His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Today, on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - Cross Day, September 27, 2024, the summer of the Lord, Porfirje began a three-day canonical visit to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, during which he will visit Bijela - Herceg Novi and Kotor.

Patriarch Porfirije arrived in the afternoon in Bijelo, where he was met by His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joanikije with His Eminence the Bishop of Dioklia, Mr. Paisius, numerous clergy, monks and faithful people.

After the ceremonial welcome, Serbian Patriarch Mr. Porphyrius performed the act of consecration of the cross on the foundations of the future Cathedral, in the prayerful presence of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Ioanniki, the Reverend Bishops: Methodius of Budimljana-Nikšići, Hilarion of Novi Brda and Paisius of Dioclia.

The Patriarch was welcomed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joanikije, who highlighted the joy of the faithful people on the occasion of the arrival of the Serbian Patriarch, and on the occasion of the celebration of the jubilee of ten centuries of the altar and two centuries since the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bijela:

"Your Holiness, you come to us on Cross Day and your service is in the sign of the Lord's Cross." Your ministry is a ministry of reconciliation, your ministry is an apostolic ministry, your ministry is a Christian ministry. And so God arranged for you to come to us on this jubilee, to solemnly celebrate it, but also, Your Holiness, to lay a new beginning, to consecrate this baptismal sign around which, God willing and with your blessing, we will raise a new Cathedral of Bijela, dedicated to the Meeting of the Lord. We are convinced, Your Holiness, that Your blessing will come true very soon, because You give us strength. You unite us, inspire and strengthen us with your holy service and your apostolic word and blessings, which you bring us. Welcome to us and we ask you to bless this people who will build, God willing, this new and magnificent Cathedral in unity and unity. God will provide!"

His Holiness Patriarch Porphyria addressed the audience and expressed his joy at being in Bijela, and consecrating the cross for the construction of a new temple dedicated to the Meeting of the Lord.

"Is there a more beautiful holiday, a more beautiful event for which a temple can be built and consecrated? Is there a greater need for our people and our believers than the need to meet and meet, not pass by, not distance ourselves from each other, and God forbid opposing each other. The Church of the Meeting of the Lord is being built, when the Most Holy Mother of God brought her Son, Her and our God, to the temple for 40 days. Elder Simeon received the child and said: Now you are dismissing your servant, Lord. So in this temple, which, God willing, I'm sure will be built quickly and be beautiful, will be the place where we will meet God first, because if we don't meet Him, all our meetings will be meaningless and empty. What's more, it will often be impossible for us to meet, because the meeting is not only to see each other from the outside, but to embrace each other from the inside with heart and love, just like today. and the archbishops of Pec, Karlovac and Belgrade, as I, I am sure you feel and believe, embraced you", said Patriarch Porfirije and added:

"So, here in the temple of the Meeting of the Lord, we will come to embrace the Lord because we are already embraced by Him, but we will come to say amen to His embrace and that He enables us to be able to embrace each other from His embrace." Orthodox Serbs have always been a people of hugs, because they belong to Christ. They never excluded anyone and there is no such minority where the Orthodox Serbs are the majority, that does not have and does not enjoy the same rights as the majority, it has always been that way."

Finally, His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Porphyry said that by embracing the Lord, we will also embrace each other:

"We Orthodox Serbs, enabled by God's grace to receive God's embrace, will give it to each other, so that we would be able to give it to everyone, regardless of who is who, what nation they belong to, and what religion they belong to." That's why this place should be a meeting place and a place to embrace us with all people, because if we want peace, joy, harmony among ourselves, how can we be peaceful if the one who is next to us does not have peace, whatever he calls himself and whatever prayed to God.

May the Lord grant that here and in this place, with the blessing of your Metropolitan, you come, receive the embrace of God. Embrace him, embrace each other too, always having room in your heart to receive everyone, so that your heart is a space where there is only an entrance and no exit. That whoever came to it, finds his home, his habitat, warmth, caressing, to stay there. Because it will be an indicator and proof that the meeting with God is a meeting and embrace in which you, that is, all of us, remain forever.

And we also sanctified this cross as the beginning of the construction of the temple, rejoicing, I must also say, the fact that you decorated this beautiful area, where the sea and the stone meet, with a magnificent cross, so that it would be a sign and a sign and a reminder that this is the spiritual land of Saint Sava, Saint Simeon the Myrrh-bearing, that this is the land of love, breadth, joy and beauty. Therefore, may the Lord grant that we meet as soon as possible at the consecration of the temple, that hugging each other, singing the Triholy song to the One in Trinity God, carrying our cross, the cross and the resurrection, we always glorify Him, our Victor and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ with His Father and by the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever, amen. Cheers, may the Lord bless you all!"

After the ceremonial welcome and the consecration of the cross on the site of the future Cathedral, the assembly continued in the House of Culture in Bijela, where, on the occasion of the celebration of the great jubilee, ten centuries of altars and two centuries since the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bijela, a festive academy was held.

Tomorrow, on Saturday, September 28, starting at 9:00 a.m., in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bijela, the Holy Bishop's Liturgy will be served by His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Porfirije, with the concurrence of His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje and the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Ioanniki and several archbishops of our local Church, clergy and clergy.

Vesna Devic