Bishop Fotije: This faith strengthens the universe!

His Grace Bishop Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Holy Prophet Elijah in Janja on Sunday of Orthodoxy, 21 March 2021. 

The Bishop was concelebrated by  protopresbyter-staurophors Miodrag Gavric and Cviko Mojic, retired parish priests of Bijeljina; archpriest Aleksandar Tesic, diocesan dean of Ugljevik and Janja; protodeacon Bogdan Stjepanovic and deacon Milenko Krajisnik. 

In the first week of Easter Lent, our Holy Church remembers the Holy Fathers who in 843 established in Constantinople that the icon was a gift of God and established respect for holy icons after a long persecution of icons in the VIII and IX centuries. That is why this week is called Sunday of Orthodoxy i.e. Sunday of true faith. Today we celebrate this celebration, in it we rejoice together and rejoice in prayers and supplications, and we shout with psalms and songs, because this is the faith of the Apostles. This is the faith of the Fathers. This is the faith of the Orthodoxy. This faith strengthens the universe, Bishop Fotije said.

- Here we are in the first Sunday of Lent - Sunday of Orthodoxy, and as fasting begins, so does the spiritual struggle. Who is a little more spiritually sober can follow what is happening to him - in his life, soul and heart. These days, brothers and sisters, we are constantly under pressure from earthly things. The news we listen to, the information we get. They keep bringing us back to earth. They keep bringing us back to what is transient. And it bothers us all. All this is a mental struggle in which today's man lives, Bishop Fotije pointed out, who, referring to the holiday that celebrates the victory of Orthodoxy, pointed out:

- The victory of Orthodoxy are these children who stand and hold icons on their chests throughout the Liturgy.

Source: Diocese of Zvornik-Tuzla