Thousands of people gathered in the eastern Bosnian town of Bratunac on Sunday to commemorate Serb victims from the Middle Podrinje and Birac regions who were killed during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War. The authorities of Republika Srpska marked the occasion with an official Day of Mourning.

The central commemorative events began with a Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, led by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Following the service, several thousand worshippers joined a religious procession to the town cemetery, where a memorial prayer service, known in the Serbian Orthodox tradition as a parastos, was held at the central memorial cross in honor of those who lost their lives during the conflict.

According to the authorities of Republika Srpska, 3,267 Serb civilians and soldiers from the Middle Podrinje and Birac regions were killed during the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Republika Srpska commemorates the victims annually as part of its remembrance of the conflict. The number of victims and the circumstances surrounding some wartime events remain the subject of historical and political disputes among different parties.

The Middle Podrinje region, stretching along the Drina River in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the war between Bosnian Serb forces and Bosniak military formations. The area saw attacks on villages, mass killings of civilians, and other war crimes committed against members of different ethnic communities.

In his homily, Patriarch Porfirije said that the Orthodox faith remains the foundation of the Serbian people's national identity. He stressed that remembering those who died should serve not to foster hatred but to preserve historical truth and promote peace. He also called on Christians to follow "the path of Saint Sava" by remaining faithful to their spiritual traditions and values.

Following the memorial service, wreaths and flowers were laid at the monument. The ceremony was attended by officials from Republika Srpska and Serbia, relatives of the victims, clergy, representatives of civic organizations, and members of the diplomatic corps, including Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Kalabukhov.

Also present was Pastor Mark Burns, whom Serbian media identified as an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on spiritual affairs.

The commemorative events were held under the slogan, "You are not invited to Bratunac—you come to Bratunac," which organizers describe as a symbol of personal remembrance for those who were killed. The program concluded with a memorial ceremony featuring speeches by officials from Republika Srpska and Serbia, as well as relatives of the victims.

Bratunac lies near Srebrenica, the town associated with one of the most devastating atrocities of the Bosnian War. Eastern Bosnia remains one of the country's most sensitive regions, where annual commemorations are held to remember victims from different ethnic communities who died during the conflict.