The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church condemned the ruling by a Slovenian court regarding Patriarch Porfirije

The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) issued an official statement in which it strongly condemned the ruling of the Ljubljana District Court regarding Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and the local church community. The court’s decision, which included suspended sentences and fines, was described by church leaders as “scandalous” and lacking any legal basis, according to a press release from the SOC.

The legal proceedings, stemming from lawsuits filed by former priest Želko Ljubarda regarding alleged workplace harassment, affected the interests of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church during his tenure as head of the Zagreb-Ljubljana Metropolis. The Synod emphasized that this verdict is an attempt to undermine the dignity and ecclesiastical structure of the entire Serbian Orthodox Church.

Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church drew particular attention to procedural violations: according to them, the Patriarch was not notified of the start of the trial, and the Ljubljana Prosecutor’s Office did not summon him to testify, which is regarded as a gross legal precedent. In light of this, the Holy Synod decided not to file an appeal so as not to recognize the legitimacy of this judicial act, which, in the Church’s view, disregards the episcopate’s canonical rights to internal governance and the transfer of clergy.

Despite the situation that has arisen, the SPC has stated its intention to continue defending its rights and independence exclusively through peaceful legal means, insisting on the need to respect the principles of freedom of religion.

As a reminder, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) had previously officially expressed its support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), pointing to the systematic oppression of believers and clergy by the current authorities in Kyiv. In the Council’s final communiqué, the situation surrounding the UOC was described as a massive injustice requiring the immediate attention of the international community.