Mesić, Vršac, Serbia, September 22, 2025
Photo: spc.rs
The Serbian Orthodox Church celebrated the 800th anniversary of the ancient Mesić Monastery in Banat on September 20, with a festive Divine Liturgy led by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia. The celebration drew numerous faithful and Serbian hierarchs.
The Liturgy was concelebrated by Their Eminences and Graces: Metropolitan Lukijan of Buda, Bishop Nikanor of Banat, Bishop Longin of Middle-Western America, and Bishop Heruvim of Osijek-Polje and Baranja.
In his homily following the Gospel reading, the Patriarch called on the Serbian people to follow the example of their holy ancestors who chose God’s law eight centuries ago:
Let God’s law be the foundation of our existence, let the Gospel of Christ and the word of love be our foundation and basis on which we live and on which we develop all other rules and all other laws. This holy place bears witness to this, brothers and sisters. For eight centuries this place has existed, precisely by the blessing of St. Sava—when this holy place was built and when a monk from Mt. Athos came here to govern it—since then, in these lands as everywhere we are, Christ’s law is the law by which we live.
The Patriarch emphasized that the monastery testifies to the Serbian people’s eight centuries of Orthodox Christian faith:
Glory to God, this holy place testifies not only that we were baptized as Orthodox Christians, but that for eight centuries in this area we have glorified God’s name in an Orthodox manner, that we have gathered in God’s churches, that we have turned to God there for help, for His grace and blessing.
Photo: spc.rs
Pat. Porfirije contrasted human law with Divine law, noting that human law is “relative and temporary, concerning the interests of individuals or groups,” while God’s law is eternal and revealed through Christ:
For us Serbs, Orthodox Christians, that is the law of the Gospel. The law of the Gospel is God’s written word. It is the law of love toward God with our whole being, but also toward our neighbor as ourselves. It is the law of mercy and forgiveness. It is the law of understanding and repentance.
Warning that Christians would face rejection for choosing Christ’s name, the Patriarch said:
Many who choose the law of this world, the law of fallen man, the law of interest, the law of temporary success, and who have not verified those laws with the Gospel of Christ—they will be bothered by Christ, they will be bothered by the Gospel, because it calls them out, exposes them.
He concluded his homily by urging the faithful to remain steadfast:
Therefore, brothers and sisters, ours is to glorify the name of Christ, to do our work, to go our way and not look back at what others will say, not look back at what others will do to us, but always strive, respecting the words of the Gospel, to think about what we do to others.
The monastery was founded around 1225 when, according to tradition, a monk named Arsenije Bogdanović came from Hilandar Monastery on Mt. Athos and established Mesić Monastery with the blessing of St. Sava, the first Archbishop of Serbia. The monastery underwent major renovation in the late 15th century under Holy Despot Jovan Branković, suffered destruction by the Turks multiple times throughout its history, and experienced significant renewals in the 18th and 20th centuries. In 1952, it was designated as a women’s monastery and today houses precious relics and a rich library of ancient manuscripts.
Photo: spc.rs
Following the Liturgy, high Church honors were awarded to monastery benefactors. The celebration included a presentation by Deacon Dr. Ivica Čairović on the monastery’s turbulent history, performances by cultural groups, and concluded with a large church-folk assembly in the monastery courtyard.
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