His Holiness Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia commented for the first time on the situation with the enthronement of the head of the Montenegrin-Primorsky Metropolitanate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Ioannikiy, which is planned for the Cetinje Monastery. On August 29, 2021, in a sermon during a service at the Church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-streaming Church in New Belgrade, the Primate noted the existence of a modern mechanism for substituting theses, writes Pravlife.

“So far I have not said a word about what is happening in Montenegro. We are really very sad, and we recognize the modern mechanism of substitution of theses, when someone is denigrated in advance, declared a provocateur, the creator of all possible problems, and then create for themselves the legal right to keep him so that he cannot be guided by freedom, which is love” – said Patriarch Porfiry.

In this case, the Primate continued, in relation to such a “normal and natural thing with which the Church functions” as the enthronement of Metropolitan Ioannikiy (since Orthodox metropolitans have sat on the throne in Cetinje for centuries), it is stated that “it should not be so.” And although the Church realizes what is natural and normal, and there is no other solution for her today, she is defined “as someone who imposes something by force, does not understand the situation, and provokes.”

“It’s as if someone told you:“ You cannot breathe air, because this air does not belong to you! ” And you cannot live without breathing, because this is a natural and normal phenomenon. Entronization and everything that the Church does always happens according to the word of Christ, in the spirit of what is based on faith and prayer, in the spirit of humility and in the spirit of love. The Church always acts and acts exclusively according to the Gospel. In essence, she is not here to resolve any political misunderstandings, she is not even to influence them, let alone resolve state issues,” explained Patriarch Porfiry.

“The Church is the body of Christ, which means that it is a community of all who were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The body of Christ, in which, according to the apostle Paul, “there is neither Greek nor Jew.” Let everyone be who he wants in accordance with his conscience, let him belong to which nation he wants and arrange his life in the best possible way, but if he is with Christ and listens to the word of Christ, he will always testify of peace,” the Patriarch emphasized Porphyry.

As a reminder, on September 5, 2021, the solemn elevation of Metropolitan Ioanniky to the throne of the head of the Montenegrin-Primorsky Metropolis is planned in the Montenegrin Cetin Monastery. Opponents of the SOC’s activities in the country are planning to hold a protest action near the monastery.