At the invitation of Bishop Vasilije of Srem, Patriarch Irinej visited Sremski Karlovci on 11 August 2020.
The renovation of the facades of the Cathedral and the Patriarchal Palace has been underway, which is financed by the Provincial Government from the funds established two years ago for the renovation of Sremski Karlovci. Together with the President of the Provincial Government, Mr Igor Mirovic; Provincial Secretary for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities, Ms Dragana Milosevic, and Director of the Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, Mr Zoran Vap, who supervises the works, the Patriarch – accompanied by the Diocesan Bishop Vasilije – got acquainted with the course of restoration and conservation of two very important buildings of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Sremski Karlovci, former residence of Serbian Metropolitans and Patriarchs.
At the same time, the Patriarch was informed about the works on the adaptation and rearrangement of the Synodal and Patriarchal premises on the floor of the Old Patriarchate Palace.
The high dignitaries also visited the Theological Seminary of St. Arsenije Sremac, where renovation works were carried out during 2019-2020, thanks to which living conditions of seminarians and professors have been improved.
During the conversation, it was stated that the renovation of the Cathedral and the Patriarchal Palace is proceeding in accordance with the planned dynamics. Provincial Prime Minister Mr Igor Mirovic suggested that the works should be intensified, having in mind that the celebration of the centenary of the unification of the regional Serbian Churches into a single, united Serbian Orthodox Church will take place next year. The issue of renewing the roof of the Theological Seminary, which is a boarding school, was also raised, and a hope was expressed that it would be realised so that the conditions for the accommodation of seminarians in that facility would be better.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church