Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church hospitalized for COVID-19 months after the death of his predecessor

On December 4, the acting head of the Serbian Orthodox Church was hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus, the church’s information service said.

Bishop Hrizostom was admitted to a hospital in the nation’s capital Belgrade, he said. The church has not released information on the 68-year-old’s health condition.

Hrizostom became the church’s interim leader after Patriarch Irinej died of COVID-19 last month. Hrizostom presided over the funeral services of Irinej, who was 90 years old.

Metropolitan Amfilohije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, died of COVID-19 in October. Irinej leads the funeral services for Amfilohije.