Feast Day of Venerable Father Justin of Celije celebrated

In the Celije monastery, near Valjevo, on Monday June 14/1, 2010 a feast day of Venerable Father Justin of Celije was celebrated for the first time since, the Holy Assembly of Bishops, on this year's spring session, has unanimously decided that the name of Venerable Abbe to be added to the Dyptichs of the Saints of the Orthodox Church.

In the presence of thousand believers from all parts of Serbia the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was served led by His Eminence Amfilohije, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral. He was concelebrated by Their Graces Bishops Milutin of Valjevo, Vasilije of Zvornik-Tuzla, Irinej of Backa, Jovan of Sumadija, Lukijan of Osijek-Polje, Pahomije of Vranje, Georgije of Canada and Joanikije of Budimlje-Niksic, as well as other archimandrites and monks from the Greek and Russian church, priests from the Diocese of Valjevo and other dioceses.

On the occasion of misstatements on alleged mass exodus of monks from Kosovo and Metohija

On the occasion of false and partly malicious statements in some media that an alleged mass exodus of the monks from the Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija had happened it is very important that the public should inform on the factual state in this Diocese. According to the data of the Diocese and the Serbian Ministry of Faith, 176 monks and nuns (not counting the novice who has no official monastic status) are living in the Diocese. Out of this number most of the monks and nuns still live in their monasteries in obedience to the competent Bishop Locum Tenens His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije and regularly perform their monastic duties in accordance with their monastic vows. All parish priests are still in service in the Diocese and regularly carry out parish duties. With regret it has to be said that a small group of monks voluntarily left some of the monasteries of the Diocese, as it has been published in the media, but none of the diocesan monasteries remained empty. What's more, those who have left are those monks who have repeatedly changed their place of residence and who have decided, as we have found out, to live in private homes or buildings.

Award for remarkable results of students of the Military high school in the field of spiritual education and upbringing

In the side chapel of the St Sava Memorial Cathedral in Vracar, His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, Vicar of Serbian Patriarch, served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of 6 priests and 4 deacons of the Archbishopric of Belgrade-Karlovac. The liturgy was attended by cadets of the Military High school, led by the head of the Military Academy Milan Stevic, senior officers and professors. The joyous ocassion of the gathering of future and present Serbian officers and their professors with their people and priests were the achievements of the students of the Military High school in the field of spiritual education and upbringing, particularly the first grade students in the last year.

Patriarch IRINEJ meets with constructors of St. Sava's Cathedral

His Holiness Patriarch IRINEJ received on May 12, 2010 in the Serbian Patriarchate, in the presence of His Grace Vicar Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno and protomaster Mr. Vojislav Milovanovic, a donor delegation for the construction of the St. Sava Memorial Cathedral in Belgrade. As the greatest constructors of the Cathedral, the representatives of the companies MRAMOR, GEMAX and BEOGRADMONTAZA reported to His Holiness on  previous work, current status and plans of these companies in the future.

Communique

The Great Church Court of the Serbian Orthodox Church was in session on June 11 of this year and then, unanimously, confirmed and in this way strengthen the verdict of the Church Court of the Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic by which protosyngellos Simeon, the former head of the monastery of Banjska near Zvecan, was deprived of the office and monastic rank and brought back among the laity with his lay name Dejan Vilovski and excluded from the church community in three years; and the verdict of the same Court by which monk Antonije, the former brother of the monastery of Crna Reka in Raska, was deprived of the monastic rank, brought back among laity with his lay name Dragan Davidovic and excluded from the church community in two years.

Decisions of the Great Church Court are final and executive.

The Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Delivers: Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa

Consecration of St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Church in North Carolina

The first Sunday after Pentecost is All Saints Sunday, and the coinciding Gospel reading is from St. Matthew chapter 10, where Jesus called His first disciples. His disciples would witness to His teaching and continue to spread the faith after His resurrection; and on this past Sunday this same faith and teaching is continuing in Kernersville North Carolina with the consecration of St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church. Our community's faith in the face of continuous struggles has culminated in this wonderful event for many Orthodox faithful in the surrounding area of North Carolina.