Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
July 29, 2003

At the celebration which marked the end of dispute regarding the management of the Church-School Community, His Grace Nikanor Bishop of Australia/New Zealand of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica stated to all the people that we should forgive and invited the Serbian brothers to return to their Church.

His Grace Nikanor served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Sydney Church dedicated to Saint Sava, at Elanora. Many other priests from Serbian churches in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and New Castle: archpriests-staurophors Ilija Dragosavljevic and Miroslav Hajjipopovic, and archpriests Miodrag Peric, Rade Radan, Nenad Durasinovc and Srba Miletic.

Bishop Nikanor promoted priest Srba Miletic into the rank of archpriest, and conferred Saint Sava’s Medal of the Second Degree to three eminent men from this Church-School Community: Djura Radan (the leader of Church-School Community Saint Sava), Kosta Nedeljkovic and Nikola Lukic (President and Secretary of the Community). The decision on the conferral of medal was made by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at the suggestion of Bishop Nikanor. The medals were conferred for their great merits, efforts and sacrifice for the benefit of their Church, Diocese of Australia/New Zealand, their Church-School Community and Serbian Orthodox people.

Bishop Nikanor also conferred scrolls of honour and gratitude charters to: archpriests Srba Miletic and Rade Radan, Church-School Communities Saint Prince Lazarus and Saint Stephen, folklore group Saint Sava, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Djuro Radan, Nikola Lukic, Nedo Bubalo, George Bubalo, Bosko Skoric, Mico Danilovic, Mane Grubic, Brane Miskovic, Rade Prica, Nikola Prodanovic, Gojko Rakic, Zeljko Sucevic and Vinko Danilo.

Bishop Nikanor addressed the people present saying that he came there to thank in the name of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Patriarch, the Holy Assembly of Bishops, the Holy Synod of Bishops and in the name of the Diocese, to the Serbs living in Australia and New Zealand who sacrificed themselves to acquire their Church there, the Church which they had built and in which they pray to God. Bishop thanked all the church-school communities of the Diocese, Management Board, all the priests and pointed out they should not condemn their brothers, but forgive them and ask them to repent and return to their Church.