Serbian Patriarch reposes in the Lord

(SOC) - The Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch (Gavrilovic) reposed in the Lord in the Military Covid Hospital "Karaburma" in Belgrade, on Friday, November 20, 2020, at 7:07 AM.

All other details regarding the funeral of His Holiness the Patriarch will be announced soon. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven!

On the occasion of the repose of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held a meeting at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade on November 20, 2020 and made some decisions provided by the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in such situations.

A decision was made that the Holy Synod of Bishops should take over the patriarchal responsibilities in accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and that the Holy Synod should be chaired by the Metropolitan of Dabar-Bosnia Hrisostom until the election of a new Serbian Patriarch.

The Holy Synod of Bishops appointed His Grace Jovan, Bishop of Sumadija, as administrator of the vacant Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci,  in accordance with Article 70 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The body of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej of blessed memory will be exhibited in the Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade during the Holy Liturgy on the feast day of the Cathedral, November 21, 2020, and then transferred to the Church of Saint Sava in Vracar district, Belgrade, where the faithful may have opportunity to make a homage to the blessed Patriarch.

The Holy Liturgy will be celebrated on Sunday, November 22, 2020, in the church of Saint Sava in Vracar, starting at 9 am. Immediately after the Holy Liturgy, the Funeral Rite will be served and the body of the Patriarch will be buried in the crypt of the church of Saint Sava.