Serbian Patriarch Porfirije has urged the Serbian community in Australia to preserve unity, respect one another and avoid conflict, emphasizing the role of the Orthodox Church in helping people maintain a sense of belonging far from their homeland.

He made the remarks during a church service at the Monastery of Saint Sava in Elaine, near Melbourne, according to a report on his visit.

The patriarch said that the Church enables Orthodox Christians to maintain their connection to their homeland, even when they live thousands of kilometers from the places where they were born and raised.

“When you gather in the house of God, you are in your homeland,” Patriarch Porfirije said. He stressed that faith brings people together regardless of geographical distance and urged the faithful to reject hostility and division.

Porfirije also highlighted the importance of mutual respect and forgiveness, including within families. Differences of opinion, he said, should not become a source of conflict. Love for one's neighbor requires a willingness to acknowledge one's own mistakes and help others without expecting anything in return.

“Let us preserve the unity of our Church and our people,” the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church urged.

Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand also spoke during the visit, noting growing interest in Orthodoxy among people who did not inherit the faith from their ancestors.

The Monastery of Saint Sava in Elaine was founded in 1972 and has become one of the principal spiritual centers of the Serbian community in Australia. Located approximately 150 kilometers from Melbourne, the monastery also played an important role in the development of the Serbian Orthodox Church's Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, established in 1973.

During the patriarch's visit, a memorial service was held for the departed in observance of an Orthodox day of remembrance.

The visit also included the presentation of the Order of Saint Despot Stefan Lazarević to Bojan Pajić, who was born in Australia. The award recognized his contributions to preserving Serbian cultural heritage, advancing science and culture, and improving the monastery grounds.