Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
March 24, 2003

STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC

On March 19, 2003, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle addressed – on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and on his own behalf – a congratulatory message to Mr Zoran Zivkovic, newly appointed Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia on the occasion of his assuming a new, responsible duty. Patriarch Pavle said he was praying to the Lord for the new Prime Minister, “to give him strength, according to the might of His glory, for all steadfastness and endurance in his work to the benefit of the people to whom he serves, as well as to his personal benefit”.

Instead of a response to the congratulatory message of the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, that same day the Government of the Republic of Serbia issued a statement, which all the media reported and upon which various “non-governmental organisations”, “forums” and “committees” diligently “ponder” till this very moment, in the manner known from agitprop period.

We regret to say that we were forced, for the sake of truth, to publicly answer to at least some claims from that statement which was issued – surprisingly – on the fourth day after the funeral of the assassinated Prime Minister.

1. The Serbian Orthodox Church accepted with pleasure the exclusive wish of the Djindjic family and the suggestion of the Serbian Government to perform the service for the repose of the soul of the tragically assassinated Prime Minister in the Saint Sava’s Memorial Temple, for whose construction the later Prime Minister strove so much. It is obvious to us that this fact, and the fact that he was buried as a Christian and according to the Orthodox rite, bothers some people, but that is their personal problem. The facts are the way they are.
2. The homily of the serving clergyman (Bishop or priest) during the service for the repose of the soul of the dead – as during any other service – is an integral part of this office, that is of this service. Therefore, there was no chance this part of the service was or could have been discussed about, let alone that the “representatives of the Church were informed that the speeches will be delivered at the graveyard exclusively”. The surprise due to this false statement is even greater when we think that the present Government consists of the people who know very well what this kind of office is and what Orthodox service in general means.
3. Even more surprising is the claim that the homily offended the family and the friends of the deceased. One thing is indisputable: the speaker expressed – in the name of the Church and in his personal name – the deepest respect to the deceased and to his family, and each of the commentators construed the speech on the basis of their internal feelings and parameters or on the basis of some external signals....It is obvious who it is that can be offended by connecting this victim with all the other innocent victims, or who can be offended by the speaker’s condemnation of every war (since that in no way fits into the empty phrase about the alleged war-mongering psychology of the Serbian Orthodox Church), but it remains utterly unclear how all of that could offend the Government of Serbia, a democratic government, open for European codex of values and for European model of the Church-State relation.
4. Saint Paul, the Apostle reminds us: “To the pure, all things are pure; but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted.” Starting from that truth, we honestly doubt that the comparison of the greatest sacrifice that the late Zoran Djindjic bore for the benefit of his Fatherland with the innocent victims such were Milica Rajic and Marica Milic and such are the innocent children in Iraq now, could have in any way offended anybody – except, probably, the ones who do not produce victims, but occasional “collateral damage”, meaning incidental, casual damage...
5. Naturally, all the above said does not mean that this or any other homily is by itself flawless or that Metropolitan Amfilohije presumes to be so. Homily is the matter of inspiration of the very speaker who did not deliver his speech willfully but with the approval of the Serbian Patriarch, being the first in rank among the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops.

The Government’s statement that we had to comment upon – although unwillingly – confirms that the Government of Serbia really lacks the wise leadership of Dr. Zoran Djindjic.