Head of Serbian Orthodox Church tests positive for virus

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The Serbian Orthodox Church says the Patriarch, Porfirije, has tested positive for COVID-19. The church said on Tuesday that Porfirije has developed “very mild symptoms of the virus infection” and remains in home isolation. He is in contact “through electronic communications” with his associates and performs administrative duties entirely without problems, the church says. Serbia is currently seeing a surge in infections. Patriarch Porfirije became the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church after the previous patriarch, Irinej, died last November after contracting the coronavirus. Porfirije on Sunday attended a ceremony in Republika Srpska, the Serb-run part of neighboring Bosnia.