Holy Synod Statement

Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops its meeting in Peć Patriarchate on march 4, 2008

The members of the Holy Synod of Bishops [of the Serbian Orthodox Church], escorted by an Italian KFOR contingent, arrived yesterday in the holy lavra of the Peć Patriarchate Monastery, where they held their fifth regular session this year, having first served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Apostles.

Holding today's session in this patriarchal seat and ancient spiritual heart of the Serbian Orthodox Church is a sign of the Church's concern for its holy shrines and its faithful in Kosovo and Metohija, who were addressed with words of encouragement and paternal love in this period burdened with suffering and new trails.

Announcent by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the Riots Following the Protest in Belgrade

Following yesterday’s people’s protest and the prayer service held for the salvation of Kosovo and Metohija, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church called upon the entire Serbian orthodox people to intensify their prayers for the deliverance of our people in Kosovo and Metohija, for peace among us and in the whole world, in these times of extreme hardship.

Public Statement Issued by the Holy Synod of Bishops on the Latest Developments in Kosovo and Metohija

During its extraordinary session held at the Patriarchy on the 17th of February 2008, the following statement on the latest developments in Kosovo and Metohija was issued by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, aimed at the national and international public:

Аppeal of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the Macedonian state authorities to release from imprisonment Metropolitan of Veles-Povadarje and Exarch (procurator) of Ohrid kyr John

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church expresses its profound concern because of the astonishing violence accomplished by the Macedonian State and Church authorities against His Eminence Metropolitan of Veles-Povadarje and Exarch of Ohrid Kyr John, as well as against other clergy and faithful people of the Orthodox Archbishopric of Ohrid.

In this violence, unfortunately, also participate - by its statements and behavior - chief representatives of the State authorities of the Republic of Macedonia who interfere directly in exclusively ecclesiastic matters. These people claim, on one side, that they pass ecclesiastic matters on the responsibility of the Church, while then again they put openly and publicly themselves on side of the schismatic organization, called the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which was even so created by the former communistic regime by interest. That kind of hypocritical relationship towards the Church, leads Macedonian State authorities into suppressing basic human and religious rights what culminates in imprisonment of Metropolitan John in the town of Bitola. Hereby the Macedonian State authorities together with the Orthodox hierarchy of the MOC (which is not recognized by anyone in the Orthodox world) participate in befooling the people that Metropolitan John and other members of the Orthodox Archbishopric of Ohrid, allegedly are "Serbian mercenaries" and "traitors" of their people. Time will prove and the very truth witnesses: these honored people only bring their Church and their people back to the eucharistic unity and to all other straight unity with all Orthodox Churches and people in the world, becoming liberated of being for many decades excommunicated of this community and isolated. People who judge and persecute for something what - according to a healthy-minded person - gives honor to a Church and people, can only be people who have spiritually a contracted horizon and who have lost sensibility for justice, for a true sovereignty of a Church and for a just dignity of a people.