Serbian Patriarch: Peace is God's commandment, the only path to overcome war
Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, and Patriarch John X of Antioch "Aqaba Process – Interfaith Dialogue in the Balkans". Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency
On December 9, 2025, an international conference titled “The Aqaba Process – Interreligious Dialogue in the Balkans” was held in Bethany, Jordan, bringing together political and religious leaders from across the region. Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia delivered an address on peace and the role of religious faith in strengthening coexistence, according to Orthodoxia News Agency.
In his remarks, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized that the desire for peace is rooted deeply in the Christian heritage. “The yearning for peace lies at the very heart of our religious tradition… We have come here to seek peace and justice, and to walk as brothers along the path God sets before us,” he said.
The Patriarch reminded participants that Christian teaching affirms the image of God in every human being. “It gives us a shared moral understanding: peace as a gift of God, justice as a sacred reality, and care for those in need as an act of love and responsibility.” Without love, he warned, religion can shift from a force of unity to a source of division. “Where there is no love, peace cannot take root,” he stressed.
Patriarch Porfirije paid special attention to understanding peace as a divine commandment. “Peace should not be sought only in political or social security, but first and foremost in a personal encounter with God – in prayer, repentance, and acts of love,” he said, adding that such peace becomes the foundation for harmony among peoples.
Concluding his address, the Patriarch described peacemaking as a natural expression of faith. “Building bridges is not a program but the very life of the Church… What unites us is greater than what divides us,” he said, urging responsible dialogue throughout the Balkans.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the King of Jordan donated land to the Serbian Church at the site of Christ’s Baptism.
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