Serbian Patriarch Porfirije has arrived in Ljubljana for celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of the completion of the Orthodox Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, according to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The main anniversary events are scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13.

On Friday, Sept. 11, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the church by Bishop Kirill of Buenos Aires and South and Central America, who is serving as temporary administrator of the Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana. Patriarch Porfirije attended the service.

A ceremonial reception for the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church will take place at the church on Saturday evening. On Sunday, Patriarch Porfirije is scheduled to preside over the anniversary Divine Liturgy.

In his Friday sermon, Bishop Kirill spoke about the witness of St. John the Baptist, whose feast is commemorated on Sept. 11. He said that St. John remained faithful to the truth to the end and became an example for Christians, while the Church has followed the same path throughout the centuries.

The bishop called on the faithful to take part in the upcoming celebrations and gather around Patriarch Porfirije, emphasizing the importance of unity within the Orthodox community.

Regular Orthodox services in Ljubljana began in 1919, shortly after the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Initially, services were held in private homes before a chapel was established for the community in military barracks.

In 1929, the Ljubljana authorities allocated land for the construction of an Orthodox church. The building was designed in the Serbian-Byzantine style by prominent architect Momir Korunović.

Construction began in June 1932, when Serbian Patriarch Varnava consecrated the foundation of the future church. Work was completed in the autumn of 1936, and the first service was held in December of that year.

The church received an iconostasis donated by Queen Maria, while the icons were painted by Slovenian artist Mirko Šubic.

During World War II, religious life at the church continued despite the occupation of Yugoslavia. After the war, however, the parish faced a difficult period. In 1948, the communist authorities expelled its rector, Father Bogdan Matković, from Slovenia.

The parish began to revive in the 1960s. Fresco painting inside the church began in 1986 and continued for more than a decade, with most of the frescoes created by artist Dragomir Jašović.

In 2005, the church was formally consecrated by Serbian Patriarch Pavle. A parish house was subsequently built next to the church and completed in 2012.

In 2010, the Ljubljana city authorities designated the church a local cultural monument, recognizing its historical and architectural significance.

The 90th-anniversary celebrations this weekend are expected to bring together clergy and Orthodox faithful to mark nine decades since the completion of one of Ljubljana’s most significant Orthodox landmarks.