Church Excludes Critics from Community in Serbia
Two theologians are excommunicated after criticism of the church's closeness to politics; one additionally loses his priestly status.
The Serbian Orthodox Church has excommunicated theologians Blagoje Pantelić and Vukašin Milićević from the church community. Milićević was also stripped of his priestly office. The decision was made by the Church Court of the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlovci and concluded proceedings that had begun in the summer of 2025. This was reported by Church Times. The reason for these measures were public statements by the two clergy members in which they criticized the church's growing closeness to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Additionally, they had shown understanding for the student protests directed against corruption and misconduct, triggered by the collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad in 2024, which killed 16 people.
Excommunication is among the harshest penalties in canon law and results in the affected person no longer being allowed to participate in the sacraments and having no right to a church burial. Pantelić criticized the action against him as unjust and announced he would appeal the decision. The Serbian Orthodox Church has not yet issued an official statement on the case.
Previously, UOJ reported that a theological seminary launched an educational platform in Brookline.
