Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
March 18, 2003

After the ferocious assassination of the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Dr. Zoran Djindjic, the Serbian Orthodox Church received a large number of telegrams and letters of condolences.

The first letter arrived from His Beatitude Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, who writes that the hierarchs and the priests of the Greek Orthodox Church with bitterness condemn the horrible criminal act in the centre of Belgrade and that they pray to the Master of life and death that the soul of the unfairly killed brother in Christ, Zoran Djindjic, should repose with the souls of other deceased peacemaker in Abraham’s bosom, adding that his followers should continue his work. Our Greek brothers pray for the victory of peace and unity for the progress of the friendly Serbian people of the same faith.

Then Alexander Belopopsky, Europe Secretary of the World Council of Churches sent the telegram of condolences saying that the World Council of Churches sympathises with the Serbian people in this moment and that it prays to the Lord for peace in the forthcoming period.

Right Reverend & Right Honourable Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, says that it was with great astonishment that he heard the sad news from Belgrade about the murder of the Prime Minister of the Serbian Government Zoran Djindjic. His people know him as courageous man and leader of the Serbian people. The service for the repose of his soul was performed in the Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London on March 14, 2003 in the morning.

Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany Manfred Kock pointed out that Dr. Zoran Djindjic had been a politician who courageously and decisively fought for democratic reforms in Serbia. The assassinators must not think that they could stop the Serbian society on its path to freedom and democracy.

On behalf of the General Secretariat of the European Churches Conference in Geneva, Revd Dr. Keith Clements, CEC General Secretary, offered condolences. The telegram reads that the murder of the Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic is a terrible blow to the whole country which is making incredible efforts to strengthen its democratic life. It is obvious that there are certain elements in Serbia which tend to provoke instability exclusively for their selfish interests and create the general atmosphere of fear among people. Therefore, we will pray to the Lord that the Serbian Orthodox Church, wisely guided by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle, should continue to be the well of consolation and strength to the citizens in Serbia, and especially to encourage Serbian Government which will now bear even greater burden of responsibility.