The fire of the faith of God’s people has glittered
“These people who don't give their shrines, who save their honour and souls, have become the true people of God based on the testament of St. Peter of Cetinje, on his laws“, said Metropolitan Amfilohije.
On Sunday,26th February 2020, a prayer of supplication to The Most Holy Theotokos was held in the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Basil of Ostrog. On the same day in the afternoon, the faithful believers gathered in the monastery of Ostrog and with the blessing of St. Basil of Ostrog they set off their journey to the Orthodox Cathedral in Niksic.
After the prayer of supplication, there was a procession of the faithful believers through the city of Niksic, led by His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije and the clergy, thus expressing their protest over the adoption of the unconstitutional and discriminatory Law on Freedom of Religion of Montenegro, in a peaceful, dignified and Christian way.
The faithful believers of Niksic, processing in a prayerful walk through the city, singing religious hymns and prayers, holding church flags and icons witnessed that they are determined in the struggle to defend the holy Orthodox faith and their shrines. Metropolitan Amfilohije addressed the gathered believers in the Square of the Republic.
“The fire of faith, the fire of love, the fire of justice, has been flared up. The ash has been moved and behold the fire of the God’s faith and the people of God have glittered in Montenegro. I have travelled all around the world but these people won't be found neither in the North nor South nor East. These people who don't give their shrines, who save their honour and souls, have become the true people of God based on the testament of St. Peter of Cetinje, on his law“, said His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije.
He added that instead of restoring the laws of St. Peter, the Prince Danilo’s Code, Bogisic Civil Code, which made difference between church, state and king’s property, today we have been introduced the laws that continue with taking away the property.
“This law, that has been brought, is born of fratricide and blasphemy. It’s great God’s gift that the people have woken up, that people haven’t lost their souls, honour and feeling for a shrine. When the people of God speak up, that is the word of the truth and justice. It would be much more significant that the fratricidal and blasphemous laws be cancelled as fast as possible”, the Metropolitan pointed out.
He estimated that had those who voted for these lawmakers known that the laws would have been brought in this way, they wouldn’t have voted for them.
“They should see these people. If they are people’s authorities, they should hear the voice of their people. We hope that those who passed this unjust law will retreat it in order to save the honour of Montenegro and the Montenegrin Government, the honour of the President of Montenegro, the honour of this country. The honour of Montenegro is the most important”, the Metropolitan concluded and announced that the processions for the salvation and saving the shrines will be continued.
Source: Diocese of Budimlja and Niksic
Translated into English by Sanja Simic, Professor, Loznica
