Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia gave the blessing for the creation of an Instagram account named porfirije_patrijarh on the social media platform Instagram.
“In this way, the Patriarch wants to meet the strong interest of the faithful, but also the entire domestic and foreign public, about his work, views and opinions,” is stated in a press release on the Patriarchate’s website.
Patriarch Porfirije publishes on Instagram short announcements and reflections, as well as videos with his sermons. His Beatitude’s most recent post on the platform had over 7.600 likes at the time of publishing this article.
In a message to the faithful for the fast of the Dormition of the Mother of God (according to the unrevised calendar), Patriarch Porfirije referred to his recently-created Instagram account:
“I was sincerely glad that in the first few hours, more than 10,000 interested people started following that page.”
The patriarch also emphasized that “not only traditional, linear media (print, radio and television), but even Internet portals and sites lag behind the so-called social media, and my opinion is that Instagram is the most effective in that regard.”
“I will also call for help the words of the Lord Christ himself, who, defining the mission of the Church in the world, said to the apostles: «What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.» (Mt 10:27). Today, social media is the roof from which we convey the Word of God to all.”
Metropolitan Porfirije Perić of Zagreb and Ljubljana was elected patriarch by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church on February 18 and installed the next day.
At the installation ceremony, he pointed that “the mission of the Church is to build peace” and reaffirmed he would work “on connecting people, on building bridges, on establishing a dialogue with everyone”.
Photo credit: Jutarnji list
