Serbian Patriarch Porfirije Sent a Statement of Condolence to the Patriarch Theophilus III of Jerusalem and all Palestine

The news about the tragedy that is affecting the Holy Land, in which, unfortunately, innocent people of all faiths are dying, and the fire of war is unstoppably devouring cultural heritage that is centuries old, are catching up with each other. Today, I received with disbelief and sadness the news of the terrible tragedy in which Orthodox Christians were killed by airstrike in the monastery of St. Porphyry in Gaza, the pearl of Christian culture, and the religious and cultural treasures of the Orthodox, and I believe also of the civilized world, irretrievably disappeared.

We assure you that the prayers of our holy Serbian Orthodox Church are with you, your holy clergy and faithful people. We sympathize with you also because not so long ago we also experienced the tragedy of war, the suffering of innocents and the destruction of holy temples where our ancestors prayed for centuries. Today, all Orthodox Serbs, together with you Blessed, are praying to the Risen Lord that the souls of our martyred brothers and sisters may rest in his eternal Kingdom, but also for all the innocent victims in Israel and Palestine. May the Lord, through the prayers of Saint Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza, which brought thousands of people to Christ, guide the leaders of the warring parties and world leaders to the path of peace, because in wars everyone is defeated, and evil is that which claims another gain for itself – said the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije