Important News

Russian Church officially condemns Kosovo independence

Moscow, April 15, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church has issued a document officially condemning Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.

Minutes of a meeting of the Holy Synod in Moscow on Tuesday, quoted the Church's governing body as expressing "solidarity with Serbia, a country that shares our faith, due to the separation from it of one of its historic parts, a part that has played a role in the history of the spiritual, cultural and ethnic life of the Serb people."

The Synod backed the position of "the Serbian Orthodox Church in the issue of separation of Kosovo and Metohia from Serbia."

It also advocated "all forms of support for the will of the brotherly Serbian people, who want the territorial integrity of their state to be preserved."

In February 2008, the head of the Russian Church, Patriarch Alexy II, expressed fear that Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence would fuel separatist movements in other parts of the world and set off "very tragic events."

Kosovo's declaration of independence "is an anti-historical event, which upsets the world balance, something that may lead to very tragic events in a whole number of spots on the globe where separatist sentiments are being stoked," Alexy said.

Oldest Orthodox church in Balkans (Serbian Orthodox Church) defaced

A 9th century Serb Orthodox Church in Novi Pazar was last night sprayed with offensive graffiti in 6th April 2008. The priests at the St. Peter church reported this to the police and then informed the media.

The church walls were sprayed with vulgar and unreligious messages, the priests said, and asked the police to urgently apprehend the perpetrator or perpetrators, which remain unknown.

Meantime the Riaset, the seat of the Islamic Community of Serbia, led by Adem Zilkić, condemned this incident in the strongest terms, it was reported. The Riaset added that a desecration of any religious structure "sows the seeds of unrest", and that, "according to the Koran", it is "worse sin than murder".

The Riaset also stressed it has good relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), and condemned the incident that took place in the multi-ethnic Sandžak, saying that "those who did it do not mean well to their people"."Bosniaks and Serbs have for years shared this common space by living in peace and tolerance, successfully resisting all temptations so far," the Islamic organization said.

The St. Peter church in Novi Pazar (Serbia) was built in the 9th century, and is the oldest Orthodox church in the Balkans. At that place Stefan Nemanja, the biggest Serbian emperor, was resigned from the throne and went away in Mount Athos. His son St. Sava Serbian, as the youngest child, and him were founders of the Serbian monastery Chilandar (Mount Athos). His successors , in the Medeival era, were founders of many monasteries and churches in Kosovo and Metochia, BYRMacedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Hercegovina and Bulgaria.

Congratulatulations for the Purim

Info service of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox church congratulate Purim to all the jewish faithful.

Purim, a Jewish holiday, commemorates the escape of the Jewish people from annihilation by the ancient Persian Empire. The day is celebrated with a traditional feast, exchange of food between friends, donating to charities and reading the story of Purim from the Megillah or Purim Scroll.

Fourth Anniversary of the March Pogrom Against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija – March 17, 2004-2008

The fourth anniversary of the destruction of tens of churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija, the expuslsion of tens of thousands of Serbs and the killing of nineteen Serb civilians on behalf of the Albanian terrorists will be marked on Monday, March 17, 2008. That night, the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija lived through their own "Kristallnacht'' in the presence of thousands of international troops and the UN civil mission. Frescoes and churches which had been resisiting various conquerors for ages were destroyed in one day.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Visits Saint Sava’s Church

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Dmitry Medvedev, and the Minsiter of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergej Lavrov, are on an official vist to Serbia. In the afternoon, Mr. Medvedev visited the Church of Saint Sava on the Vracar Plateau.

The Church of Saint Sava’s official web presentation site refers to Mr. Medvedev’s stressing that the Russian high ranking delegation’s visit to Serbia shows Russia’s wish to support Serbia, not only politically and spiritually, but economically, as well.

The Promise is Given, Kosovo is Serbia as Long as We Live

BELGRADE, Feb 21 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on Thursday, addressing the protest rally in Belgrade, that Kosovo has belonged to Serbia from times immemorial, and that it will always be so.

"As a state, citizens and a nation, we are not giving up our place in the world. We are not giving up our place among the nations of the world. But we ask that we arrive at such a place and our future under the same conditions as all other nations and all states in the world. That is justice! That is international law! That is the 21st century. Anything else is force," the prime minister said.