A New Church in Mrcevci Consecrated

Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej together with His Grace Jefrem, Diocesan Bishop of Banja Luka, consecrated a completely  new dedicated to the Holy Equal-to-the Apostles Emperor Constantine and Helen in the village of Mrčevci near Laktaši, on 6 October 2018.

The “god-fathers”of the church were the President of the Republic of Srpska Mr. Milorad Dodik and the Chairman of the Committee for the Church Construction, Mr. Dragoljub Davidovic, who received charters.

Addressing a huge congregation, the Serbian Patriarch called upon all the citizens of the Republic of Srpska to live in harmony and love. “We are a small people and if we want to survive, we have to be unanimous and live in love and common respect. Such a way of living has preserved us throughout the history, and it will preserve us at the difficult moment of history as well as in future,” underlined the Patriarch.

The competent Diocesan Bishop Jefrem of Banja Luka expressed his deep gratitude to the Primate of the Serbian Church, who encouraged his flock and gave spiritual advice and exhortations.

The President of the Republic of Srpska, Mr. Milorad Dodik, in his speech expressed his joy that the church was constructed in the village of Mrcevci, where in the Second World War the Serbian Orthodox population suffered to such an extent that, i. e. during one day 171 citizens of the village were murdered by the Ustashis, and even several families were erased from the face of the earth. For this reason, the village of Mrcevci has received a testimonial church.

The event of the consecration of the church was prayerfully attended by Mrs. Zeljka Cvijanovic, Prime Minister of the Government of Republic of Srpska, and Mr.  Dragan Davidovic, head of the Secretariat for Religions in Banja Luka.

Source: RTRS