The recently elected Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfiry, on the official website of the Serbian Patriarchate, expressed gratitude to everyone who sent their congratulations on his election, except for the head of the OCU Epiphanius Dumenko, according to Orthodoxtimes.com.

The message mentions Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, as well as the names of almost all of the Primates who congratulated Patriarch Porfiry.

In addition to the primates, gratitude is expressed to several metropolitans who sent their wishes to the new Patriarch, such as Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and Archbishop Sotirios of Canada (Athanassoulas), as well as other metropolitans of various churches, representatives of other faiths, politicians and diplomats.

The name of “Metropolitan” Epiphanius, who was one of the first to congratulate the new Patriarch of Serbia, is not mentioned in the gratitude document, but the name of the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Onuphry is included.

“Perhaps it is still early, but this step clearly indicates the intentions of the new head of the Serbian Church,” the site said.