Audiences at the Serbian Patriarchate – 10 July 2013

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, hosted three audiences at the Serbian Patriarchate yesterday on 10 July 2013. Patriarch Irinej met with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar; Dr. Mileta Radojevic, director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities as well as Mr. Petar Jovanovic, director of the Raiffeisen bank. His Grace newly-elected Bishop Atanasije of Bihac-Petrovac, and Fr. Leopold Rochmes, General Vicar of the Roman-Catholic Archbishopric of Belgrade, were present at the audience of Archbishop of Belgrade.

Serbian Patriarch sends condolences to the Bulgarian Patriarch His Holiness Neofit

His Holiness

Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit

Your Holiness,

On the occasion of sudden repose in the Lord of Metropolitan  Kiril of Varna and Veliki Preslav, of blessed memory, who in his committed life served God (Phil 3: 10-11), We express on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as on Our own behalf , to honorable bishops, pious clergy, venerable monks and the faithful of the God-protected Bulgarian Orthodox Church Our most sincere condolences.

His eminent personality We remember most recently from Our last visit to the Georgian Orthodox Church when We had talks with His Eminence – whereas now we learn about the sad news.

We pray to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who is Resurrection and Life (John 11: 25), that He may grant eternal repose to the noble soul of Metropolitan Kiril and remember  him in His Heavenly Kingdom.

Belgrade, July 10^th 2013

Serbian Patriarch

+Irinej

Metropolitan Kiril of Varna and Veliki Preslav reposed in the Lord

Metropolitan Kiril of Varna and Veliki Preslav of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been found dead on a Black Sea beach not so far from the Metropolitan's residence in the exurban area of Trakata., the Holy Synod said on July 9 2013 in its statement. At the moment, the body of Metropolitan Kiril is at the Forensic Medicine Department. Information published in the media about his violent death has not been confirmed. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Bulgarian Patriarchate call upon all Orthodox Christians to pray to God to give rest to the soul of Metropolitan Kiril there, where the righteous repose.

The Conference of European Churches urges Prime Minister Gruevski for immediate release of Archbishop Jovan!

The Conference of European Churches, which from 3^rd to 8^th July held its 14^th General Assembly in Budapest, at the end of its work issued an announcement in regard to the arresting and the imprisonment of His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje, by the authorities of R. Macedonia.

The announcement states:

The Assembly of CEC has learned with great concern about the arrest and detention of Archbishop Jovan in R. Macedonia. It is believed that his detention is a result of him exercising his human right of religious freedom. Reaffirming that freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental right guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human rights and the European Convention on Human Rights to which R. Macedonia is a party.

Audiences at the Serbian Patriarchate – 8 July 2013

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, received Mr. Radoslav Zelenovic, general director of the Kinoteka; Mrs. Ljubinka Terzic, deputy finance director of the Kinoteka; and Mr. Bozidar Marjanovic, higher expert associate of this institution, at the Serbian Patriarchate on 8 July 2013.

On the same day, with the blessing of His Holiness Irinej, His Grace newly elected Bishop Atanasije of Bihac-Petrovac met with representatives of the Serbs from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Serbia: Mr. Dusko Belovic, president of the Association; Mrs. Vesna Vukovic, expert associate for humanitarian activities; and Mr. Dusan Zekic, youth coordinator.

President Dodik visited Cathedral church in Foca

President of the Republic of Srpska Mr. Milorad Dodik visited on 5 July 2013 the Cathedral church of Saint Sava in Foca, the  construction of which has lasted since 2006. Minister of Education and Culture Mr. Goran Mutabdzija, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining Mr. Zeljko Kovacevic, the head of the Municipalitity of Foca Mr. Radisav Masic accompanied the President.