Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
June 14, 2004

ASSEMBLY OF SERBIAN YOUTH OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SERBIA

The Orthodox Youth of the Diocese of Nis and the Dveri Serbian Assembly organized the First Assembly of the Serbian Youth of Southern and Eastern Serbia held) in the auditorium of the Bishop’s residence in Nis from June 1-3, 2004 (during the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helena) with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Irinej of Nis.

This assembly brought together people from many cities in Southern and Eastern Serbia, including Bor, Zajecar, Vranje, Pozarevac, Cicevac, Kursumlija, Krusevac, Svrljig, Aleksinac, Leskovac, Medvedja and Nis. In addition to Bishop Irinej of Nis, Biljana Spasic, professor from Kragujevac, and Predrag R. Dragic-Kijuk, writer from Belgrade, gave inspired lectures.

All participants agreed that holding assemblies is the best way of organizing Serbian youth in the 21st century and that these assemblies should be modeled on the historic Serbian church-people’s assemblies. Special attention was devoted to specific problems of modern Serbian society and Serbian youth.

Concern was voiced at the Assembly for the preservation of the Cyrillic script. An initiative was launched for all institutions to adhere to the Code on the Culture of Life, i.e., to oppose abortion and establish a three-year paid maternal leave for every mother for each baby. Participants advocated the renewal of all Christian values and principles on the saintly examples of church and political history of the Serbian peoples. The Assembly emphasized that Kosovo and Metohija has always been, is and will remain a part of Serbian territory, and that Serbian youth to its utmost extent will assist the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija as well as the refugee population in seeking to realize its right to return.

At the end of the working part of the Assembly, the young people of Southern and Eastern Serbia agreed to participate in the All-Serbian Youth Assembly to be held on the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord (August 19) this year in the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, and the Diocese of Zahumlje and Herzegovina.

SERBS WIN FIRST PLACE IN SWEDEN

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolai of Dabro-Bosnia, the Chamber Choir of the Department for Church Music and Chants of the Serbian University in Serbian Sarajevo took part in one of the most prestigious festivals of choir music in the Kingdom of Sweden, in the city of Helsingen, and on that occasion placed first in the category of spiritual music.

Among sixty choirs from all parts of the world, the only representatives of Serbian spiritual music under the direction of Professor Rade Radovic, M.Sc., impressed all those present by their excellent performance and won applause and numerous ovations. Performing the pearls of Serbian spiritual music from the opus of Stevan St. Mokranjac and compositions of Russian spiritual music, the Chamber Choir left a powerful impression on the numerous public, other performing choirs and the expert international jury composed exclusively of experts in choir music. The excellent young singers and their professor were the only representatives of the Serbian people and culture at this eminent music event and represented all Serbian choirs and the Association of Serbian Choirs, of which they are a founding member, in praiseworthy fashion.

The Chamber Choir expects to perform on numerous further occasions this year including at this year’s International Choir Ceremony in Nis, the Austrian embassy in Sarajevo and the celebration of the Bicentennial of the First Serbian Uprising in Dobrun Monastery on August 29, 2004.

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW TO VISIT VATICAN

His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople will visit Rome on June 29, 2004 during the celebration of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. His personal decision to visit the Vatican is a positive signal after last year’s cooling of relations between Rome and Constantinople due to lack of resolution of the Uniate issue in the Ukraine.

[Serbian Translation Services]