Statements

Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina appointed Administrator of the Metropolitanate of Dabar-Bosnia

His Grace Bishop Grigorije of Zaholm-Herzegovina and the Littoral is the Administrator of the Metropolitanate of Dabar-Bosnia

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at the session held on 28 October 2015 in Belgrade, passed the following decision: “Based on  Art. 70, Paragraph 21 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop Grigorije of Zaholm-Herzegovina, is appointed as Administrator of the vacant Diocese of Dabar-Bosnia with all rights and duties of a diocesan Bishop”.

Serbia will not recognise Kosovo's independence, opposes its membership in UNESCO

Top state and church officials and representatives of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts invited members of UNESCO to reject application of Kosovo to UNESCO, and pointed out that Serbia will not recognise Kosovo's independence, and that it will continue its path towards EU membership, while cherishing and improving the traditionally good relations with Russia, China and other countries.

At today's meeting held at the Presidency of Serbia, which was attended by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic with advisers, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, National Assembly Speaker Maja Gojkovic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, Ministers Nebojsa Stefanovic, Bratislav Gasic and Nikola Selakovic, Director of the Office for Kosovo-Metohija Marko Djuric, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej with members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church and President and representatives of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Vladimir Kostic and Ljubomir Maksimovic, the following conclusions were agreed and adopted:

Regarding aspirations of the temporary institutions of Kosovo and Metohija that the self-proclaimed „State of Kosovo“ becomes a member of UNESCO

LETTER OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS
OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
TO MRS. IRINA BOKOVA
Director-General of UNESCO

HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
No 1047
14 September 2015
Belgrade

Director-General of UNESCO,
Mrs. Irina Bokova
Paris

Dear Madame,

On the occasion of recent self-proclaimed Government of Kosovo bid for UNESCO membership we would wish to express our profound concern on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church. We are convinced that an eventual acceptance of this request would have far-reaching consequences for the Christian cultural heritage itself as well as the perspective of common life of Serbs, Albanians and others in Kosovo and Metohija in the future.

Communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of
the Serbian Orthodox Church held in Belgrade May 14-29, 2015

The regular meeting of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church took place at the Serbian Patriarchate took place at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade from May 14 – 29, 2015 under the presidency of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Participating in the Assembly were all diocesan hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the exception of Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabra Bosna. Also present at the Assembly for the first time since the 2011 meeting was His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skoplje Jovan, released a few months prior from the Skoplje Idrizovo prison in large part through the efforts of His Holiness Russian Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church, in cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church to the measure possible.

COMMUNIQUE

The Supreme Court of New South Wales handed down its judgment today in legal proceedings commenced, with the knowledge and consent of the Holy Assembly of Bishops and the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, by His Grace Bishop Irinej and the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand against the Free Serbian Orthodox Diocese for Australia and New Zealand Property Trust Limited and its directors for breaches of a charitable trust relating to the St Sava Monastery New Kalenich located in Wallaroo, New South Wales.

By way of summary, the Court found as follows:

Communique – 23 May 2015

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on today’s session brought its final decision in which His Grace Bishop Filaret of Canada was permanently released from administering the Diocese of Canada.

The Diocese of Milesheva is administered by Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje-Niksic