Patriarch Porfirije awarded Honorary Doctorate by Moscow Theological Academy

Patriarch Porfirije. Photo: patriarchia.ru

On April 25, 2025, a solemn ceremony took place in the assembly hall of the Moscow Theological Academy, during which His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia was awarded an honorary doctorate of this theological school.

The ceremony was opened by the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Kirill of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov, in the presence of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. Bishop Kirill noted that in the era of informational "attacks" of an anti-Christian nature, the theological thought of Russia and Serbia is being revived for the benefit of the nations connected by a thousand-year history.

He particularly emphasized that students of the Serbian Church traditionally make up a significant part of the foreign listeners at the Moscow Theological Academy and the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy, and their mission is to convey to their contemporaries the highest truths of Christian morality and the importance of the sacraments.

Following his speech, the formal decision to award the academic title of honorary Doctor of Theology to Patriarch Porfirije was announced. This honor recognized "his distinguished scholarly and educational contributions to the development of theological science and the strengthening of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church". The diploma and insignia of the title were presented by Patriarch Kirill.

In his response, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia expressed deep gratitude and humility, calling this award "a sign of our unity in Christ" and "an inspiring obligation" for further service.

In his doctoral speech, delivered in Russian, he emphasized the inseparable connection between prayer and theology as the fruit of "existential and liturgical relationship with the living God" and stated that "prayer is theology," resisting the "selfish logic of this world".

In his report, Patriarch Kirill urged clergy at all levels, from students to archbishops, to ask themselves critical questions and "not to become a withered fig tree" but to make pastoral preaching a means of strengthening faith and changing the consciousness of modern man.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarchs Porfirije and Kirill discussed the pan-Orthodox unity in Moscow.

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