Serbian Patriarch Porfirije arrived in Melbourne on October 7, beginning a pastoral visit to Australia and New Zealand, according to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The patriarch was welcomed at the airport by Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand, clergy and parishioners. The reception featured performances by folk groups from several cities across Victoria, with artists presenting traditional Serbian songs and dances in national costumes.

Metropolitan Siluan described the patriarch’s arrival as an important event for the Serbian community in Australia. He said the visit would help unite Serbian Orthodox faithful living far from their historic homeland and support them in preserving their faith and traditions.

Serbian Ambassador to Australia Rado Stefanovic also welcomed Patriarch Porfirije, saying the visit was significant not only for Orthodox Christians but for the wider Serbian community in Australia.

Patriarch Porfirije is the third head of the Serbian Orthodox Church to visit Australia. Patriarch Pavle visited the country in 2004, followed by Patriarch Irinej in 2016.

The patriarch’s itinerary includes services in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. On October 8, he will preside over a solemn service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Brunswick. On October 10, he will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of St Sava in Elaine, while on October 11 he will celebrate the liturgy and consecrate the Church of St Archdeacon Stephen in Keysborough.

Patriarch Porfirije will then travel to Canberra, where he is scheduled to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of St Sava — New Kalenic on October 14. He will travel to Sydney later that day.

In Sydney, the program includes services and meetings with members of the Serbian Orthodox community. On October 17, the patriarch will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and consecrate the Church of the Nativity of Christ at St Sava College in Varroville. The following day, he will participate in a ceremony marking the laying of the foundation stone for a new church at the site.

Meetings with the Serbian diaspora form an important part of the visit. Australia is home to one of the largest Serbian communities outside the Balkans, while Orthodox parishes and monasteries play a significant role in preserving the Serbian language, culture and religious traditions.

The Russian Men’s Choir of Australia will also accompany the patriarch at some services. The musicians previously met Patriarch Porfirije during his visit to Serbia in 2024, when they performed Orthodox hymns at St Sava Church in Belgrade.

The canonical visit will continue through mid-October. Its main focus is on liturgical services, meetings with clergy and faithful, and strengthening the Orthodox community living far from Serbia.