Dear parishioners,

After the new restrictive measures introduced by the UK government last night, we inform you that nothing has changed in relation to churches and other places of worship, and everything remains the same in the church of St. Sava as we have recently informed you about the Christmas services.

Please note: You must not stay, socialise and talk with other people in the church during and after the Holy Liturgy. 

Church Congregation Council

In connection with the death of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Irenei, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, temporary Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, expressed his condolences to the hierarchs of the Serbian Patriarchate - His Grace Bishop Dositey of Britain and Scandinavia and His Grace Bishop Irenej of Eastern America. 

Your Graces!

It is with sadness and grief that I write to Your Grace to express my deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved father in God, Irinej, Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Patriarch of Serbia.

On behalf of the clergy and laity of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, please accept our sincere and profound condolences to you and all the clergy and people of the Serbian Orthodox Church who are grieving the death of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej.

His Holiness was not only the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, but for 20 years, he was also a spiritual leader and an example for all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Over the many years of his primatial ministry, His Holiness worked diligently for the Glory of God and for the good of the Holy Church, did much to preserve the unity of world Orthodoxy and not only won the love of his flock, but gained deep respect from all who knew him.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is indeed the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), give rest to the soul of His newly-departed servant where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sighing, but life everlasting.

Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven!

With reverential love in the Lord,

MATTHEW

Bishop of Sourozh

Interim Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Canada and Mexico

Today, the priesthood of St. Sava church in London, after the Holy Liturgy, served a commemoration for the newly presented servant of God, Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Protodeacon Djordje Čekerevac, a friend of the late Patriarch since student days in Prizren and Belgrade, served the Holy Liturgy and commemoration alongside other priests. Protodeacon Djordje and Patriarch Irinej exchanged last messages while Patriarch was in the Karaburma hospital in Belgrade. Patriarch Irinej was also a professor in Seminary in Prizren attended by our priest Radomir Acimovic. With special feelings we remember Patriarch’s visit to England in 2016, his services in London and Birmingham and his speech at St Paul's Cathedral. He was a tireless traveller wanting to visit, encourage and comfort his spiritual children around the globe. Today, as in the previous days, we were in prayer memory with our Patriarch and we remain grateful for his legacy and work in the field of God.

Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven to our Patriarch Irinej!

The priesthood of St. Sava church in London.

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!

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BOOK OF CONDOLENCES

His pious parents Zdravko and MilijanaGavrilovic from the village of Vidova near Cacak - and with them the entire Serbian family - were blessed the by the Lord, on August 27, 1930, with the birth of a male child whose baptismal name was Miroslav. He finished elementary school in his native village and high school in Cacak and the Theological School in Prizren, Kosovo and Metohia. Thereupon he graduated from the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade.

After completing his military service, he was appointed professor of the Prizren Theological School, but before accepting the appointment he received monastic tonsure in the monastery of Rakovica, by the Serbian Patriarch German, receiving the monastic name Irinej, in October 1959. On the Holy and Great Friday of the same year, he was ordained a hieromonk in the church of Ruzica, Belgrade. As professor at the Prizren Theological School, he spent some years at postgraduate studies in Athens. He was appointed principal of the Monastic School in the Ostrog monastery in 1969, from where he returned to Prizren to the position of Principal of that famous Theological School.

It was in 1974 that he was elected Vicar Bishop of the Serbian Patriarch with the title of Bishop of Moravica. He was elected Bishop of Nis in 1975.

The act of enthronement of His Holiness Irinej, Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, was performed on January 23, 2010, during the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in Belgrade’s Cathedral church of Archangel Michael. The solemn Liturgy was officiated by the elected Serbian Patriarch Irinej with the concelebration of his brothers Bishops, priests and deacons, as well as representatives of the Russian and Greek Churches. Patriarch Irinej was formally enthroned to the ancient throne of the Serbian Patriarchs in the Patriarchate of Pec monastery on 3 October 2010, with participation of the representatives of all sister Orthodox Churches.