Patriarch Porfirije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), urged students on Sunday to return to primary and secondary schools, as well as universities, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding.

„I would like to say, relying on today’s Gospel, that our children should return to classrooms, to primary and secondary schools, and to universities. By blocking everything that is sinful—blocking evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds toward one another—we can all engage in conversation, learning from and teaching each other to find the best path, a path where there is room for everyone,“ Patriarch Porfirije stated after a liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava, according to the SPC Information Service.

Addressing the ongoing student protests, he acknowledged the concerns about their demands, while refraining from making definitive judgments on whether they had been met.

„It has often been questioned what we think about student demands. I believe there is no one who does not want those demands to be fulfilled. However, I am not the one to determine that, nor are most of us gathered here. That is for those who are competent, those who are called upon and paid to make such decisions,“ the patriarch said.

He further emphasized the need to overcome divisions and avoid absolutism in discourse.

His message comes amid ongoing student-led protests in Serbia, which have drawn significant public attention. The patriarch’s appeal is likely to spark further discussions on the role of religious and moral authority in the current social and political climate.