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Patriarch Porfirios of Serbia is once again a volunteer blood donor (PHOTO)translated

July 13, 2026 · 1 min read

Faithful to his appointment to participate in the voluntary blood donations organized by the Serbian Patriarchate in collaboration with the Blood Donation Center of the Serbian capital - which are held in various parishes - was once again the Patriarch Mr. Porphyry. On Sunday, July 12, His Beatitude, immediately after the Divine Liturgy in which Cadet Officers of the Serbian Army participated, went to the parish center of Agios Savvas where he participated in the voluntary blood donation during which he talked with both the doctors and nursing staff, as well as with the volunteer blood donors, among whom were also new Cadet Officers.

The Patriarch of Serbia Mr. Porfirios regularly participates in voluntary blood donations and calls on the faithful to always support these actions which aim to offer to fellow human beings and save lives.

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Ilie Radu

Well done Patriarch Porphyry, as usual. After the Liturgy, he went directly to the St. Sava parish center and talked to the doctors and the young officers who were donating blood - this concrete gesture helps more than words. It would be good to see more of our clergy follow suit.

Katarzyna Zielińska

It's good that Patriarch Porphyry went to donate blood again right after the Liturgy, and not just talked about it. In Warsaw, we also sometimes organize such actions at the parish, but rarely do so many young people come, let alone officers. A specific gesture, respect.

Pandeli Kristo

Well done Patriarch Porfirios, as usual. After the Liturgy, he immediately went to the center of the parish of St. Sava, talked with the doctors and those young officers who donated blood - this is concrete work that really helps. Even in Korça we have had such events, but not so often with soldiers.

Bogdan Radu

Well said, Elijah. Porphyry's gesture after the Liturgy, with those young officers by his side, shows exactly what it means to put deeds before words. In our parish, we would need more priests to come at least once a year to donate, not just to exhort from the pulpit.

Emma Carter

It's good to see Patriarch Porfirios heading straight from Liturgy to the Saint Sava parish center again, rolling up his sleeves with the young officer cadets. That kind of example hits harder than any sermon. We had a blood drive at our parish last spring and only a handful showed up—maybe if more of us followed his lead we'd fill the chairs.

Elizabeth Baker

It's good to see Patriarch Porfirios going straight from the Liturgy at Saint Sava's to donating again, chatting with the doctors and those young officer cadets while they all gave blood. That kind of steady example sticks with people more than any announcement. We tried a blood drive after Liturgy here last fall and only got a dozen folks—maybe if our priest joined in we'd do better.

Μιχάλης Παναγιωτόπουλος

A good example from Patriarch Porphyrios. He went straight after Mass to the St. Sabbas centre, talked to doctors and the young Cadet Officers who were giving blood – that counts for more than any sermon. In our parish, I would like to see something similar, at least once a year.

Samuel Mitchell

Good to hear that, Emma. Our parish had a drive two months ago right after the Liturgy for St. Sava’s feast and we actually ran out of chairs this time, mostly because a few older guys finally showed up after seeing the photos from Belgrade. Maybe the cadets being there helped nudge some of our younger men too. Did your spring one at least get enough units to make it worthwhile?

Mihaela Tudor

Well said, Elijah. I especially liked that he chatted with the doctors and young officers right there at the parish center – a simple gesture that shows them it's not just a Sunday action. At our church, we could organize a similar action with the parishioners, maybe even with a sign-up list after the Liturgy.

Photini Brown

That's a lovely point, Elizabeth. The cadets being there too probably made it feel more like a normal parish thing instead of something extra. Our priest here in Ottawa is 68 and not in the best health, so he can't donate, but he always stands at the door afterward with coffee and thanks everyone who does. Maybe that's the next best thing.

Daniel Baker

Yeah, that makes sense — having the cadets there turns it into just another normal part of parish life instead of a special event. Our priest in Sydney is younger but still skips the needle; he usually helps set up the chairs beforehand and chats with the donors after. Does your priest ever mention how many pints they get on those days?

Ευάγγελος Παπαγεωργίου

I agree, Michael. That he went directly after Mass and spoke to the young Cadets shows action, not words. In our parish we have done it twice in the last few years, but I would really like it to be done more often. How do you imagine we should start it?

Sophia Carter

Our spring drive here in Manchester managed twelve units, which was decent but we could have done with a few more young lads turning up. Good to know the Belgrade photos finally got some of your older chaps moving – that’s heartening. Did the cadets stick around to chat with everyone after they donated?

Helen Anderson

Good point, Emma. I remember our own drive here in Boston last year felt pretty thin too until a couple of the older men from the knitting circle showed up with their wives. Seeing the patriarch go right from the chalice to the donation chair does make you think twice about skipping it. Did any of the cadets end up giving blood that day?

Helen Bennett

Our priest here in San Francisco always says the turnout jumps when the young cadets show up too. He doesn't track the exact pints himself but the last time he told us they collected over thirty units in one morning at the Saint Sava hall. Does your group in Sydney ever get the military lads involved like that?

Helen Campbell

Our priest in Boston says the same thing about the cadets—they really bring in the younger crowd and keep the energy up. Last blood drive at our parish we hit twenty-eight units, mostly because a bunch of ROTC guys from the local college came straight from liturgy. Do you know if they coordinate with the military chaplains in San Francisco or just show up on their own?

Daniela Dobre

Yes, Mihaela, this gesture of talking to the doctors and the young officers right at the parish center means a lot, it shows that he is really involved. We could try a list after Mass, but we should first see how many volunteer doctors we have in the parish. Have you already talked to the priest about this?

Emily Bennett

Our spring drive here in Ottawa only pulled in eight units, but the turnout felt steadier than last year. Nice to hear the Belgrade pictures finally got your older fellows off the couch. Did any of those cadets end up giving blood themselves?

Sarah Taylor

Yeah, the cadets do make it feel like regular parish stuff instead of a one-off. Our priest here in New York usually sticks around after Liturgy to roll up his sleeves and donate too, then he’ll joke about how the coffee and pastries are the real draw. How many units does your Sydney group usually pull in on a good day?

Xenia Campbell

Our parish youth group here in Manchester only pulled in four donors last time, so twelve units sounds like a solid turnout to me. The cadets in Belgrade did stay on chatting afterwards – the Patriarch made a point of talking with them while he was donating himself. Do you usually get many from the local uni crowd at your drives?

Paul Collins

Our priest in Manchester always jokes that the cadets turn up in uniform and suddenly half the parish remembers they’re not scared of needles. We’ve had a few from the local TA unit join our drives at Saint Sava, but nothing on the scale of thirty units. Do they usually come straight after the Liturgy like in San Francisco?

Ζωή Χατζή

Yes, going straight after Mass shows true priority. In the hospital we see how quickly blood reserves run out, so in our parish we could do it every three months, maybe after Orthodoxy Sunday. What day do you think is easier for young people?

James Phillips

Our priest here in Pittsburgh always gets a boost when the local National Guard guys show up after liturgy too. Last drive we only hit 19 units but the cadets made it feel a lot more lively. Do you guys do the blood drives right in the parish hall like they did at St. Sava?

Sarah Campbell

Yeah, it’s good he leads by example like that. A few of our cadets here in Melbourne did give blood after liturgy last time we ran a drive with the youth group – one of them said it felt like the most practical thing he could do that Sunday. Did the knitting-circle crew end up donating regularly after that Boston drive?

Ηλίας Καραγιάννης

I agree, the priority after Liturgy speaks volumes. In our parish we do it every three months after Palm Sunday and it turns out well because families get together. For young people, I think Sunday morning is easier, because on Saturday many have football or walks. How do you see it?

Michael Carter

Our parish in Ottawa usually gets a decent mix from the university crowd, especially around exam time when they seem to need a break. Twelve units is respectable for a Sunday drive. Did any of the Manchester lads end up chatting with your priest the way those cadets did with the Patriarch?

Samuel Anderson

Yeah, leading by example like that sticks with people. Our cadets at the church here in Pittsburgh gave blood a couple times after services too, and a few kept coming back on their own. Did the knitting group in Boston stick with it, or was it just that one drive?

Ευάγγελος Αναγνώστου

Yes, the priority after Mass shows exactly what you say. In our parish we did it last year after Palm Sunday and many young people came, but this year we are thinking of moving it closer to Christmas so that even more people gather. How do you organize it so that families can come too?

Laura Lewis

Our little group at St. Nicholas here in San Francisco usually pulls in mostly older folks on a normal Sunday, so it's nice to hear the university crowd shows up in Ottawa. Twelve units sounds solid. Did those cadets end up giving blood too, or were they mostly just there for the talk?

Κατερίνα Γεωργίου

In our parish we usually do it after the Liturgy of Saint Demetrius in October, because then people are calmer after the holidays. Families come more easily when they see that children can also help at the water and cookie tables. At Christmas, are you afraid that the weather will be too cold and the young people will hesitate?

Σπύρος Γεωργίου

Well done, Elias. The fact that it goes directly after the Liturgy shows that it is not just an event, it is a continuation of the prayer. In our parish we do it after the Dormition every August and I see that some older people also come who would not go otherwise. Have you seen more young people gather when it's Sunday morning?

In our parish here in Heraklion we usually do it after Saint Myron in August, because by then most people have returned from holidays. I hadn't thought about putting the children on the tables with water and cookies, it's a good idea. Are you afraid that there will be a lot of work in October and the parents will be bored?

Anna Moore

That's a good point about leading by example. Our choir here in Melbourne has a few regulars who started donating after the parish drives and now go every couple of months on their own. The Boston knitting group, from what I heard, only turned up for that one time—most of them are older and a bit nervous about needles. Did your Pittsburgh cadets keep it up long-term?

Σπύρος Μιχαηλίδης

In our parish here in Agios Nikolaos Volos, we do it after Agios Dimitrios just like you, but we never thought of putting the children on the tables with the cookies. Very good idea, I will tell Papa-George. Are you afraid that in October the older ones have already caught a cold and won't come?

Γεωργία Βασιλείου

In Heraklion you connect it with Agios Myrons, a good idea, because after the holidays people are more relaxed. We in Larissa usually do it in October and so far we haven't seen the parents getting bored, most of the children are even happy to help at the tables. Would you try it in October and see how it goes?

Στέλιος Νικολαΐδης

Good idea Georgia, October sounds more restful than July. In Heraklion with Agios Myrons in September we have seen quite a few young people coming, but we will discuss it in the parish to see if we can also try in October next year. Do you in Larissa have a specific parish that organizes it every year?