Serbian Patriarch Pavle was buried on Nov. 19, in the Monastery of Rakovica, at a private ceremony which citizens were unable to attend, but only the highest church dignitaries and state officials.

The place and form of the funeral was requested by the patriarch himself in his will. The memorial service at the funeral was conducted by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coast Amfilohije, with the assistance of church dignitaries.

The burial, which was not broadcast on TV - nor were TV crews allowed to film it - was attended by all bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian President Boris Tadic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, as well as the former prime minister of Serbia, Vojislav Kostunica, and the premier of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik.

During the funeral, the courtyard was full of people. In front of the monastery were thousands of people who were unable to go in, but waited for the arrival of the coffin with the body of Patriarch Pavle, which was taken through the city streets after the memorial service in front of the Temple of Saint Sava.

Speaking on behalf of Patriarch Cyril, the envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, said that the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been a brave defender of the faith and heritage of the Serb people.

He recollected that Patriarch Pavle was appointed as head of the Serbian Orthodox Church just ahead of the most difficult period for the nations of the former Yugoslavia, and that, through his ascetic life, he had embodied the best characteristics of Serb Orthodox monks.

Several hundred thousand people gathered in Belgrade on Nov. 19 at the plateau in front of the Temple of Saint Sava to attend the memorial service for the Serbian Patriarch Pavle, held in the presence of the highest officials from Serbia and numerous church and state delegations from the region and from other countries.

The funeral of the patriarch, who died on Nov. 15 at the age of 96, began with the morning liturgy in the Congregational Church, conducted by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The liturgy in the church was attended by a great number of believers, arch-hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, statesmen and church delegations. The service was also observed by thousands of people in front of the church and in the surrounding streets.

Tens of thousands of people formed a procession that walked through the streets of Belgrade from the church to the Temple of Saint Sava - more than 200,000, according to police estimates. Police guard was deployed all along the route of the procession.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said during the memorial service, which was broadcast live on national television, that Patriarch Pavle was a worthy successor of Saint Sava.

"Brothers, it is the public secret of the church throughout the universe that the former bishop of Raska and Prizren, subsequently Patriarch Pavle, was not an arch-hierarch of ordinary fashion - his character and presence radiated holiness and righteousness, his ethos was as solid as a diamond," Bartholomew said.

The ecumenical patriarch expressed hope that Patriarch Pavle will have a worthy successor at the helm of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coast of the Serbian Orthodox Church Amfilohije, said that the patriarch, a modest and quiet man, has been transformed into a light for the world and a beacon that shines from a mountain. He stressed that Patriarch Pavle had become a measure and criterion of the events of his time.

Serbian President Boris Tadic recollected his words that we should "be human and never respond to the evil of others by evil in ourselves."

Tadic also thanked the representatives of all churches and countries who came from abroad to pay their last respects to the late Patriarch Pavle.