PATRIARCH PORFIRIJE TRAVELS TO AUSTRALIA

BELGRADE, OCTOBER 6 /SRNA/ - His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije departed today on a canonical visit to the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.

He is accompanied by Metropolitan Ilarion of Timok and Metropolitan Arsenije of Niš, as well as Bishop Sergije of Bihać-Petrovac and Bishop Isihije of Valjevo.

At Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church /SOC/ and his delegation were seen off by Metropolitan Lukijan of Buda and Serbian Ambassador to Hungary Aleksandra Đurović, the SOC said.

The Serbian Patriarch will stay in Melbourne from October 8 to 10, where he will consecrate the Church of St. Archdeacon Stephen in Keysborough.

He will visit Canberra from October 14 and then Sydney from October 14 to 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.