Serbian Patriarch Porfirije Leads Celebrations Marking 90th Anniversary of Ljubljana Church

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Serbian Patriarch Porfirije presided over a festive Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Ljubljana on September 13, marking the 90th anniversary of the completion of the church's construction. More than 1,000 worshippers attended the celebrations, according to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Four bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church concelebrated the Sunday liturgy with Patriarch Porfirije. Representatives of other religious communities, the diplomatic corps, and Slovenia's political and cultural circles also attended the ceremony.

Addressing the congregation, Patriarch Porfirije highlighted the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the 9th-century Slavic missionaries and educators to whom the church is dedicated. He noted that the brothers crossed linguistic and cultural boundaries in bringing the Christian faith to Slavic peoples.

In his homily, the patriarch spoke about Christian love and reconciliation, stressing that the pursuit of peace in society should begin with peace among family members and those closest to one another. He described the church as a central place of love and peace and concluded by blessing the construction of new Orthodox churches in Slovenia.

The Orthodox community in Ljubljana began holding regular services in 1919. Initially, worship took place in private homes and later in a chapel at a military barracks. In 1929, the Ljubljana authorities allocated land for the construction of an Orthodox church.

The Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius was designed by architect Momir Korunović in the Serbian-Byzantine style. Construction began in 1932 after the foundation was consecrated by Patriarch Varnava and was completed in the autumn of 1936. The first service was held on December 2 of that year.

The church's iconostasis was donated by Queen Maria, while its icons were painted by Slovenian artist Mirko Šubic. In 2010, the church was designated a local cultural monument of Ljubljana.

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