Holy Synod Statement

Public Appeal to State Authorities of Serbia

Mr. Tomislav Nikolic,
President of Serbia

Mr. Ivica Dacic,
President of the Government of Serbia

Mr. Aleksandar Vucic,
First Vice President of the Government of Serbia

Belgrade
 

Esteemed  Mr. President,
Еsteemed Mr. Prime Minister,
Еsteemed Mr. First Vice President of the Government,

In this, for both Serbia and the Serbian people very difficult and crucial – and perhaps fateful moment, we address you on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church in fatherly and brotherly manner, with respect and trust in Your Orthodox Christian conscience and in Your sense of patriotism and the state responsibility. We do not address you in an ordinary way, but by this public appeal, and we do it for many reasons, of which two are the most important - shortness of time (the Brussels’ ultimatum expires as early as Tuesday) and a need to refute, in the most obvious manner, the impudent lie which has been shared for the last few days by certain people and media about the silence of our Church regarding Kosovo (!).

Decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops - January 24, 2013

Please be informed of several changes in the 2013 church calendar made by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade based on on characteristics of the Orthodox Church Typicon:

• The feast day of the 1st and 2nd Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist, which falls on Meatfare Saturday, March 9/24, will be celebrated on Friday, March 8/23 (Great Typicon, compiled by V. Rev. V. Nikolajevic, 46a).

• The feast day of the Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebaste (Youth's Day), which falls on Friday of the first week of Lent, March 22/9, will be celebrated on Cheese-fare Sunday, March 17/4 (Great Typicon, compiled by V. Rev. V. Nikolajevic, 46a).

• The feast day of the Translation of the Relics of St. Nikolaj of Zicha, which falls on Great and Holy Friday, May 3/April 20, will be celebrated on Tuesday of Bright Week, May 7/24 (since the feast day of St. George the Greatmartyr, falls on Bright Monday).

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

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

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church with this appeal addresses all participants of the drama in the northern region of Kosovo and Metohija, with the warm prayer to God, the only Source of true peace, unity and love among peoples and nations, that they not allow this drama to be turned into a tragedy.

Public Statement of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Regarding the visit of the monk Artemije,defrocked bishop, to certain Serbian communities in the United States of America

Regarding the news that the monk Artemije (Radosavljevic) has publicly appeared in certain Serbian communities in the United States of America, presenting himself falsely as a bishop, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church issues the following statement:

The intrusive announcement of the visit of the monk Artemije has no blessing of the Serbian Patriarch, nor any local bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America, nor any organization or individual in our Church.

The Communique of The Holy Synod - 16th December 2010

Holy Synod of Bishops at the meeting held on 16th of December this year, addressed the Church and the general public, regarding the anti-church conduct of the former Bishop of Raška and Prizren, now monk Artemije, with the following statement: