Serbian Patriarch warns of unhealthy virtual world

N1/arhiva

Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije warned the faithful to beware of the semblance of security offered by “the global anthill” and the unhealthy thinking of the virtual world.

“Let us be aware that the old methods of deception through passion and fear in the abuse of the mass media can easily enslave our consciousness and supressed conscience,” the patriarch said in his Easter message to the faithful.

“Beware of the semblance of security provided by the global anthill which wants to make us faceless prisoners of self-satisfaction. Spending time convinced that the virtual world of unhealthy fantasy and the consuming of material goods can bring true well-being means being condemned to a life with no dignity and freedom,” he added.

The Patriarch said that a sense of responsibility among people is pronounced today because of the crisis in the world and the armed conflict in Ukraine. “We feel compassion and the suffering of all Orthodox Christians, brothers and sisters, we feel compassion and the suffering of all the people in this world, seeing how the conflict on Ukrainian soil and across the world are deepening further,” the Easter message said, and added: “We are one humankind and we are called to be one”.

“We pray to the resurrected God to establish peace as soon as possible and unconditionally, end the suffering and return all the refugees to their homes,” the Patriarch said.

He also mentioned the doctors, medical staff and others who sacrificed in the past months and sent good wishes to Orthodox Christian Serbs wherever they live “especially in Kosovo, our spiritual and national cradle”, adding that “their Mother Church will be with them”.