Patriarch Irinej received a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Indonesia
On November 7, 2012 His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej received the parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Indonesia on the official visit to our country.
Patriarch Irinej introduced the friends from, as he said, “wonderful country of Indonesia” to the activities and organization of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The Patriarch said to the guests from Indonesia, where Muslims are the majority, that the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Islamic Community in Serbia have “brotherly relations” and often submit proposals to the state authorities in the Republic of Serbia together with other traditional churches and religious communities.
H.E. Samuel Samson, Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, introduced Patriarch Irinej to Indonesian parliamentary delegation consisting of the representatives of Muslim, Protestant, Roman Catholic and Hindu religion.
The guests informed Patriarch Irinej about the life and activities of their church and religious communities. The Indonesian delegation also informed Patriarch Irinej about the desire of the Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Suryadharma Ali to visit Serbia.
One of the topics was the Second inter-religious dialogue between Serbia and Indonesia, which was to be held in Indonesia in mid-2013. Patriarch Irinej blessed the holding of this great conference just as he blessed the first inter-religious dialogue between Serbia and Indonesia in Belgrade (April 2011).
In response to this, the Head of the Indonesian parliamentary delegation Milton Pakpahan said: “God bless His Holiness Patriarch Irinej and God bless Serbia.”
The meeting was attended by Bishop of Hvostno, Atanasije Rakita and Chairman of the Association of the Serbian-Indonesian Friendship “Nusantara” dr Aleksandar Rakovic.
