Porfirije Perić
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Porfirije ( sr-Cyrl, Порфирије, ; born Prvoslav Perić; born 22 July 1961) is the current and 46th
patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and ...
of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
. He was the Metropolitan Bishop of Zagreb and Ljubljana from 2014 to 2021 and Titular Bishop of Jegra between 1999 and 2014. He is also a university professor and author of theological works.


Early life and education

Porfirije (Porphyry) was born as Prvoslav Perić ( sr-Cyrl, Првослав Перић) on 22 July 1961, in the town of
Bečej Bečej (, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 19,492, while the municipality has 30,681 inhabitants. History Bečej was mentioned f ...
,
PR Serbia The Socialist Republic of Serbia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Социјалистичка Република Србија, Socijalistička Republika Srbija), previously known as the People's Republic of Serbia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / " ...
,
FPR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
(now in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
), to Radojka and Radivoje Perić. His family has roots in
Derventa Derventa ( sr-cyrl, Дервента) is a city in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Posavina region, northwest of the city of Doboj. As of 2013, the town has a total of 11,631 inhabitants, while the municipality has ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. He finished primary school in
Čurug Čurug (; ) is a village located in the municipality of Žabalj, Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 8,166 inhabitants (as of 2011 census). It is the ...
, and the Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Gymnasium in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
. He was
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
a
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
at
Visoki Dečani The Visoki Dečani Monastery is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of the 14th century by Stefan Dečanski, List of Serbian monarchs, King of Serbia. Dečani is by far t ...
monastery on 21 April 1985, receiving the
monastic name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should not be "foreign to ...
of Porfirije after Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia. In 1986, Porfirije earned his bachelor's degree in
Eastern Orthodox theology Eastern Orthodox theology is the theology particular to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is characterized by monotheistic Trinitarianism, belief in the Incarnation of the divine Logos or only-begotten Son of God, cataphatic theology with apoph ...
from the
University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...
, when Bishop
Pavle Pavle (Macedonian language, Macedonian and sr-Cyrl, Павле; ka, პავლე) is a Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian and Georgian male given name corresponding to the English Paul (given name), Paul; the name is of biblical origin, coming from ...
of Raška and Prizren (future
Serbian Patriarch This is a list of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an Autocephaly, autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Se ...
) ordained him a
hierodeacon A hierodeacon (Greek: Ἱεροδιάκονος, ''Ierodiákonos''; Slavonic: ''Ierodiakón''), sometimes translated "deacon-monk", in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and all other Churches that follow Byzantine Rite is a monk who has been ordained a ...
at the Holy Trinity Monastery in
Mušutište Mushtisht or Mušutište ( sr-Cyrl, Мушутиште) is a village in the Suhareka municipality in Kosovo. It is located to the west of the Nerodimka mountain. It has 10 medieval Serbian Orthodox churches, including the notable Church of Virgin ...
,
SAP Kosovo The Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo, Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово, separator=" / "; ; . Also abbreviated as SAP Kosovo. referre ...
. He attended
postgraduate studies Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...
at the
University of Athens The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; , ''Ethnikó kai Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the University of Athens (UoA), is a public university in Athens, Greece, with various campuses alo ...
from 1986 until 1990. He earned a
doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
in Athens in 2004, with the
thesis A thesis (: theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: D ...
''Possibility of knowability of
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
in St. Paul's understanding according to the interpretation of
Saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (; ; – 14 September 407) was an important Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and p ...
''. Porfirije speaks
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
,
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
,
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
and
Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...
.


Hegumen of Kovilj and Bishop of Jegra (1990–2014)

On 6 October 1990, upon the blessing of Bishop
Irinej Bulović Irinej Bulović (born Mirko Bulović; 11 February 1947) is a Serbian Orthodox cleric who was elected Bishop of Bačka in 1990. He serves as а professor of the New Testament exegesis and Greek language on the Faculty of Theology of the Universi ...
of Bačka, Porfirije joined the
Kovilj Monastery The Kovilj Monastery ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Манастир Ковиљ, Manastir Kovilj) is a 13th-century Serb Orthodox monastery in the Bačka region, in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. According to the legend, the monastery was founded ...
in
Kovilj Kovilj () is a suburban settlement of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Name The Serbian name of the village derived from Serbian word "kovilj", which is a name for one sort of flower grass. Geography The village is divided into Gornji Kovilj (Upp ...
, near Novi Sad. On 21 November 1990, he was ordained as
hieromonk A hieromonk,; Church Slavonic, Slavonic: ''Иеромонахъ''; ; ; ; ; Albanian language, Albanian: ''Hieromurg'' also called a priestmonk, is a person who is both monk and Priest#Roman Catholic and Orthodox, priest in the Eastern Christianity ...
and became
hegumen Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen (, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, or an archpriest in the Coptic Orthodox Church, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of ...
of the Kovilj Monastery. Many young monks and
novice A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience. Religion Buddhism ...
s came to the Kovilj Monastery following him. These were the times when the monastery had become a spiritual center for many young people:
intellectual An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and Human self-reflection, reflection about the nature of reality, especially the nature of society and proposed solutions for its normative problems. Coming from the wor ...
s, artists,
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
s and
rock musician Rock is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. It has its ...
s, especially from Novi Sad and
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. Since then Porfirije has particularly dealt with patients with
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
s. On 14 May 1999, the
Bishops' Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, also known in English as the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Church constitution as the supreme body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is the supreme ...
elected Porfirije as the
titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of Jegra, and appointed
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
to the Eparchy of Bačka. In 2005, Porfirije formed a
therapeutic community Therapeutic community is a participative, group-based approach to long-term mental illness, personality disorders and drug addiction. The approach was usually residential, with the clients and therapists living together, but increasingly resident ...
called ''Zemlja živih'' (), which is recognized as a successful project for
drug rehabilitation Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. The general int ...
. Under the leadership of Porfirije, it has more than a hundred residents in camps throughout Serbia at the time being. In 2010, the Bishops' Council entrusted Porfirije to establish
military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases, they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term ''cha ...
cy in the
Serbian Armed Forces The Serbian Armed Forces () is the military of Serbia. The President of the Republic acts as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, while administration and defence policy is carried out by the Government through the Ministry of Defence. The h ...
. He was the military chaplain until 2011, whereupon he was a coordinator for cooperation between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Army.


Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana (2014–2023)


Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana (2014–2021)

In May 2014, Porfirije was elected
metropolitan bishop In Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), is held by the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a Metropolis (reli ...
of Zagreb and Ljubljana, succeeding
Jovan Pavlović Jovan Pavlović ( sr-Cyrl, Јован Павловић; 22 October 1936 – 3 April 2014) was a Serbian Orthodox prelate who was the metropolitan bishop of Zagreb and Ljubljana of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1982 until his death in 2014. H ...
, and enthroned by Patriarch Irinej on 13 July in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord in
Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...
,
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. The Sankt Ignatios College and Sankt Ignatios Foundation awarded him with the Order of Sankt Ignatios on 16 February 2016 in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Sweden. He was awarded "for his contribution to the reconciliation of the people in the
Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
and his dedicated work on promoting unity among Christians". In June 2016, Porfirije released his new book titled ''Zagreb i ja se volimo javno'' () in Zagreb. This book contains selected interviews from July 2014 to February 2016 which he gave as the metropolitan for ''
Politika ( sr-Cyrl, Политика, lit=Politics) is a Serbian daily newspaper, published in Belgrade. Founded in 1904 by Vladislav F. Ribnikar, it is the oldest daily newspaper still in circulation in the Balkans. Publishing and ownership is publ ...
'',
RTS RTS may refer to: Medicine * Rape trauma syndrome, the psychological trauma experienced by a rape victim * Revised Trauma Score, a system to evaluate injuries secondary to violent trauma * Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome, a condition characterized by ...
, ''
Jutarnji list () is a Croatian daily newspaper based in Zagreb. It was published on 6 April 1998 by EPH (Europapress holding, owned by Ninoslav Pavić), which eventually changed its name in Hanza Media after being bought by Marijan Hanžeković. The newspap ...
'', ''
Večernji list (also known as '; ) is a Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian daily newspaper published in Zagreb and Mostar. History and profile was started in Zagreb in 1959. Its predecessor ' ('Evening Courier') appeared for the first time on 3 June 1957 in ...
'', HRT,
RTV Slovenija Radiotelevizija Slovenija () – usually abbreviated to RTV Slovenija, RTV SLO (or simply RTV within Slovenia) – is Slovenia's national public broadcasting organization. Based in Ljubljana, it has regional broadcasting centres in Koper and Ma ...
, and
RTRS Radio Television of Republika Srpska (Serbian language, Serbian: ''Радио Телевизија Републике Српске'' / Radio Televizija Republike Srpske or RTRS) is the entity-level Public broadcasting, public broadcaster which o ...
. In 2016, Porfirije attended a gathering of Serbian priests in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, where along with other priests, he was filmed singing a song dedicated to the
Chetnik The Chetniks,, ; formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland; and informally colloquially the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationalist m ...
commander
Momčilo Đujić Momčilo Đujić ( sh-Cyrl, Момчилo Ђујић, ; 27 February 1907 – 11 September 1999) was a Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox priest and Chetnik . He led a significant proportion of the Chetniks within the northern Dalm ...
. This drew criticism from the Croatian public and Porfirije later apologized for this act with an explanation that he did not have "influence to all circumstances," and that "certain media manipulated this event." Also, he stated "that someone these days contributing with outpouring intolerance towards the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
, as well as to the deepening of the divide between
Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
and Serbs." Between 2017 and 2020, Porfirije hosted meetings of Zagreb-based intellectuals who discussed social, ethical, and political topics. Held in the Serbian Orthodox Gymnasium in Zagreb, those meetings were colloquially known as ''Porfirijevi kružoci'' (). Some of attendees were
Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović (; born 28 August 1957) is a Croatia, Croatian Academic staff, academic, jurist, composer, and politician who served as the president of Croatia from 2010 to 2015. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communist ...
,
Rada Borić Rada Borić (born 1951) is a Croatian politician, scholar, feminist, and women's rights activist. She is serving as a member of Croatian Parliament for the green-left We Can! party. She is one of the founders and the current vice-president of th ...
,
Vili Matula Vilim "Vili" Matula (born 5 March 1962) is a Croatian actor, director, activist, and politician. He serves as a representative in the Croatian Parliament for green left coalition We Can!. Matula's acting roles include '' S.P.U.K.'', ''Infecti ...
,
Tvrtko Jakovina Tvrtko Jakovina (born 2 March 1972) is a Croatian historian. Jakovina is a full time professor at the Department of History at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the U ...
,
Dejan Jović Dejan Jović (; born 12 April 1968) is a political scientist from Croatia. He is a List of academic ranks, full-time professor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb. Fr ...
,
Dražen Lalić Dražen Lalić (born 15 June 1960, Makarska) is a Croatian educator and academic at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb and one of the better known sociologists in the country. Lalić graduated from the Faculty of Polit ...
,
Milorad Pupovac Milorad Pupovac (; born 5 November 1955) is a Croatian politician and linguist. He is a member of the Sabor, the former president of the Serb National Council, and the president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party. He was also an Member of ...
, and others. Porfirije was a member of the
Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Church constitution as the executive body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod consists of five members: four bishops and the List ...
between 2017 and 2019. In January 2019, the Association for Religious Freedom in Croatia () on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its founding awarded Porfirije with a recognition for his peaceful contribution to the promotion of the culture of dialogue and religious freedoms. When Patriarch Irinej fell ill in 2019, Porfirije was seen as one of the main candidates for the position of the next Serbian Patriarch. During his post as Metropolitan, he tried to "build bridges" between
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
and
Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
. He was a visiting professor at Roman Catholic faculties and established good relations with high-ranking members of the Catholic clergy.


Administrator of the Metropolitanate (2021–2023)

Following his inauguration as the new
Serbian Patriarch This is a list of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an Autocephaly, autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Se ...
in February 2021, Porfirije became an administrator of the Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana until the election of new metropolitan bishop. In May 2021, at the General Bishops' Council meeting the new metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana was not elected, although the new metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, and the new bishop of Valjevo were elected. In May 2023, Bishop Kirilo of Buenos Aires and South America was named as new Administrator of the Metropolitanate.


Serbian Patriarch (2021–present)


Election and inauguration

Porfirije was elected
Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church This is a list of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Serbian Orthod ...
on 18 February 2021 at the Bishops' Council's convocation in the
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
, three months after the death of previous patriarch Irinej, becoming the 46th Serbian
Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and ...
. With 31 out of 39 votes, he was the first of three leading candidates with the most votes from the 30 bishops eligible in the Serbian Orthodox Church, along with Bishop Irinej of Bačka who won 30 votes and Bishop Jefrem of
Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...
who won 24 votes. In the final phase, the envelope with his name was pulled between three of them from the
Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
by Archimandrite Matej of Sisojevac Monastery. In this way, the Serbian Orthodox Church believes the patriarch is elected by
divine Divinity (from Latin ) refers to the quality, presence, or nature of that which is divine—a term that, before the rise of monotheism, evoked a broad and dynamic field of sacred power. In the ancient world, divinity was not limited to a singl ...
intervention, sidelining human interests. As one of the youngest Serbian Orthodox bishops at the time of election, Porfirije is the youngest Serbian Patriarch elected since 1937. Congratulatory letters on the occasion of the election of the new Serbian Patriarch were sent by
Ecumenical Patriarch The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox Church. The ecumenical patriarch is regarded as ...
Bartholomew I of Constantinople Bartholomew (born Dimitrios Archontonis, 29 February 1940) is the current Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople since 1991. In accordance with his title, he is regarded as the ''primus inter pares'' (first among equals) in the Eastern Orthodox ...
,
Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria Theodore (Theodoros) II (; born ''Nikolaos Khoreftakis'' (), November 25, 1954) is the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa. He was previously a monk in the Agarathos Holy Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Ear ...
,
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow Kirill or Cyril (, , secular name Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev, ; born 20 November 1946) is a Russian Orthodox bishop. He became Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' and Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church on 1 February 2009. Prior to beco ...
, Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria, Patriarch John X of Antioch,
Patriarch Daniel of Romania Daniel (; born Dan Ilie Ciobotea on 22 July 1951) is the Patriarch of All Romania, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The elections took place on 12 September 2007. Daniel won with a majority of 95 votes out of 161 against Bartolomeu A ...
, and Archbishop
Anastasios of Albania Archbishop Anastasios, ( Secular name: Anastasios Yannoulatos; ; ; 4 November 1929 – 25 January 2025), was the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania and as such the primate and Head of the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox C ...
. Also, the Montenegrin President
Milo Đukanović Milo Đukanović (, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the President of Montenegro from 2018 to 2023, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2002. He also served as the Prime Minister of Montenegro (1991–19 ...
, who stated in the February 2020 interview for AFP that
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
needs to have its own Orthodox Church in order to strengthen its national identity and oppose interference from Serbia, sent his congratulations upon election. Porfirije was enthroned on 19 February 2021 in St. Michael's Cathedral in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. Patriarchal
insignia An insignia () is a sign or mark distinguishing a group, grade, rank, or function. It can be a symbol of personal power or that of an official group or governing body. An insignia, which is typically made of metal or fabric, is a standalone sy ...
s were handed over to him by Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia and Bishop Lukijan of Buda. In his introductory speech Porfirije focused on unity and peace building. He stated that Kosovo and Metohija is in his prayers, and the Serbs in the affected Kosovo and Metohija will be in his first place. Also, he stated that Croatia has become his second homeland, and the people he met there will remain a role model for him in the years to come. The inauguration was attended by numerous
government ministers A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ' prime minister', ' p ...
of Serbia, representatives of churches and religious communities in Serbia, and various politicians including Serbian President
Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić, (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, Deputy Prim ...
. The ceremony was also attended by
Milorad Dodik Milorad Dodik ( sr-Cyrl, Милорад Додик, ; born 12 March 1959) is a Bosnian Serb politician currently serving as the 8th president of Republika Srpska since 2022, a position he previously held from 2010 to 2018. He also served as ...
, the chairman and the presiding Serb member of the
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina The presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Predsjedništvo Bosne i Hercegovine, separator=" / ", Предсједништво Босне и Херцеговине) is a three-member body which collectively serves as head of state of ...
;
Željka Cvijanović Željka Cvijanović (; sr-cyr, Жељка Цвијановић, ; born 4 March 1967) is a Bosnian Serb politician serving as the 8th and current Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2022. She has also been serving as i ...
, the
President of Republika Srpska The president of Republika Srpska (, ; ) is the highest executive authority in Republika Srpska, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the executive authorities, along with the Government of Republika Srpska. The president of Repu ...
(Serb-majority entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina);
Apostolic Nuncio An apostolic nuncio (; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is ...
Luciano Suriani Luciano Suriani (born 11 January 1957) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Bulgaria from 2022. Biography Suriani was born in 1957 in Atessa, Chieti. He was ordained a priest on 5 August 1981. He wa ...
; Archbishop
Stanislav Hočevar Stanislav Hočevar ( sr-cyr, Станислав Хочевар; born 12 November 1945) is a Slovenian Roman Catholic prelate. He was the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Belgrade in Serbia between 2001 and 2022. He was also the president of the ...
, the Catholic archbishop of Belgrade,
Effendi Effendi or effendy ( ; ; originally from ) is a title of nobility meaning '' sir'', ''lord'' or '' master'', especially in the Ottoman Empire and the Caucasus''.'' The title itself and its other forms are originally derived from Medieval Gree ...
Mustafa Jusufspahić, the
Mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
of Serbia; and many other dignitaries such as Prince Filip Karađorđević, a member of the
House of Karađorđević The House of Karađorđević or Karađorđević dynasty ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Династија Карађорђевић, Dinastija Karađorđević, ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Карађорђевићи, Karađorđevići, label=none) was the former ruling Kin ...
. On 20 February, a day following the inauguration, a Holy Synod member and one of the three prime candidates for the new Patriarch election Bishop Irinej of Bačka tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. Porfirije held his formal enthronement to the ancient throne of the Serbian patriarch in the
Patriarchal Monastery of Peć Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
on 14 October 2022, five months after the enthronement was postponed due to epidemiological measures in force in Kosovo and Metohija. As Serbian Patriarch, Porfirije became the head of the Bishops' Council and the
Holy Synod In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod. For instance, the Holy Synod is a ruling body of the Georgian Orthodox ...
of the Serbian Orthodox Church.


Activities

On 25 February, Porfirije met with Serbian President Vučić. After the meeting he stated that he is not a politician because he thinks that the Serbian Orthodox Church is "a conciliator organism which has the goal to collect, build bridges, dull blades and overcome polarization". On 27 February, Porfirije visited
Majske Poljane Majske Poljane is a village in central Croatia, in the municipality/town of Glina, Sisak-Moslavina County. The village's geographic coordinates are , the altitude is 162 meters above sea level. The village was severely affected by the 2020 Petri ...
and Glina, areas affected by the
2020 Petrinja earthquake At 12:19 PM Central European Time, CET (11:19 UTC) on 29 December 2020, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 (6.2 ) hit central Croatia, with an epicenter located roughly west-southwest of Petrinja. The maximum felt intensity was estimated at VIII ( ...
, and met with the Serb community there. It was his first pastoral visit. On 3 March, Porfirije ended in a
self-isolation In health care facilities, isolation represents one of several measures that can be taken to implement in infection control: the prevention of communicable diseases from being transmitted from a patient to other patients, health care workers ...
after being in contact with a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
-positive person. In March and April alone, Porfirije met with numerous foreign diplomats in Belgrade, such as ambassadors to Serbia of Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as British Ambassador Sian MacLeod, U.S. Ambassador
Anthony Godfrey Anthony Francis Godfrey is an American career diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Serbia from 2019 until 2022. Education Godfrey earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Davis. Career At the time of hi ...
, and Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister
Nikos Christodoulides Nikos Christodoulides (; born 6 December 1973) is a Cypriot politician, diplomat, and academic who has served as the 8th President of Cyprus since 2023. He previously served as Government Spokesman from 2014 to 2018 and List of Ministers of Fore ...
, and he went on to meet dozens of other dignitaries by the end of the year. In November 2021, Porfirije called for
religious education In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion (although in the United Kingdom the term ''religious instruction'' would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with ''religious education'' referring to t ...
to receive the status of a compulsory elective subject. Porfirije tested positive for the COVID-19 on 11 January 2022. On 16 May 2022, the Holy Synod of Serbian Orthodox Church released a statement that the situation of the
Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid (MOC-AO; ), or simply the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) or the Archdiocese of Ohrid (AO), is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North Macedonia. The Macedonian Orthodox Church ...
was resolved, ending a schism that started in 1967. The Holy Synod stated that full ecclesiastical autonomy was restored to the Archbishopric under the Patriarchate of Serbia, bringing the MOC-OA fully into communion with the wider Eastern Orthodox world. On 24 May 2022, during a liturgy between hierarchs of the MOC-OA (including its primate) and the Serbian Orthodox Church in Skopje, Porfirije announced to the faithful that "the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has unanimously met the pleas of the Macedonian Orthodox Church and has accepted and recognized its autocephaly." On 26 December, Porfirije was denied entry at the Merdare administrative crossing after he attempted to visit the
Patriarchate of Peć Patriarchate of Peć may refer to: * Patriarchate of Peć (monastery), Eastern Orthodox Patriarchal Monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church, near the city of Peć * Serbian Patriarchate of Peć, medieval Serbian Patriarchate, with seat in Patriarc ...
. The Serbian Armed Forces placed armored vehicles and artillery at Jarinje crossing. Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs, Bratislav Gašić announced that in accordance to orders given by president Aleksandar Vučić, he had ordered full combat readiness of
police forces The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...
, the
Gendarmery A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to "men-at-arms" (). In France and som ...
, and the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit.


Ecumenism and interfaith dialogue

On the occasion of the Islamic holiday
Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main Islamic holidays, festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide becaus ...
in May 2021, Porfirije expressed his aspiration to participate in building relations between Orthodox Christians and
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
.


Positions on morality and politics


Domestic relations

In March 2021, Porfirije stated that the disputed territory of Kosovo was and remains part of
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
and that "the referendum about it took place in 1389", referring to the medieval
Battle of Kosovo The Battle of Kosovo took place on 15 June 1389 between an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad I. It was one of the largest battles of the Late Middl ...
, as well as Serb cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo. In May 2021, he met with Serbian Minister of Justice Maja Popović to improve cooperation with the
Ministry of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
in order to protect the heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, as well as a social and material position of
monasticism Monasticism (; ), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Chr ...
.


International relations

In his first interview for the
Croatian Radiotelevision ''Hrvatska radiotelevizija'' ( HRT), or Croatian Radiotelevision, is a Croatian public broadcasting company. It operates several radio and television channels, over a domestic transmitter network as well as satellite. HRT is divided into three ...
as the Serbian patriarch, Porfirije stated that he experienced the departure from Croatia with a certain sadness and, commenting his administration of the Metropolitanate of Zagreb-Ljubljana, he added that he has a joke saying that he is the patriarch of Belgrade, Zagreb and Ljubljana – Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In February 2022 Porfirije announced that the Serbian Orthodox Church would be sending help to Orthodox Christians in Ukraine. All donations collected would be sent to the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), commonly referred to by the exonym Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), is an Eastern Orthodox church in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church was officially formed in 1990 in pla ...
and its Metropolitan Onufriy, who would help deliver them where needed; it was noted that he excluded the
Orthodox Church of Ukraine The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (; OCU), also called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It was granted autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople on . Some of the Eastern Orthodox Churche ...
and its Metropolitan Epifanij, and avoided mentioning the Russian invasion.


Civic service


Privrednik Foundation (2002–present)

Porfirije has been the president of the Privrednik Foundation () in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
,
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
,
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
.


Regulatory Authority of Electronic Media (2005–2014)

In 2005, the
National Assembly of Serbia The National Assembly ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Народна скупштина, Narodna skupština, ), fully the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (), is the unicameral legislature of Serbia. The assembly is composed of 250 deputies who are ...
elected Porfirije, who was the bishop of Jegra at the time, as a member of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (), later renamed to the Regulatory Authority of Electronic Media (). At the council, he was a representative of all churches and religious communities in Serbia. On 29 July 2008, Porfirije was elected as the new council chairman of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), succeeding Nenad Cekić. In 2010, RRA demanded from
TV Pink Pink is a privately owned, national brand of radio stations and TV channels in Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem ...
that
profanity Profanity, also known as swearing, cursing, or cussing, is the usage of notionally word taboo, offensive words for a variety of purposes, including to demonstrate disrespect or negativity, to relieve pain, to express a strong emotion (such a ...
on the reality show ''
Farma Farma may refer to: * ''Farma'' (franchise), the name of a number of reality TV shows originating with ''The Farm'' in Sweden ** ''Farma'' (Croatian TV series) ** ''Farma'' (Czech TV series) ** ''Farma'' (Polish TV series) ** ''Farma'' (Serbia ...
'' be bleeped. On that issue, Porfirije stated that the profanity escalated so much that the RRA Council was resolved to unconditionally and immediately stop it, without waiting for the end of the procedure. In 2011, he criticized reality television and advocated a ban of
live broadcasting A live broadcasting, also called a live transmission, generally refers to various types of media that are broadcasting without a significant delay. The most common seen media example of the live transmission is a news program or a news broadcasting ...
of
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
. Later, there was similar issue with another TV Pink-produced reality show ''Dvor'' (). In May 2014, Porfirije resigned as the council chairman of the Regulatory Authority of Electronic Media following his election to the Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana. Goran Karadžić, who was the Porfirije's deputy, succeeded him as the council chairman.


Academic career

After he earned doctorate from the
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; , ''Ethnikó kai Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the University of Athens (UoA), is a public university in Athens, Greece, with various campuses alo ...
in 2004, Porfirije became a
docent The term "docent" is derived from the Latin word , which is the third-person plural present active indicative of ('to teach, to lecture'). Becoming a docent is often referred to as habilitation or doctor of science and is an academic qualifi ...
at the Department of Catechetic and Pastoral Theology of the Eastern Orthodox Theology Faculty of the
University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...
. As a docent, he was re-elected in 2010. In 2015, Porfirije became an
associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...
. At that department, he succeeded
academician An academician is a full member of an artistic, literary, engineering, or scientific academy. In many countries, it is an honorific title used to denote a full member of an academy that has a strong influence on national scientific life. Accor ...
Vladeta Jerotić Vladeta Jerotić ( sr-cyr, Владета Јеротић; 2 August 1924 – 4 September 2018) was a Serbian psychiatrist, psychotherapist, philosopher and writer. Biography Vladeta Jerotić grew up as the only child of an official of the Royal Co ...
, with whom he worked closely in several fields for years. As a
professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...
at the University of Belgrade, Porfirije has been teaching basic studies in Pastoral Theology with Psychology and New Testament Theology, as well as in other subjects at the
postgraduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...
and
doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
programs. He also participated in the initiation and promotion of the Bible Institute at the Eastern Orthodox Theology Faculty.


Distinctions


Titles and styles

His official title in English is ''His Holiness the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije''; his official form of address in English is ''His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch''.


Awards

* Recognition (2019) of the Association for Religious Freedom in Croatia * Order of Sankt Ignatios (2016) by the Sankt Ignatios Foundation * Grand Diploma of Vladimir Matijević (2022) by Srpsko privredno društvo ''Privrednik'' *
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
: Order of the Holy New Martyrs of the Eparchy of Bihać and Petrovac * Order of St. Equal to Apostles Prince Vladimir, Russian Orthodox Church (2025) * Honorary Doctor of Theology, Moscow Theological Academy (2025)


Works

Source:
University of Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology
'
;Books * (2015) ''Licem k Licu: Biblijsko-pastirska promišljanja o Bogu, čoveku i svetu'' () * (2016) ''Zagreb i ja se volimo javno'' () * (2020) ''Premudrost u Tajni sakrivena — Ogledi iz Teologije apostola Pavla'' () ;Selected articles * (2011) ''E ágápe õs sýndesmos ginóskontos kaí ginoskoménoy'' * (2012) ''Kosovo je naš krst'' () * (2015) ''Pastirsko prisustvo crkve u srpskom narodu tokom Prvog svetskog rata'' () * (2019) ''Pavlovo poimanje pravednosti Božje u tumačenju Svetog Jovana Zlatoustog'' () * (2019) ''Misionarski i pastirski rad Svetoga Save'' () * (2020) ''Eshatologija apostola Pavla: poslanice Solunjanima i Korinćanima'' () * (2020) ''Antropologija Svetog Apostola Pavla'' ()


See also

* List of current Christian leaders * List of current popes and patriarchs * List of 21st-century religious leaders


References


External links


Biography of Patriarch Porfirije
at spc.rs
Biography of Metropolitan Porfirije
at mitropolija-zagrebacka.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch 1961 births Living people People from Bečej 21st-century Eastern Orthodox bishops Eastern Orthodox theologians Multilingual writers Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana National and Kapodistrian University of Athens alumni Patriarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church Recipients of the Order of Sankt Ignatios Serbian people of Bosnia and Herzegovina descent Serbian theologians Academic staff of the University of Belgrade University of Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology alumni