A solemn spiritual gathering dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian, revered in the Orthodox tradition as the patron saints of doctors and healthcare workers, was held on Thursday in the crypt of the Church of Saint Sava, Serbia’s largest Orthodox church.

According to the Serbian Orthodox Church, the event brought together physicians, medical staff, students of medical faculties, clergy, and numerous parishioners for an evening of prayer, reflection, and discussion on the calling of the medical profession.

Patriarch Porfirije addressed attendees with an archpastoral message, emphasizing that genuine medical service is impossible without selflessness, compassion, and sincere care for others. He noted that faith and humanity remain essential moral supports for every medical worker, especially during difficult and emotionally taxing moments of caring for patients.

The Patriarch reminded the audience that, in Christian tradition, Christ is called the “Healer of soul and body.” He encouraged healthcare workers to preserve hope and mercy even in the most challenging circumstances.

As part of the program, Professor Radisav Šćepanović delivered a lecture on the historical relationship between the Church and medicine. He explained that within Orthodox tradition, a physician is not only a trained specialist but also someone who participates in a broader “work of healing,” understood as both physical treatment and spiritual support.

Saints Cosmas and Damian, Christian martyrs of the 3rd century, were brothers and physicians known for treating the sick without payment. Their veneration is widespread throughout the Orthodox world. According to tradition, the brothers healed through prayer and compassion, drawing many people to the Christian faith. Though they survived persecution and several attempts at execution, they were eventually killed by their own mentor, who, as the story goes, envied their popularity and healing gifts.

Today, churches dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian can be found around the globe, and believers continue to pray before their relics for health and recovery. A portion of their relics is kept in Moscow, in the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Starye Panekh.