Patron feast-day of the St. Jovan Vladimir’s church at Bar

His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Amfilohije, with the assistance of the clergy and prayerful participation of many of the faithful, officiated the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral church of St. John Vladimir in Bar on the occasion of the patron feast of St. John Vladimir, 3 June 2017.

The Metropolitan delivered a sermon on the significance of the Birtday event of the Church of Christ – Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the Pentecost. He pointed out that the vertical of human beings and the vertical of human history, the history of the world has been, is and will remain forever and ever in the carrying of the Cross according to the words of the Lord: Who wants to follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross on him and let him follow me, said Metropolitan Amfilohije.

He recalled great hatred towards the church of the Holy Trinity on the nearby Rumija mountain starting in 2005 by those who wanted to destroy it. “I hear that these days a group of atheistic  Albanians, not among those of sincere, committed ones, climbed up to the top of Rumija  and put, with hatred, the Albanian flag on this symbol of love. The church of the Holy Trinity was erected on Rumija and dedicated to the love of God. The Holy Trinity embraces with love all the peoples of the world and radiates it from this sacred mountain Rumija invoking every human being, every people not to hate but to love, not to lie but to speak truth. Therefore, it is not good to transfer this symbol of love on Rumija into a symbol of any discord,” warned Metropolitan Amfilohije.

Archbishop of Cetinje urged those who were able to follow the Holy Cross, kept by the honorable family Androvic, in the holy night before Holy Trinity Day, while being brought up  to the top of Rumija in order to worship there the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the God of Love, and to be illuminated by love for all and to shine with the holy sign of the cross both East and West, North and South, as well as to be  be aware of  the fraternal harmony rather than of hatred and strife.

The Metropolitan Amfilohije presented, on this occasion, the Order of St. John Vladimir to the officer of the Army of Montenegro Drazen Vlahovic appreciating the good deed he undertook for the safe transfer of the church of the Holy Trinity up on the top of Rumija in 2005.

Metropolitan Amfilohije undelined that setting up a church on the mountain Rumija was one of the most important events in the history of Montenegro and the Serbian Orthodox people in general. The enhancement of the cross on the mountain Rumija was an enhancement towards the heavens, the rise of human beings up to heavens, to God, to the Holy Trinity – the  God of love, indicated  Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije.

Source: Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral