Orthodox, Roman Catholic Prelates in Croatia Holds Discussion

Church of Serbia – 3/2/21

On January 26, 2021, Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana, Bishop Antun Skvorcevic of Pozega, President of the Council of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference for Ecumenism and Dialogue, Bishop Jovan of Slavonia and Bishop Heruvim of Osek-Polje and Baranja met at the Spiritual Center of the Serbian Orthodox Church at Sveti Duh in Zagreb.

The participants in the meeting referred to the consequences of the March earthquake in Zagreb, especially at the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace, as well as at the Cathedral church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. They also talked about the consequences of the recent earthquake in Banija, which everyone personally saw by visiting the affected areas together with Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac.

The Bishops and Bishop Skvorcevic expressed sympathy and solidarity with the victims and hoped that the great readiness for help, expressed during the previous weeks from all parts of Croatia, as well as from the region and the world, as well as the organization of state institutions, would help reduce the suffering of victims and to restore destroyed residential, commercial, sacral and other buildings as soon as possible.

They also discussed the relations between the two Churches and emphasized the importance of a common evangelical approach to the problems they face in modern society. They also analyzed the questions that arise due to the limitations that the Churches face in their mission and worship life during the pandemic.

Aware of the great importance of building mutual trust and witnessing to evangelical values, they considered the possibility of a soon meeting of Serbian bishops from Croatia with representatives of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, modelled on the meeting held in Pozega in 2019.

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