Metropolitan Amfilohije meets with Jorge Capitanich, Governor of the province of Chaco

His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro adnd the Littoral Amfilohije, the administrator of the Diocese of Buenos Aires and South-Central American of the Serbian Patriarchate, met on November 15, 2011 in Resistencia, the seat of Province of Chaco, with its Governor Mr. Jorge Milton Capitanich, originating from Banjani, a very influental political figure in Argentina.

Interlocutors talked in a long and friendly conversation about the history of Montenegro, relations of the Church and society, as well as other religious themes, for which Governor Capitanich showed a special interest.

Governor Capitanich pointed out that the citizens of Chaco are very proud of their multiculturism and multiconfessionalism and certain way of life, also saying that modern Chaco also was founded by a mixing of the native population and many emigrants. Mr. Capitanich also informed Metropolitan Amfilohije about other facts about this Province.

Metropolitan thanked Governor for the help of the provincial Government in the restoration of the St. Nicholas church in Machagai, in which Governor also was baptised as a child. He informed Governor on the decision of the creation of a new Diocese for Argentina and South America and expressed a hope that the help of local Government would not be missed in the future, for the sake of spiritual and material restoration of the life of the Orthodox Church in this Province, in which more than several thousand Orthodox Christians live.

Governor presented Metropolitan a book - a monograph on Chaco, and Metropolitan presented Governor an icon painted by hand of St. Basil of Ostrog, the work of the nuns from Montenegro, a luxurious monograph on St. Basil of Ostrog in English, a translation into Spanish of the famous book of Bishop Kalistos Vero " The Orthodox Church", a cross, work of the monks of Ostrog and a small icon of St. Peter of Cetinje with a part of the clothes of the Saint. The icon of St. Basil which was a gift of Metropolitan, found its place in the office of Governor Capitanich. 

At the meeting there were a councillor of the Governor Mrs. Marina Capitanich, Mrs.  Marta Capitanich, president of the Yugoslav society in Saenz Pena and the honorary consul of the Republic of Serbia in the Province of Chaco, presbyter Bosko Stojanovic, parish of Buenos Aires, protodeacon Nikola Radis, president of the church community in Buenos Aires, born in Machagai in the Province of Chaco , deacon Igor Balaban, who accompanies Metropolitan, and Mr. Juan Vulekovic, president of the Church committee of the Church of St. Nicholas in Machagai.

Metropolitan Amfilohije also met earlier in Saenz Pena with Mr. Drago Micunovic, a honorary consul of  the Republic of Montenegro in the Province of Chaco.

Source: Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral