Abbot Metodije at the ordination of Archimandrite Petar
On December 18, 2022, Abbot Metodije attended the ordination of the elected and appointed highly worthy Archimandrite Petar (Bogdanović) as Bishop of Toplica, vicar of the Serbian Patriarch.
His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Porfirije presided over the holy bishop’s Liturgy and the solemn act of ordination, in the temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and the Metropolitan of Skopje Mr. Jovan, Most Reverend Archbishop of Michalovo-Košice Mr. Georgije, Most Reverend Metropolitan of Bregalnički Mr. Ilarion and the Reverend Bishops Irinej of Bačka, British-Scandinavian Dositej, Pahomije of Vranje, Jovan of Šumadija, Ignatije of Braničevo, Atanasije of Mileševo, Teodosije of Raška-Prizren, Jovan of Slavonia, Ilarion of Timoč, Arsenije of Niš, Nikodim of Dalmatia, Heruvim of Osečkopolje and Baranja, Isihije of Valjevo, Dimitrije from Zahum-Herzegovina, Jerotej from Šabac, Justin from West Europe, David from Stobija, Stefan from Remezija, Damaskin from Mohač, Sava from Marča, Aleksej from Hvostan, Ilarion from Novobrdo, Nektarije from Jegar, Dositej from Liplje.
The Most Venerable Archimandrite Methodius, the abbot of the Hilandar monastery, also served. Dositej, abbot of Grgeteg monastery; Pavle, abbot of Hopovo monastery; Jevtimije, abbot of Jošanica monastery; Gavrilo, abbot of the Ozren monastery; Kozma, abbot of Bukovo monastery; Dimitrije, abbot of Tumane Monastery; Serafim, abbot of Sukovo monastery; Danilo, director of the Patriarchal Administrative Office; Petar, abbot of Pinosava monastery; Hariton, abbot of the Kovilje monastery; Makarije, abbot of the Savine monastery; proto-saint Angelarije, as well as numerous presbyters and deacons from several dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The ceremony of ordination was attended by many believers, as well as the chief secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops, Archimandrite Nektarije, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, Mr. Miloš Vučević, Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans, and Social Affairs, Mr. Nikola Selaković, Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities Dr. Vladimir Roganović, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces. Archbishop Stanislav Hočevar, Prince Filip, and Princess Danica Karađorđević, representatives of the cultural, political, and public life of the capital.
Addressing a fatherly lesson to the new archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness the Patriarch Mr. Porfirije pointed out:
“Dear Bishop, in the Holy Spirit, the Fathers of our Council also elect you to be elected as a bishop. It is a great joy, joy for the entire Church of Christ, joy for all of us. I will not repeat what we have been repeating from week to week, but I will say one more time what Saint Ignatije the God-Bearer said: The bishop is the image of the Father, because Christ is the image of the Father in the Holy Liturgy, and the bishop is in the place of Christ. Saint Apostle Pavle in the First Epistle to Timotej, addressing his young colleague, companion, and co-worker as a bishop, says: You should be a model for everyone, a model in faith, in order, in life”.
Having received the bishop’s scepter from the hands of the leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Bishop Mr. Petar also said the following in his introductory speech:
“Your Holiness, brother archpriests, venerable fathers, monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters, I have been given a pledge of faith that the archbishop, as the leader of the liturgical assembly, leading the community of the Body of Christ, primarily serves the unity of the Church. As the one through whom the gifts of the Holy Spirit are distributed to the Eucharistic community, it is his to gather, build and preserve the Church”.
Source and photo: spc.rs
