Patriarch of Serbia: The Church is a community of different gifts united in Christ

On the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, July 12, 2026, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, joined in prayer by cadets of the 147th class of the Military Academy and the 12th class of the Military Medical Academy.

In his sermon following the Gospel reading on the healing of the paralytic, the Patriarch stressed that authentic Christian faith is never an individual accomplishment but is rooted in the life of the Church.

“Faith is not a personal achievement of any one of us, nor a guarantee that God will recognize us as His children. It is the faith of the four men, the faith of the Church,” he said, referring to the Gospel account of the paralytic carried by four companions.

“Our faith is salvific and therapeutic because it is the faith of the Church, the faith of the community. No one can say that he is sufficient unto himself. Everyone needs the support of his neighbor,” Patriarch Porfirije added, citing the words of Saint Paul: “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).

The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church emphasized that believers are called to strengthen their prayer and faith even when…