Orthodox Catalans at the Serbian Patriarchate
May 2014
His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, received a delegation of Orthodox Spaniards from the Diocese of Western Europe of the Serbian Orthodox Church, led by protopresbyter-stavrophor Joan García at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade on 7 May 2014.
The dean of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Radomir Popovic was also present as a co-organizer of this visit.
During a fraternal and cordial conversation, Fr. Joan reminded the Serbian Patriarch of the history of the parishes of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Spain and of good relations with Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory and Bishop Lavrentije; he informed the Patriarch about missionary activities of the Orthodox not only in Barcelona, but also in all Spain and South America, with a special emphasis on the ecclesial higher education institution operating in the capital city of Catalonia, where theology and iconography are taught. Professors from this church school lecture twice a year at two Spanish universities on topics from theology and iconography. In this matter, Fr. Joan offered cooperation with the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation.
On this occasion the delegation handed in to Patriarch Irinej an icon of Resurrection of Christ and particles of relics of Saint Caecilius, one of the Seven Apostolic Men. It is that in the church of Saint Michael of the Serbian Patriarchate in Palma de Mallorca that parts of relics of Saint Caecilius are kept; abbot Miquel Ortega Modest gave a particle of the holy relics to the Patriarch.
The pilgrims also visited the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church , where they were welcomed by its director Vladimir Radovanovic, and the chapel of Saint Symeon the Myrrh-Gusher at the Serbian Patriarchate as well.
During their stay in Serbia, the delegation of Orthodox Catalans are going to visit dioceses of Sabac, Branicevo, Valjevo and Srem. Lectures on contemporary iconography in Catalonia are organized at the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Fine Arts and Conservation, but on the history of Orthodoxy in Catalonia at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade, thanks to its Dean, Dr. Predrag Puzovic.
