Serbian Patriarch Porfirije celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Kovilj Monastery near Novi Sad on the Feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel, calling on Orthodox Christians to embrace obedience to God, humility, and unity within the Church.

Following the service, the Patriarch delivered a sermon emphasizing that faithfulness to the Church is inseparable from faithfulness to Christ.

"Whoever listens to the word of the Church listens to the Lord Himself. And when a person places his own will above the will of Christ, he sets himself against Christ," Patriarch Porfirije said.

According to tradition, Kovilj Monastery was founded by **St. Sava of Serbia** and has become one of the Serbian Orthodox Church's leading spiritual centers. In addition to its monastic life, the monastery is widely known for its missionary outreach and social ministry, including programs that help people struggling with addiction.

The monastery, dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, celebrates its patronal feast on the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel. The Divine Liturgy was concelebrated by Metropolitan Irinej of Bačka, several bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Antiochian Patriarchate, clergy, and numerous pilgrims.

In his homily, Patriarch Porfirije reflected on the role of the Archangel Gabriel in Scripture, describing him as a messenger who proclaims not his own will but the will of God. He said this principle also defines the life of the Church, where Christians are called to seek God's will rather than their own.

The Patriarch added that the words of the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done," are not merely a petition but a call to live in obedience to God, following the example of the apostles and the angels.

After the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije congratulated the brotherhood of Kovilj Monastery and the assembled pilgrims on the monastery's patronal feast.

Metropolitan Irinej of Bačka also addressed the faithful, stressing that in the Orthodox Church the ultimate criterion of truth is not the authority of any individual but the Church itself as the Body of Christ.