ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communion practices within the Serbian Orthodox Church in Serbia (including Kosovo-Metohija) and Montenegro. Utilising a lived religion approach, the chapter analyses research findings from participant observations of liturgical practices and interviews with believers. The study reveals the existence of creative adaptations of communion practices that differ from traditional institutionalised practices. The chapter highlights the autonomy of priests to adapt practices based on factors such as legal and political context, the guidance of bishops, and the behaviour of congregants. The study provides valuable insights into the ways in which the pandemic has affected the ‘living church’ and the religious practices of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
