Communique regarding the funeral of Patriarch Pavle of Serbia of blessed repose

His Grace Bishop Irinej of Bachka on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after the extraordinary session on the Sunday evening at teh Patriarchate court informed the public about a few details regarding the requiem service of Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose. Bishop Irinej of Bachka said that the Holy Synod dealt with particulars that are strictly prescribed in such circumstances.

His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral will perform duty of locum tenens of the patriarchate throne. During the extraordinary session of the Holy Synod  the Committee for the funeral was appointed which will hold a meeting on Monday at 10 o'clock. All details related to the requiem and funeral will be defined at that session.

The committee includes all members of the Holy Synod, certain Hierarchs, vicar bishops, priests and five representatives of the State - who will be appointed from the office of President of Serbia, ministry of Faith, ministry of Foreign Affairs and ministry of Internal Affairs.

Patriarch Pavle will be buried on Thursday, November 19, in the monastery Rakovica, according to the personal wish expressed in the Will of the Patriarch of blessed repose, which was read on the extraordinary session of the Holy Synod. The place of the requiem, prayerful send-off will be St Sava Cathedral, and if necessary,  the St Sava square in front of the Cathedral.

Finally, Bishop Irinej thanked media for the attention which is devoted to this event and asked to responsibly report on everything, but to seek and receive information from certain persons appointed in advance, and that  various and unofficial speculations are not taken into account.

Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral  said that His Holiness Patriarch Pavle all his life devoted to serving God and his people, and installed himself in the life of our church and our nation. "His basic life principle was that we are as people associates of God , that we are called to do according to our knowledge as much as we can, as God gave us gifts and power.  " The Lord invoke him to the throne of Saint Sava during years of turmoil , conflicts, civil war. With peaceful soul it can be concluded that the Lord just chose him filled with deep faith, trust in God, purity, conscience, love and goodness. "said His Eminence Metropolitan.

Metropolitan Amfilohije said that Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose "honorably and with dignity brought out heavy cross of the Serbian patriarch as hardly anyone in our past." We pray to the Lord to repose our spiritual father, Patriarch Pavle of Serbia and to summon him in his arms along with his namesake apostle of peoples Paul and all the archbishops of Pec who before him bore the cross of Saint Sava church, "concluded Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, who was at the last night's session of the Synod appointed to be locum tenens - the guardian of the patriarchate throne.

Serbian President Boris Tadic said that the reposed of Serbian Patriarch Pavle was a huge loss for the Serbian nation, the state and the Serbian Orthodox Church and that this was the moment when we needed more than ever the unity. "He was the figure respected from the representatives of all faiths and all confessional churches, and was honored by the Russian and the Ecumenical Patriarch and by the Pope, the highest religious representatives of Protestant churches, because he believed and behaved in a way as he believed," said President Tadic.

Serbian President said that one thought of Patriarch Pavle remained "a covenant for all citizens of Serbia in times that are and those coming - not to defend from somebody else's evil but from evil in ourselves." " Patriarch Pavle was saying this in difficult times of the 1990s and that, as well as his modesty and simplicity, should remain key places in our history in the future, "said the Serbian president.

Serbian President emphasized that the state would do everything that the very act of the send-off of the Serbian Patriarch  be marked in a worthy manner and to provide any support to the SOC in these days. "Citizens of Serbia are faced with a huge loss, but  Patriarch Pavle was one of those people who by their very existence and their work bring together the entire people. This is the moment when we need unity more than ever, "said Tadic.