PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE ARRIVES TO WARM WELCOME IN MELBOURNE

BELGRADE, OCTOBER 7 /SRNA/ - His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije has arrived in Australia, where he was given a ceremonial welcome at Melbourne airport by Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand, clergy, members of the Serbian community and folklore ensembles.

Metropolitan Siluan had called on the faithful of the Metropolitanate to come and welcome Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, the Serbian Orthodox Church /SOC/ said on its website.

He described the Serbian Patriarch's visit as a historic moment for this part of the Serbian Church's missionary territory, which, despite its great geographical distance from Serbia, remains steadfast in preserving its faith and traditions.

Serbian Ambassador to Australia Rade Stefanović said the visit was an exceptionally important moment for the Serbian community and Serbian people in Australia, as well as for the state of Serbia.

"This visit should strengthen us all, reinforce us spiritually and enable us to show our pride and strength as a Serbian community here, while at the same time giving us fresh energy to move forward," Stefanović said.

The Serbian patriarch will stay in Melbourne until Saturday, October 10, and will consecrate the Church of the Holy Archdeacon Stephen in Keysborough.

His Holiness will visit Canberra on October 14 and will then stay in Sydney until October 18, where he will consecrate the Church of the Nativity of Christ at St Sava College in Varroville and bless the foundation stone at the college.

Patriarch Porfirije is the third head of the Serbian Orthodox Church to visit the faithful in Australia.

The late Patriarch Pavle made such a visit in 2004, followed by the late Patriarch Irinej in 2016.