Irinej, Serbian Patriarch

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday.

"One of the most important meetings with His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije and Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram profile.

Newspapers that support the Serbian government hailed the Russian invasion of Ukraine on their front pages on Friday, 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his military assault.

Informer and Alo led with front-page headlines claiming that Russia "reached Kyiv in a day", while Objektiv's headline said "Russians overrun Ukraine in a day".

The holiday Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day is being marked for the first time, and on that occasion, numerous manifestations will be held in Belgrade, while the central ceremony on Sava Square, next to the monument to Stefan Nemanja.

He pointed out to the numerous dangers and important meetings regarding Kosovo and Metohija.

The new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church addressed the people gathered.
"I pray to God and I ask all of you to support me so that the great and responsible task that is placed before me, on my weak shoulders, I could present joyfully, as the 46th patriarch, and the 57th leader of our church, I be at least a humble representative," said the new patriarch.

As it was announced from the Serbian Orthodox Church, the liturgy at which the solemn act of enthronement in the holiest throne of His Holiness Porfirije, the Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovac and Patriarch of Serbia, will be performed in the St. Michael's Cathedral, starting at 9 am.

Bishops of Serbia's powerful Orthodox Church on Thursday elected Porfirije Peric as their 46th patriarch.

The new Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovac and Patriarch of Serbia had previously, since 2014, been Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana.

Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana Porfirije has been elected the new patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Who is the new patriarch? Screenshot/ TV B92

The liturgy will be led by Metropolitan Chrysostom of Dabar-Bosnia, accompanied by other bishops, who, as the oldest member of the Synod, also has the title of guardian of the throne until a new head is elected.

"It was always important for the state to have the support of the Serbian Orthodox Church for its policy, whether domestic or international," he said. "The pressure is not bigger now," Aleksic said, but Vucic's constant presence in the media makes his role appear "most important".