On Thursday, 19 February 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade, the attending students were introduced to the concept, structure, and activities of the Missionary Department of the Archbishopric of Belgrade–Karlovci, organized according to its respective sections and projects. This meeting formally marked the beginning of cooperation between the two institutions.
The meeting was opened with welcoming remarks by the Dean of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Protopresbyter Prof. Dr Srboljub Ubiparipović, who extended his greetings to the members of the Missionary Department and emphasized the importance of the existence of such an institution, not only for the Archbishopric of Belgrade–Karlovci but in a wider context as well. Following the Dean’s introductory address, the students were addressed by the Head of the Missionary Department of the Archbishopric of Belgrade–Karlovci, Presbyter Dr Oliver Subotić, as well as by the coordinators of individual sections.
In his brief address, the Head of the Department expressed gratitude to the Dean for the opportunity given and outlined the manner in which the Missionary Department operates. He stressed that it is a great privilege and honour to be engaged in cooperation with this higher theological institution, which holds strategic importance for the mission of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He underscored that the Missionary Department was established two years ago with the blessing of His Holiness, the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, and that it represents the first—and thus far the only—professional missionary body of its kind within our Church, systematically and institutionally dedicated to enhancing existing forms of mission and initiating new missionary projects. He pointed out that the Department comprises five sections and several distinct missionary projects, which he briefly presented, upon which he invited his closest collaborators to elaborate further.
Presbyter Dr Aleksandar Milojkov, Coordinator of the Section for Dialogue in the Public Sphere, spoke about the mission of the Church within contemporary social contexts. He gave particular attention to the discussion panels held at the Dom omladine (Youth Centre) and the forums organized at the “Čukarica” Cultural Centre, with special emphasis on themes concerning the relationship between faith and science.
Dr Sandra Knežević spoke about the importance of external mission, as well as the Department’s current projects in this field. She particularly highlighted the NevskyTalks project, namely lectures in English for foreign nationals, which are regularly held each month on the premises of the Missionary Department, as well as the ongoing activities related to the Mission Programme in the Chinese language.
Zoran Luković, scholar of religion and Coordinator of the Section for Apologetic Mission, presented the work of his Section and its projects (such as the Apologetsko slovo portal and the School of Parenting), emphasizing that apologetic mission is directed towards a reasoned witness to the Orthodox faith within the contemporary social context. He stressed the importance of public dialogue on various ideological and religious challenges of our time, as well as the need to strengthen religious literacy through lectures, forums, and printed publications.
The Coordinator of the Section for Electronic Mission, Dr Nenad Badovinac, spoke about the importance of the Church’s presence in the electronic sphere, bearing in mind the spirit of the times and the accelerated flow of information in which we live. Presenting the work of his Section and projects such as the Kinonia portal, he outlined the fundamental objectives of electronic mission, which include enhancing the digital communication of parishes and strengthening missionary activity through contemporary media. He also referred to his analysis of parish websites and visits to different churches.
A particular honour was shown to the members of the Missionary Department by Prof. Dr Nenad Milošević through his presence at the event, followed by an exchange of opinions and experiences that took place in a friendly atmosphere together with the Faculty Dean.
In the forthcoming period, the Missionary Department of the Archbishopric of Belgrade–Karlovci will provide missionary-oriented lectures for students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, while also offering a designated time for visits to the Department for those who wish to become acquainted with its work, establish direct contact with its collaborators for the purpose of further professional development in the fields covered by the Department, or participate, either directly or indirectly, in the work of one of the aforementioned Sections.
The Missionary Department of the Archbishopric of Belgrade–Karlovci expresses its gratitude to the Academic Council of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, headed by the Dean, Protopresbyter Prof. Dr Srboljub Ubiparipović, for the trust shown and the readiness to work together in advancing missionary service to our Mother Church.
