Montenegrin Metropolitan: Praying for swift reconciliation of Ukraine and Russia

Metropolitan Joanikije. Photo: Press Service of the Montenegrin Metropolis

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, urged Orthodox believers to pray for the speedy reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine and for an end to the fratricidal war, reports the UOJ in Serbia.

The statement was made on October 5, 2025, during the sermon delivered on the feast day of the Monastery of St Sergius of Radonezh in the village of Mikulići (Montenegro), located at the foot of Mount Rumija.

Metropolitan Joanikije celebrated the Divine Hierarchical Liturgy on the occasion of the monastery’s patronal feast.

On this day, the Metropolitan consecrated two side altars in the church of St Sergius: the northern one – in honor of St Sava of Serbia, the first Archbishop of the Serbian Church, and the southern one – in honor of the venerable and God-bearing fathers of the Kyiv Caves Lavra.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Joanikije drew parallels between St Sergius of Radonezh, St Sava of Serbia, and St Basil of Ostrog, noting that although they were born among particular nations, they transcended national boundaries and belong to the entire Orthodox world.

The hierarch emphasized that these saints “belong to all people, to all nations,” regardless of language, nationality, or even religious affiliation. According to him, all earthly peoples in Christ Jesus, as Orthodox Christians, are “the new people of God, the new Israel, the Church of God, where all are brothers and sisters.”

The central theme of the sermon was a call to pray for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“We pray that the Lord may pour out His mercy upon both Ukraine and Russia, and that He may grant swift reconciliation and peace – to them and to the whole world, for we see that the peace of one depends on the peace of all,” said Metropolitan Joanikije.

The hierarch stressed that the task of the Church is not to instruct politicians but to pray to God: “It is not our role to teach state leaders how to accomplish all this. We hope that they too are thinking of what is good – at least the most responsible among them. Our duty is to pray to God, Who is the source of peace, the source of divine love, the source of mercy and reconciliation.”

With pain in his heart, Metropolitan Joanikije spoke about fratricide: “Brothers by blood are killing one another – we know what that is like. It happened among us too, and we hope it will cease.”

The Metropolitan called on Christians always to think “of goodness, of peace, of reconciliation, of brotherly love and concord.”

The consecration of an altar in honor of the venerable fathers of the Kyiv Caves Lavra at the Monastery of St Sergius of Radonezh in Montenegro carries special symbolic meaning at a time when the Ukrainian authorities are persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, spiritually linked to the Kyiv Caves Lavra.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in his congratulatory message to Metropolitan Onuphry on the 10th anniversary of his enthronement, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral said that he prays for the end of the sufferings of the Ukrainian Church, for its Primate, and for his flock.

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