Patriarch of Serbia: The Church of Jerusalem is the Mother of all Churches and the Spiritual Homeland of Humanity

On April 2, 2025, a significant service took place at Golgotha in Jerusalem — the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, co-celebrated by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia. The service was attended by hierarchs of the Churches of Jerusalem, Serbia, and Cyprus, monks of the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood, clergy of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, and numerous pilgrims. This was reported by the official website of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

Following the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Theophilos awarded Patriarch Porfirije with a high distinction — the Grand Cross of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. In his address, the Patriarch of Jerusalem said:

«Your pilgrimage has brought great joy to the Holy Sepulchre Brotherhood and to the suffering but faithful flock of our people, who are enduring the trials of war. Your deep Orthodox spirituality and pastoral wisdom bear witness to the fact that you are a worthy and enlightened church leader, filled with the Holy Spirit.»

In response, Patriarch Porfirije expressed his gratitude for the award and emphasized the significance of the Church of Jerusalem for all Christians:

«The Church of Jerusalem is the center, the source, and the spiritual homeland of all Christians and all humanity throughout history, for it is the Mother of all Churches. It was here that the Church was founded, and though it is not of this world, it lives among us through the Divine Eucharist, by which we are united in the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and become brothers in Christ.»

Patriarch Porfirije continued his pilgrimage across the Holy Land, visiting, among other places, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos.

It should be noted that the visit of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, to the Holy Land began on March 31, 2025. On April 1, he was officially welcomed at the Jerusalem Patriarchate by Patriarch Theophilos.