The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has convened a regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops for May 13 and 14 in Belgrade. The gathering will formally begin on Wednesday, May 13, with a conciliar Holy Liturgy and invocation of the Holy Spirit at the Church of Saint Sava in Vračar. The working part of the session will begin the following day, May 14, in the crypt of the same church, under the chairmanship of Serbian Patriarch Porfirije.
The Assembly is described in the reports as the highest hierarchical, church-legislative and church-judicial body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Its session will begin by adopting the agenda, which consists of items submitted by the Holy Synod. After that, the bishops are expected to review reports on the archpastoral work of diocesan bishops, as well as reports from central church bodies, organs and institutions.
One of the issues expected to draw particular attention is the status of Metropolitan Justin. Reports state that the bishops will discuss his case after earlier developments that caused public attention inside the Church. The matter is being presented as one of the most sensitive topics before the Assembly, alongside the regular review of diocesan and institutional reports.
The reports emphasize that all diocesan bishops are expected to participate in the working session. As with previous regular assemblies, the gathering is intended to address internal church matters, administrative questions and issues related to the functioning of the Serbian Orthodox Church across its dioceses.
Overall, the session is being presented as an important institutional moment for the Serbian Orthodox Church. It combines the regular annual review of church life and diocesan work with a potentially sensitive discussion on the position of one metropolitan, making this year’s Assembly significant both administratively and internally for the Church.
