Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church June 19, 2002
SERBIAN MONASTERIES AS SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL
CENTRES
Mr Slobodan Mileusnic, MA, Director of the Museum of the Serbian
Orthodox Church, delivered a lecture "Serbian Monasteries as Spiritual and Cultural
Centres" on June 15, 2002. The lecture was organised by the Cultural Centre Basilica
di San Celso from Milan and by the Serbs living in the newly established Milan parish. Mr
Mileusnic pointed out both the spiritual role of the Serbian monasteries, and their
significance as cultural centres and places of national gathering. Constructing them,
Serbian rulers (who were endowers and contributors of the monasteries) showed their
political power, but also their deep Orthodox faith. Some of them abdicated and took
monastic vows. Furthermore, some Serbian rulers, especially those from the Nemanyic
family, were proclaimed saints. The lecture was translated into Italian and thus available
to numerous Italians.
After the lecture, Mr
Mileusnic opened an exhibition of photos "Chiladar - Eight Centuries of Serbian
Soul" authored by Mr Slavomir Matejic, artistic photograph from Belgrade. The
exhibition comprises 39 photographs on large paperboards showing Mount Athos, the
Chilandar Monastery and its valuables.
A great number of the
Serbs as well as of the Italians crowded the building of the San Celso Church which was
adapted for exhibition. Mr Mileusnic underlined spiritual and historical continuance of
the Chilandar tradition and pointed out artistic value and value of the church-artistic
objects. However, he concluded that monastics - who had been guarding our monasteries and
interceding before God for more than 8 centuries- were the greatest value of the Chilandar
monastery. Hadn't they persisted, the majestic Chilandar monastery and its church-artistic
treasury wouldn't have existed at all. The next day, on Sunday, June 16, father Rasko
Radovic, priest of Trieste served the Holy Hieararchal Liturgy and held memorial service
in Milan.
Mr Slobodan Mileusnic, MA, Director of the Museum of the Serbian
Orthodox Church, delivered a lecture "Serbian Monasteries as Spiritual and Cultural
Centres" on June 15, 2002. The lecture was organised by the Cultural Centre Basilica
di San Celso from Milan and by the Serbs living in the newly established Milan parish. Mr
Mileusnic pointed out both the spiritual role of the Serbian monasteries, and their
significance as cultural centres and places of national gathering. Constructing them,
Serbian rulers (who were endowers and contributors of the monasteries) showed their
political power, but also their deep Orthodox faith. Some of them abdicated and took
monastic vows. Furthermore, some Serbian rulers, especially those from the Nemanyic
family, were proclaimed saints. The lecture was translated into Italian and thus available
to numerous Italians.
After the lecture, Mr
Mileusnic opened an exhibition of photos "Chiladar - Eight Centuries of Serbian
Soul" authored by Mr Slavomir Matejic, artistic photograph from Belgrade. The
exhibition comprises 39 photographs on large paperboards showing Mount Athos, the
Chilandar Monastery and its valuables.
A great number of the
Serbs as well as of the Italians crowded the building of the San Celso Church which was
adapted for exhibition. Mr Mileusnic underlined spiritual and historical continuance of
the Chilandar tradition and pointed out artistic value and value of the church-artistic
objects. However, he concluded that monastics - who had been guarding our monasteries and
interceding before God for more than 8 centuries- were the greatest value of the Chilandar
monastery. Hadn't they persisted, the majestic Chilandar monastery and its church-artistic
treasury wouldn't have existed at all. The next day, on Sunday, June 16, father Rasko
Radovic, priest of Trieste served the Holy Hieararchal Liturgy and held memorial service
in Milan.