Serbian Patriarch Porfiry discussed with Apostolic Nuncio the situation in Kosovo and Metohija

Patriarch Porfirios of Serbia held a meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia and the Apostolic Delegate for Kosovo and Metohija. During the talks, His Holiness informed the Vatican representative in detail about the difficult situation in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the many challenges that the Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church face on a daily basis. Special attention was paid to human rights violations, including the denial of the Patriarch’s free movement, and attempts to distort historical and cultural heritage.

According to Orthodoxia News Agency, the meeting was held in Belgrade on Thursday, January 29, 2026, on the occasion of the regular session of the International Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The Apostolic Nuncio expressed his deep gratitude to Patriarch Porfirije for the reception and his time, while emphasizing the importance of dialogue and maintaining diplomatic relations to achieve peace and stability.

The Serbian Patriarch gave the Vatican representative a detailed account of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija. He spoke about the constant pressures exerted on the long-suffering Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Among other things, His Holiness emphasized the tragic fact of the repeated obstacles he faced in his attempts to visit Kosovo and Metohija, where the Patriarchate of Pec Patriarchy, the historical seat of the Serbian patriarchs, is located.

Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that the denial of the right to free movement is a violation of a fundamental human right. This right, being a prerequisite for the realization of all other freedoms, is protected by international legal acts and established standards.

In addition, the Patriarch informed Nuncio Bianco of the alarming attempts to distort historical facts and confiscate Serbian Orthodox spiritual and cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija. These actions pose a serious threat to the preservation of the identity and religious rights of the Serbian population in the region.

The Apostolic Nuncio reaffirmed his commitment to the principles of peace and stability, expressing his conviction that only open dialog and fruitful diplomatic relations can contribute to resolving existing problems and ensuring a better future for all peoples in the region.

Earlier in Belgrade, His Holiness Patriarch Porphyry of Serbia met with a high-ranking delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. The talks touched on key issues of the Orthodox world, including the situation with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the prospects for the development of Russian-Serbian inter-church relations. Patriarch Porfiry also held a telephone conversation with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.