prevail. So that Holy Russia wins," His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry said.
Recalling the difficult times of the aggression of the NATO countries, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill mentioned how at the time when the bombing of Belgrade was taking place, he was in the Serbian capital, communicating with the hierarchs of the Serbian Church, as well as with the leadership of that country. At the same time, His Holiness stressed: "Our Churches have spiritual potential, which, when realized, is able to help politicians make the right decisions, given the very special relations between the Russian and Serbian Churches, taking into account our common spiritual destiny and our common history. Russian Russian Churches should especially work to educate our peoples, strengthening them in their love for each other — the Serbs for the Russians, the Russians for the Serbs. The special relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Church cannot but influence the interaction between Russia and Serbia: their relations cannot but be friendly."
"Serbs and Russians are two Orthodox peoples of God. There are other Orthodox fraternal peoples, but what especially distinguishes us is the level of mutual understanding that exists between our Churches, peoples and states. I will express this in one short sentence: what you are going through now and what is happening to you, we have gone through all this before, it happened to us," said Nikola Selakovic, Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia, in turn, mentioning the currently most difficult the foreign policy circumstances that the peoples of Serbia and Russia have to face.
At the end of the meal, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia once again stressed the importance of the spiritual unity of the two peoples, the Russian and Serbian Churches, expressing confidence that today "no external force is capable of destroying this unity." His Holiness noted that the two Churches together can not only do a lot "for our peoples, but also influence the spiritual atmosphere in the pan-Orthodox environment."
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On the evening of March 16, at Sheremetyevo Airport, His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia was escorted by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman of the DECR, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Head of the DECR Protocol Service, Hegumen Feofan (Lukyanov), as well as Momchilo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Serbia to the Russian Federation Babich.
Bishop Irinej of Baca and Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic left together with the Patriarch of Serbia.
Based on the materials of the website of the Russian Orthodox Church
Photo - Oleg Varov