In Serbia, a private company transferred the Vojlovica Monastery to the ownership of the Serbian Orthodox Church

on May 11, 2026, Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) officially transferred the land of the historic Vojlovica Monastery to the Serbian Orthodox Church. According to Orthodox Times, Church representatives characterized the event as «a moment of great historical justice.»

The donation agreement was signed at the Patriarchal Palace in Belgrade by Metropolitan Nicanor of Banat and NIS General Director Kirill Tyurdenev. According to the terms of the document, the Banat diocese receives the ownership of the land and the monastery complex Vojlovica in Pančevo, which has been located inside the territory of the Pančevo Oil Refinery since 1965.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, was also among the honored guests. In his speech, Kirill Tyurdenev emphasized the significance of this step for the company, calling it an act of responsibility and respect for society. He noted that the Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the main guardians of the spiritual identity of the Serbian people.

NIS CEO added that the Vojlovica Monastery, being a precious monument from the Middle Ages, has been a source of spiritual strength for the employees of the plant for decades. «Today we are not only handing over the land and buildings, but we are also striving to support the monastery in its mission to unite the faithful, leaving this heritage for future generations,» concluded Tjurdenev.