His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije led the consecration of a newly built Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Slovenian city of Maribor. The solemn rite was followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, according to the official website of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Addressing the faithful gathered for the occasion, Patriarch Porfirije described the newly consecrated church as "a house of prayer and a place of encounter with God and one another." He emphasized that the commandments of Christ should be the foundation of life, with love as its ultimate purpose.

"Love, to which we are all called, has no enemies," the Patriarch said in his homily. "Even if someone opposes us, we love them, because they too are called to salvation in Christ."

Reflecting on the Gospel passage of the Canaanite woman, the Patriarch highlighted her unwavering faith and trust in God as a model for all Christians. "Faith expressed through prayer and tears of repentance always leads to a miracle," he noted.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of medals and honorary diplomas to individuals who contributed significantly to the church’s construction and the Orthodox community in Maribor. Bishop Kirilo of Buenos Aires and South-Central America, who also oversees the Zagreb-Ljubljana Diocese, thanked the Patriarch and described the day as a historic milestone for the city and its residents.

The Orthodox presence in Maribor dates back nearly a century. Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Orthodox Christians — primarily military personnel — began settling in the city. The first Orthodox chapel was established in 1921 at the King Alexander I barracks in the Melje district.

As early as that year, the community petitioned local authorities for land to build a permanent church. Although the request was only granted in the 1930s, the cornerstone of the original church, intended to be built in the Serbian-Byzantine style and dedicated to Saint Prince Lazar, was laid on August 12, 1934, by Metropolitan Dositej of Zagreb and Ljubljana, who was later canonized as a hieromartyr.

Tragically, the church was destroyed during World War II, and the land was nationalized. For decades after the war, the Orthodox faithful held services in temporary locations, including a Protestant church and a museum chapel.

The renewal of parish life began in 2005 with the appointment of a permanent priest, Fr. Sava Kosojević. The following year, the community acquired a former waterworks building on Tržaška Street to serve as a worship space. In 2009, a 2,500-square-meter plot of land was purchased for the construction of the new church, now officially dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius — the apostles to the Slavs.