Serbian Church Council of Bishops сanonizes new martyrs

Council of Bishops of the Serbian Church. Photo: Serbian Church's Press Service

On May 17, 2025, during a regular session of the Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church held at the Church of St. Sava in Vračar, Belgrade, a decision was made to canonize new saints, the UOJ reports from Serbia. The council, presided over by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije and attended by all hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, unanimously accepted the proposal of Bishop Sergije of Bihać-Petrovac to include the names of the new martyrs in the diptychs of saints.

Among those canonized are the Holy Martyrs of Garavice and Bihać, who suffered in 1941 in the regions of Garavice, Bihać, and Cazin.

Also glorified were the Holy Martyrs of Rmanj, who suffered since the founding of the sacred Monastery of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra in Rmanj.

In addition, the Council canonized Hieromartyr Elijah Rodić, who was martyred during World War II in Trubar.

The solemn glorification of the new saints will take place in the near future with the participation of clergy and laity of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The memory of these new martyrs will be especially honored in the Eparchy of Bihać-Petrovac, where these saints suffered for their faith. Their witness stands as a testament to steadfastness in the Orthodox faith during the most trying times for the Serbian people.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a Serbian priest condemned the “examinations” of relics in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

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