Patriarch Porfirije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, has said that the root of today’s economic, political and social upheavals lies in a deeper spiritual crisis within humanity.

Delivering a sermon at the Church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-streaming on the feast day of Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming, the Patriarch emphasized that no external reform can resolve the world’s problems without inner spiritual renewal.

“There is no crisis other than a spiritual one,” he said. “Where greed, selfishness and self-love prevail, all other distortions inevitably arise — in society, in the economy and in politics.”

Patriarch Porfirije stressed that outward observance of religious practices such as fasting, prayer and charity is not sufficient if a person relies solely on personal strength and ambition. True stability, he noted, becomes possible only when Christ stands at the center of one’s life and human will is aligned with the principles of the Gospel.

He also reminded the faithful that even the most powerful and influential figures eventually pass from history without retaining their authority or glory. “Only what is connected with God and grounded in the Gospel remains,” he said, adding that the meaning of life is determined not by its length or worldly success, but by the purpose for which it is lived.

As an example, the Patriarch pointed to Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming, known in secular life as Stefan Nemanja. A 12th-century ruler, Nemanja founded the medieval Serbian state and established the Nemanjić dynasty. After consolidating Serbian lands and strengthening their political independence, he voluntarily abdicated in favor of his son and embraced monastic life.

Retiring to Mount Athos, he joined his son, the future Saint Sava, in founding the Hilandar Monastery, which became the principal spiritual center of Serbian Orthodoxy.

Following his death in 1199, Simeon was canonized. According to Church tradition, his relics exuded myrrh, giving rise to his epithet “the Myrrh-streaming.” In the Serbian Orthodox Church, he is venerated as a patron saint of the Serbian people and as a model ruler who united state leadership with Christian spiritual devotion.