SOC Patriarch: The Church must transform the world, not be transformed by it

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije at the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. George the Great Martyr in Bežanija. Photo: Orthodox Times

On August 10, 2025, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. George the Great Martyr in Bežanija, one of the oldest churches in Belgrade, Orthodox Times reports.

At the beginning of his sermon, he recalled the Gospel reading of the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and warned against distorting the mission of the Church by trying to use it for political or social struggle.

The Patriarch stressed that the Church must transform the world, not be transformed by it. “By the Holy Spirit, we are called to transform the world, not be transformed by it. Through our ascetic struggle and prayer — being crucified with Christ and renouncing our own will — we must embrace everything and bring it into the Church, so that all may become Church, all may be transformed in Christ and by His grace,” he said.

He also warned of the danger of seeking “applause” when the Church tries to appear modern by adjusting her rhythm "to the spirit, movements, and heartbeat of this world," which in practice means abandoning her true self, relativizing and diluting her nature and message.

In conclusion, the Patriarch reminded that the mission of the Church is not to solve social or political problems, but to preach Christ crucified and risen, who quenches the deepest thirst of man – the thirst for meaning, eternity, and love.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that on the day commemorating the persecution of Serbs, Patriarch Porfirije called for love and unity.

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