Statement of Holy Assembly of Bishops

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 Monastery Studenica, Ras and Belgrade May 14-24, 2014

Under the presidency of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej the regular meeting of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church began this year on May 14 at Monastery Studenica where in the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos the Divine Liturgy was served on the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the birth of St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing (Stefan Nemanja), and it continued in Ras (Novi Pazar) where, in the Sts. Peter and Paul Church, the Invocation of the Holy Spirit was served on the same day in order for the sessions of the Sabor to proceed at the Patriarchate in Belgrade.Participating in the Sabor were the majority of the diocesan bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Absent were only His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skoplje and His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabro Bosna. Also, Bishop Milutin of Valjevo and Bishop Chrysostom of Zvornik-Tuzla and other bishops were temporarily absent as they visited those areas most threatened by the floods.

Appeal of the Holy Assembly of Bishops

The appeal of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church to all priesthood, monks and faithful people, as well as to all the people of good will

Deeply concerned and grief-stricken, but also filled with unshakable faith in love and grace of God, we address all priesthood, monks and faithful people of our Holy Church, as well as all the people of good will, on the occasion of the disastrous floods and terrible suffering of numerous families in Serbia, Republic of Srpska and the whole region. And we call upon everyone, and above all upon our clergy, to show both Christian and human solidarity with all the victims and the affected, to actively and committedly participate in the defense of settlements and vitally important objects from the destructive element, and to provide shelter, aid in food, clothing and medicines, finances and any other support for their neighbours.

In particular, we urge priests and monks to multiply their prayers, to perform daily prayers of supplication during the forthcoming days of heavy rains and to be front row with those who testify Christ’s love by helping the rescue of the suffering brothers and sisters. As a good example we would like to point out relentless rescue of the people performed by the state leadership and civil services (army, police, gendarmerie and others), as well as by all our citizens who participate voluntarily in this God-pleasing and noble action, often exposing their lives to danger.

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 and Nis May 21 – June 3, 2013

The regular meeting of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church took place at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade and in Nis May 21-June 3, 2013 under the presidency of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Participating in the Assembly were the majority of the diocesan hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Absent were only His Beatitude Archbishop of Ochrid and Metropolitan of Skoplje Jovan and His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabro-Bosna.

Communiqué

At today's session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops decisions were made concerning some vacant dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Two vacant dioceses have been filled, and others, for important practical reasons, will still have administrators in charge. Specifically, the present Diocesan Bishop of Bihac-Petrovac Hrizostom will occupy the vacant throne of bishops of the Zvornik-Tuzla Diocese, and the present Vicar Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno was elected as Bishop of the vacant Diocese of Bihac-Petrovac.

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.