Statements

Constitutive session of the Commission of the Holy Assembly of Bishops for revision of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

On Monday, July 2, 2012 at the Patriarchate, the constitutive session of the  Commission of the Holy Assembly of Bishops for revision of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church with its decision of June 16, 2011 formed the Commission for revision of the Constitution of the SOC consisting of: His Eminence Metropolitan Dr Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, president; His Grace Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Dr Jovan; Their Graces Bishops Dr Irinej of Backa, Dr Ignjatije of Branicevo and retired Dr Atanasije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina; protopresbyter-staurophor Dr Zoran Krstic, hieromonk MSc Nikodim (Kosovic); protodeacon Dr Stanimir Spasovic; prof. Dr Sima Avramovic; professor Dr Nenad Milosevic and Milan Andric,members, as well as protopresbyter-staurophor MSc Velibor Dzomic, secretary.

The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the preservation of identity of Diaspora

Serbian Unity Congress and the Ministry for Religion and Diaspora organized a Round table discussion with the topic "The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the preservation of identity of Diaspora" on Monday, 21st of May.

Communique of 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 15-23, 2012

The regular meeting of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church took place at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade May 15-23, under the presidency of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Participating in the Assembly were all the diocesan hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the exception of His Beatitude Archbishop of Ochrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan who is unjustly imprisoned in the Skoplje prison of Idrizovo and His Grace Bishop Chrysostom of Bihac and Petrovac.

Public announcement in regard to the latest state-police persecution of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric

We inform the domestic and the international community that numerous police forces today, May 21 2012, at 7 hours in the morning, in an organized and violent manner entered many monasteries and homes of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

In Stip the police sought for His Grace Bishop Marko of Bregalnica and Administrator of Bitola, and not finding the Bishop, they arrested nun Pelagia.

In Skopje numerous police forces entered the Monastery Dormition of the Theotokos, looking for Bishop David of Stobi and Administrator of Strumica, and since they did not find him, they arrested the abbess of the monastery, nun Kirana. It should be mentioned that the police was brutal towards the nuns and harassing them performed a detailed search of the monastery, while filming everything with a video camera.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church expressed its protest and condemned the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan

After years of persecution, harassment, arrests and imprisonments, His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr Dr. John, pan-Orthodoxly renowned and recognized canonical Prelate of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric, was sentenced on May 11^th, to two and a half years in prison under false charges of alleged fraud and embezzlement, the result of a politically motivated and staged pseudotrial of a Stalinist-type, organized upon the blatant request of the schismatic organization calling itself “The Macedonian Orthodox Church”. He was sentenced solely because of His unwavering commitment to the unity of the Church of God; because of his communion with the Serbian Patriarchate and thereby with universal Orthodoxy worldwide; and because of his persistent and confessional fight against the schismatic mentality and anti-Ecclesiastical ethnophiletism. This is a unique case in contemporary Europe – if not in the whole civilized world – of the authorities, by order, to commit an act of cruel violence and an atrocity upon the Orthodox Church and Her lawful senior representatives, most violently breaking both their own laws and international norms and conventions.

Announcement of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the latest imprisonment of Archbishop John

After years of persecution, harassment, arrests and imprisonments, His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr Dr. John, pan-Orthodoxly renowned and recognized canonical Prelate of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric, was sentenced yesterday, May 11^th, to two and a half years in prison under false charges of alleged fraud and embezzlement, the result of a politically motivated and staged pseudotrial of a Stalinist-type, organized upon the blatant request of the schismatic organization calling itself “The Macedonian Orthodox Church”. He was sentenced solely because of His unwavering commitment to the unity of the Church of God; because of his communion with the Serbian Patriarchate and thereby with universal Orthodoxy worldwide; and because of his persistent and confessional fight against the schismatic mentality and anti-Ecclesiastical ethnophiletism. This is a unique case in contemporary Europe – if not in the whole civilized world – of the authorities, by order, to commit an act of cruel violence and an atrocity upon the Orthodox Church and Her lawful senior representatives, most violently breaking both their own laws and international norms and conventions. Fortunately, several diplomats, representatives of the Orthodox Church, as well as representatives from organizations and institutions dedicated to the protection of human rights and religious freedom, attended the “trial”, and thus an accurate report and a clear picture of this sad and ugly scene staged in the Veles courtroom can be made to the relevant factors and the public.

The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, under whose canonical jurisdiction the autonomous Ohrid Archbishopric is, condemns with the deepest moral indignation this incomparable violence and persecution conducted under the guise of legal order, and is always with the brothers and sisters from the Ohrid Archbishopric, in prayer and evangelic love, and especially with their Shepherd, who gladly accepts and endures suffering for our forefathers’ faith as well as for the unity of Christ’s holy Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church finally calls:

• for all sister Orthodox Churches throughout the ecumene;
• for all other Christian Churches in the world;
• for the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches and other Christian organizations;
• for the spiritual leaders of major world religions;
• for the for governments and relevant public authorities of legally regulated states, primarily democratic;
• for the international institutions;
• for the institutions and organizations of human rights and religious freedom; and
• for all people of good will;

to provide spiritual, moral, legal and any other possible support to the prisoner of conscience, the Archbishop John, and to contribute to his release from prison as soon as possible.

Belgrade, May 12^th, 2012

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church