Eparchial (Diocesan) Statement

Regarding the catastrophic earthquake in Christchurch

Our beloved spiritual children, dear brothers and sisters. Οnly a few months have passed since the horrific earthquake which hit Christchurch and New Zealand in September 2010. Even less time has passed since the earthquake in Kraljevo. We are still recovering from the floods, cyclones and bushfires which have swept over Queensland and Western Australia, and now another catastrophe has come upon us.

Patriarch Irinej in Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral

We inform with a great joy all priesthood and the faithful in Montenegro that in a period from October 30 until November 1 of this year, and on the occasion of St. Peter of Cetinje and the remembrance of 180 years of his enthronment, our Metropolitanate will be visited by His Holiness Irinej Arcbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovac and Serbian Patriarch upon the invitation of His Eminence Amfilohije Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral.

Bishop Dr Irinej of Backa: Response to accusations of Mufti Zukorlic

These days, all local media reported the fierce accusations of Mr. Muamer Zukorlic, Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia, addressed on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, the state of Serbia and, ultimately, me personally.

What an ordinary Muslim, uninformed of the relations between the Churches and religious communities in the country, can conclude from Zukorlic's fervent statements that the Serbian Orthodox Church is some sort of a chauvinistic and extremist organization that only looks how to harm Muslims, and that I am some tyrant who lead a violence against Islamic religious education and other activities of Muslims in Serbia.

Unity of the Church in Australia and New Zealand is desire of whole Serbdom

This weekend finally a long-waited parallel session of Diocesan council of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand and Church-people council of the Diocese for Australia and New Zealand is being held on which a new mutual Draft Constitution should be adopted, by which the full ecclesiastic and administrative unity of the Church in Diaspora.

About the significance of this document and hopes that are given for this meeting witness the letters which have come these days in the Diocesan seat in Sidney, and in which His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic address the Serbian Orthodox people of Australia and New Zealand.

On behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the letter was sent by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegroa and the Littoral, who informed His Grace Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand that the Synod on the session held on June 24 of this year generally accepted the Draft Constitution of "the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand."

Source: Diocese of Australia and New Zealand

Statement on KFOR’s intent to transfer protection of Serbian holy shrines and monuments to the Kosovo Police

The Diocese of Raška-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija expresses its serious concern due to KFOR's intent to transfer protection of the memorial at Gazimestan to the jurisdiction of the Kosovo Police. Earlier this month (March 2) during a meeting between Bishop Atanasije and Bishop's Deputy Teodosije with the KFOR commander, German General Bentler, in Gračanica Monastery, it was clearly said that it is unacceptable for this Diocese and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija that holy shrines and buildings protected by KFOR be transferred to the protection of the Kosovo Police. Especially worrisome is that this intention is again coming up on the anniversary of the March Pogrom against the Serbs and the Serbian Church six years ago. We emphasize that the KPS does not inspire confidence in either the Church or the Serbian community in this southern province of Serbia. The transfer of the protection of the memorial in Gazimestan is not good because it can open the question of continued protection for other Serbian church and national Holy Shrines and Cultural Monuments.

Communique of Diocese of Dalmatia regarding announcement on foundation of so-called "HOC"

News that yesterday in Zadar (12.03.2010) was an announcement on the establishment of the so-called "Croatian Orthodox Church" caused anxiety for the clergy and the Orthodox Serbs in Croatia. It is known that the HOC was formed in 1942 in the time of the fascist and Ustashe regime of Ante Pavelic in the NDH (Independent State of Croatia). Then the Pavelic's regime committed genocide against the Serbian, Jewish and Roma people in the NDH, and the goal of the phantom HOC was to destroy every trace of existence of the Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Serbs in this region.

The Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people have been living for centuries in the region of Dalmatia, as it is evident and confirmed the best by its parish churches and monasteries, which were built between XIII to XV century and represent a significant cultural heritage, which as such, is under the protection of the competent institutions of the Croatian state.