Order of Holy Emperor Constantine to Ambassador of Ukraine

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch awarded His Excellency Viktor Nedopas, Ambassador of Ukraine to Serbia, the Order of Holy Emperor Constantine at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade today on 13 November 2013 .

The high dinstinction of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been presented to Ambassador Nedopas on the occasion of the marking the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, and as a sign of gratitude for his personal contribution to strenghtening relations between the Serbian Orthodox Church and Ukraine.

Appeal for help!

My name is Tanja Miliskovic, I was born on 08. 03. 1980 and I live with my father Slavko and mother Mirjana in Dobanovci, a small town in Serbia near Belgrade. Our family has lived on the edge of survival for years, constantly struggling in poverty and fighting illness. My father’s disability pension is 12000 dinars (around 105 Euros or $125) monthly and all three of us are forced to survive on it. My mother and I are unemployed and due to the economic situation in Serbia, it is very difficult to find a job here and I only get temporary low paid jobs from time to time, although I am a trained sales assistant.

Liberation Day of Novi Sad celebrated

Citizens of Novi Sad marked yesterday 95^th anniversary of the triumphal entrance of the Serbian Army in Novi Sad, led by Major Vojislav Bugarski. The Divine Liturgy at the building of the Command of the First Brigade of the Army Garrison Command of Novi Sad.

The celebrations began with the service of Divine Liturgy at the building of the Command of the First Brigade of the Land forces in the Army Garrison Command of Novi Sad and the rite of consecration of the liturgical space, dedicated to Holy Great Martyr Nestor, Christian soldier and spiritual follower of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki. His Grace Bishop Dr Irinej of Backa celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the concelebration of Bishop Dr Porfirije of Jegar and Army and the clergy. A chapel in the Command of the First Brigade is the second liturgical space in the Serbian Armed Forces which was prepared for service. The Divine Liturgy was attended by Mayor of Novi Sad Mr. Milos Vucevic, Minister of Defence Mr. Nebojsa Rodic, as well as Imam of Vojvodina Effendi Muhamed Zilkic. Commanders of all  subordinate battalions, representatives of senior soldiers and civilians, as well as representatives of the citizenry participated in the prayerful ceremony. The host of the gathering in the building of the Command of the First Brigade of the Land Forces was Brigade General Stojan Batinic with his associates.

Heroine who resembles her country

The remains of Milunka Savic, the Serbian heroine of the Balkan wars and the First World War, were  transferred yesterday to the Alley of the Greats at the New Cemetary, where were laid with tacts of the poem “There, Far Away”.

The remains of Milunka Savic, were laid to rest 40 years after her death  during a ceremony with full military and state honors and with an intonation of the national anthem “God of Justice” and salvo at the Belgrade’s New Cemetary. His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the memorial service which was attended by members of the family, President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic, Ministers Nebojsa Rodic, Ivan Mrkic, Velimir Ilic, Tomislav Jovanovic, Aleksandar Antic and Milan Bacevic, as well as Chief of the Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Ljubisa Dikovic.

An attempt at revision of the First World War: a single voice or more than that?

It is not so easy to collect one’s thoughts in such a limited space offered by such a reputed daily newspaper as “Politika”. It is difficult to make an assessment when distance in time from the events that have taken place is insufficient, in order to put it, without any prejudice, into an objective context. However, it is possible to single out the major events that led to the outbreak of the First World War. 

A lot has been researched and written about the Great War, an armed conflict of large proportions that shook the whole world. Until recently, no divergent views were heard among the historians over the causes of the War; who were the guilty parties and who were the victims. There were living witnesses, proud elderly people who would not accept lies, told or written. The forged friendships between countries and peoples that were thought to be forever have outlasted. 

SSC condemned the violation of rights of Orthodox believers in Kosovo and FYR Macedonia

The World Council of Churches (WCC ) has expressed deep concern over the issue of respect for the rights of Orthodox believers in Kosovo and also the FYR Macedonia. During the General Assembly the Council issued a public Statement about the politicization of religion and the rights of religious minorities, stating:

"The Government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia categorically denied the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric the right to register as a religious community. The government’s involvement in the legal system of the country resulted in the unlawful confinement of the head of this Church. Lately, Kosovo has been faced with the systematic destruction of over 100 Orthodox Christian holy shrines, as well as reviewing the history in terms of their cultural background, which endangers the existence of the Orthodox Serbs."

WCC urged governments of all countries to strengthen mechanisms that would ensure the survival and protection of the rights of religious minorities. Furthermore, states are encouraged to implement anti-discrimination laws to protect individuals and communities who are persecuted for professing their faith.