Patriarch Porfirije receives Order of Nikola Tesla: "His remains must rest in a dignified place"

Photo: Mateja Stanisavljevic/ATAImages

The Tesla Science Foundation from Philadelphia, which preserves the memory of the great Serbian-American scientist, today presented Patriarch Porfirije with the Order of Nikola Tesla. The ceremony took place in the Patriarchate in Belgrade.

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The Serbian Orthodox patriarch expressed his satisfaction for being presented with this award by the Serbs who live far from their motherland, in the US, as well as over the fact that the order bears the image of Nikola Tesla.

"Tesla should be an inspiration, a driver and an example for everyone who is of the same nation and religion as he was, but also for the whole world," Porfirije said, according to Tanjug.

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church added that during this year he visited Smiljan, the birthplace of the Serb scientist, while he on several occasions traveled to Medak, the place where Tesla's father served as a Serbian Orthodox priest.

Porfirije also stressed that the fact that Tesla was a great scientist and benefactor of all of humanity cannot be denied, but it is equally important to point out that he was an Orthodox Christian.

"We must feel the responsibility to preserve as much as we can the authentic image of Tesla, and try to correct a historical injustice, which is that Tesla's earthly remains should rest in a dignified place, and not in a museum," said Porfirije.

Nikola Loncar, president of the Tesla Science Foundation, said  he was very pleased to have the opportunity to present the Nikola Tesla Order to the patriarch.

He stated that the foundation has had strong links with the Church in Philadelphia since its founding, adding that this organization's two most important projects are a course based on Tesla's works and the Tesla's People project.

"As part of the Tesla People project, we are conducting research involving 5,000 Serbs from around the world, whom we have been able to contact, and the main purpose is to create closer ties between the motherland and the diaspora," said Loncar.

(Telegraf.rs)