Patriarch Porfirije accused of withholding religious donations

Theologian Blagoje Pantelić has alleged that Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church may have withheld donations collected during the exhibition of the Holy Belt of the Mother of God. The religious relic was displayed at the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade from May 20 to June 5, 2026.

According to Pantelić, there are serious indications that the funds, which were promised to be donated to Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija as well as poor families across Serbia, have not been distributed as pledged. Pantelić noted that five months have passed without the Serbian Orthodox Church providing a report on the allocation of these funds.

A digital meeting between Patriarch Porfirije and Abbot Efrem of the Vatopedi Monastery is scheduled for Friday, which Pantelić suggests should serve as an opportunity to clarify the whereabouts of the money.