Statements

Information for media – Christmas Encyclical

His Holiness Irinej will read Christmas Enclytical of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Friday,  January 4th, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade.

We call representatives of media to attend this event. Please send accreditations on info@spc.rs  no later than January 3rd, 2013 until 12 a.m. 

Information Service
of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Statement from Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand

''We swear you by Almighty God that in no way should you detract from the worth, greatness and importance of our reconciliation. Let not one empty and unverified word pass over your mouths. Let our reconciliation be an example for all the other Serbs, wherever they may live. Do not allow any one of us by our actions to hinder this common sanctity. Our reconciliation has just begun. We have planted a young seedling which we need to nurture and cherish as the apple of the eye that it may grow to the pride of all'' (Metropolitan Iriney of New Gracanica - 19 February 1993).

During the past few weeks there appear a multitude of unverified, inaccurate and often malicious articles published on the internet related to the litigation in which the Serbian Orthodox Church is attempting to return to her fold the now usurped New Kalenich Monastery in Canberra.

In light of the same, the Metropolitan Executive Board of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church desires to emphasise the following:

Conference “Social Protection in Rural Areas – Possibilities and Challenges“

Philanthropy, The Charitable Foundation of the Serbian Orthodox Church organized a conference “Social Protection in Rural Areas – Possibilities and Challenges” on 13 December 2012, the day of Saint Andrew the First called Apostle. The Conference was organized in the St. Sava Hall in Nis, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Jovan of Nis. The conference was attended by number of prominent participants, representatives of local authorities and social welfare institutions from whole Serbia, as well as respective representatives of civil society active in the area of providing social services to the most vulnerable rural population.

Bishop Irinej participates in the Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration

Communique

The President of Serbia Mr. Tomislav Nikolic received yesterday on August 14, 2012 the representatives of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, Their Graces Bishops Marko of Bregalnica and David of Stobi, the member of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop Irinej of Backa and Bishop Porfirije of Jegar. Bishops of the Archbishopric of Ohrid told the problems of their Church, facts on  the unjust imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and about the vulnerability of human rights and religious freedoms of bishops, priests, monks and believers of the Archbishopric of Ohrid.  President Nikolic assured his guests that he would actively advocate for full respect for human rights and religious freedoms, not only for the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church, but for all people, all nations and all communities in Serbia, in the region and the world.

Diocese of Raska-Prizren strongly condemns the brutal killing of two Serbian returnees in the village Talinovac near Urosevac

Bishop Teodosije of Raska-Prizrena and Kosovo-Metohija strongly condemns the brutal crime in a village of Talinovac near Urosevac,  in which two Serbian returnees were killed last night, spouses Milovan and Ljiljana Jevtic. 

Bishop Teodosije appealed to the international representatives in Kosovo and local institutions as soon as possible to investigate this brutal crime and to provide the Serbs in Talinovac a peaceful, safe and dignified life.  If the police also this time fails to find the perpetrators, as it was in the case with several other similar crimes against the Serbs, and we should mention the brutal murder of the family Stolic in Obilic in 2003., this latest crime will be another indication that the responsibility for this situation lies not only with individuals extremists, but also with the local Kosovar institutions. In this manner this institutions conceal, and often openly tolerate and encourage a violent and intolerant behavior toward Serb returnees.