His Holiness Pope Tawadros II Meets His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Today, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark met with His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at the Patriarchate located in the Church of Saint Sava in the Vračar district of Belgrade.
Pope Tawadros toured the Church of Saint Sava, the third-largest Orthodox church in the world. He listened to an explanation about the history of its construction on the site where the relics of Saint Sava were burned in 1595. The idea to build the church dates back to 1895, and construction officially began on May 10, 1935, but was halted during World War II. Work resumed in the 1980s, with the exterior completed in 2004 and the interior decorations finished in 2020. The church dome reaches 70 meters in height and is covered with golden mosaics — the largest of their kind in the world — spanning 15,000 square meters and composed of over 50 million pieces created by the Russian Academy of Arts over four years, involving 300 artists. The church can accommodate more than 10,000 worshippers.
After the tour, the Pope proceeded to the Serbian Patriarchate, where Patriarch Porfirije hosted a formal welcoming event in the presence of his assistant bishops and the Pope’s accompanying delegation.
In his speech, Patriarch Porfirije said:
“Our hearts rejoice at your presence among us. We feel a deep spiritual connection with Egypt — the land visited by Saint Sava in the 13th century, from which he returned carrying a special love. Your visit today continues this ancient affection. We consider you brothers and friends. The Coptic Church is a living Church, and we are always impressed by your steadfast faith and profound ministry. We wish to learn more about the Coptic Church, especially its spirituality and monasticism. I also admire how Egypt, this unique country, continues to show the world how people can live in love and peace despite their differences.”…
This news was originally published on the Facebook Page of the Coptic Orthodox Church, click here to read more.