Holy Synod Statement

Communique

His Holiness IRINEJ, Serbian Patriarch with the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops sent a letter to the EU Representative in Serbia Mr. Peter Sørensen expressing deep concern over the erroneous translation in Serbian of one part of the addressing of the EU Special Representative in Kosovo and Metohija Mr. Peter Feight in the European Parliament on June 22, 2010. Also it was expressed an extreme disappointment over the content of the Feight's  view on the situation in the southern Serbian province.

In one part of the addressing the European Parliament Mr. Feight positively evaluated that "transition of the SOC towards a more moderate approach in Kosovo is another positive development".This sentence in the Serbian translation of his addressing, which was sent to media by the office of Peter Feight, was incorrectly translated and means: "The transition of the SOC towards a more moderate approach regarding the Kosovo issue is another positive developement". The difference between " a more moderate approach (behavior) in Kosovo" and "a more moderate approach regarding the Kosovo issue" (is it regarding the issue of status?) is a very large and represents a grave mistake for which His Holiness has asked for the public correction and an apology from the office of the EU.

Communique

For days a group of monks of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, which do not recognize the religious order and the decision of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church on February 13, 2010. and who are placed under the canonical prohibition, together with some like-minded, and led by monk Antonije Davidovic of Black River, against whom is run the religious and legal process, distrubute throughout cities in Serbia and in some monasteries an article titled Appeal of the clergy, monks and faithful church people to the Sacred Church Council of the SOC and collect signatures of support.

Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops due to beginning the procedure of determing canonical responsibility of Bishop Artemije

Today at the session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, chaired by Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, it has been decided to initiate the procedure of determining the canonical responsibility of His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren in the first instance (Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church art. 70, sect. 20 and 356), with His obligation to cooperate during the procedure, and to be removed from the management of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren until the completion of the initiated procedure, or until the next regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops.

His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren can stay and serve in one of the monasteries or in a different place on the territory of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren or beyond it until the completion of the procedure, in an agreement with the administrator, or with the permission of the competent diocesan bishop, but without any intervention in the jurisdiction of the administrator or any of diocesan bishops.

On the basis of art. 70. sect. 21 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace retired Bishop Atanasije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina to be established as the Administrator of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren with all the rights and duties of the diocesan bishop.

Communique - November 25, 2009

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on its session on November 25, 2009, brought a decision that the Divine Liturgy and 40-day memorial service will be served on December 24 of this year at St. Sava Cathedral on Vrachar. The Divine Liturgy will commence at 9:00am and the memorial service will be served at the end of the Divine Liturgy around 11:00am. Afterwards, at Monastery Rakovica, at the grave of Patriarch of blessed repose a commemoration will be served.

At the same session the Holy Synod of Bishops scheduled a session of the Elective Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church on January 22, 2010.

From the Office of the Holy Synod of Bishops

Communique – November 12, 2009

On November 12, 2009 the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church  received Mr. Vuk Jeremic ,Foreign Minister of Serbia, on the official working visit. He was accompanied by Mr. Mladjan Djordjevic, advisor to the President of Serbia and Mr. Damjan Krnjevic, advisor to the minister of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Jeremic sought and received the blessing of the Holy Synod before the upcoming visit of  President of Serbia Boris Tadic and members of the Government of Serbia to Italy and the Vatican. On that occasion the quality of relations between Church and State was analyzed and  positively evaluated.

From the Office of the Holy Synod

Delivers: Bishop of Bachka Dr. Irinej

Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the SOC, October 15th, 2009

APPEAL
to the faithful people in Kosovo and Metohija,
on the occasion of holding local elections scheduled
for November 15, 2009

We call the faithful people in Kosovo and Metohija, for disrespect of the basic human rights in this Province of the Republic of Serbia guaranteed by the The Charter of the United Nations and especially by the Resolution 1244, not to respond to the invitation of illegal institutions of the authorities of the self-declared Republic of Kosovo and not to participate in the local elections in Kosovo and Metohija planned for November 15, 2009.

Head of the Holy Synod of Bishops
Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral
Amfilohije