Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Avgust 4, 2004

REQUIEM SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF WAR FROM 1991-95

Today in the church of St. Marko beginning at 11:00 a.m. a requiem service was held for all military and civil victims of war. Today is the anniversary of the beginning of Operation Storm, which lasted from August 4-11, 1995 and resulted in the persecution and expulsion of Serbs from the territory of Croatia before an onslaught of Croatian military and police forces. The service was conducted by Protopresbyter Sava Popovic, the elder of the church of St. Marko, with the concelebration of priests from the Diocese of Belgrade and Karlovci. Upon the conclusion of the service Fr. Sava addressed the relatives of the victims and in his sermon emphasized that the most important thing is to have faith in the Resurrected Christ.

After the service the members the associations of families of the missing and refugee organizations of Serbs from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in a protest walk to the Dom Sindikata where the St. Elijah’s Day Assembly of natives of Krajina began at 1:00 p.m. The association of families of the missing from Krajina publishes a magazine called “Suza” (Teardrop). In August 2004 they published their eighteenth issue containing lists and photographs of missing persons.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE DIOCESE OF ZAGREB AND LJUBLJANA

On the feast of the Holy Martyr Emilijan on July 31, 2004 His eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb and Ljubljana served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy on the church site of the monastery of Brsljanac. This is the fourth year that faithful Serbs from this region have come to pray and revive the memory of this important monastery. The Serbian monastery of Brsljanac, built in 1752 and dedicated to the Holy Archangels, was an important spiritual center in the Moslavina region. In 1770 the Austro-Hungarian Empire decided to radically reduce the number of Serbian monasteries and the monastery of Brsljanac was closed at that time. All prayers and efforts to keep the monastery alive were futile. The final liquidation was carried out in 1779 and in 1841 the monasteries of Brsljanac, Kutinica and Garjevica were completely destroyed. For almost two centuries the Serbs in this region have kept the memory of the monastery of Brsljanac alive. Four years ago, led by their tireless priest Stanko Desancic, they cleared out centuries-old trees and thus saved the monastery of Brsljanac from oblivion.

Gathered around their spiritual pastor, His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb and Ljubljana, in the location of long since disappeared holy shrine, the Serbs of this region have been gathering to pray and attest that Brsljanac is still a place of prayerful joy and consolation. This year, too, many faithful gathered here. After Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, the prayerful meeting transformed into a general celebration. Faithful Serbs in this part of Croatia, led by their priests, gathered around their churches and church sites, are determined to stay and survive in their centuries-old homes.

On Sunday, August 1, 2004 His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb and Ljubljana served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the parish chapel in Zagreb and on the feast of the Holy Prophet Elijah, August 2, His Eminence served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of St. Elijah in Pobrdjani (built in 1763) and evening services in Novoseljani in the church of the Annunciation from the year 1700.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN ATHENS

During the 2004 Athens Olympics morning and evening religious services and Holy Liturgies will be served regularly for all participants in the Games, especially for Orthodox faithful. Priests of the Greek Orthodox Church will be ready to assist Olympians during the length of the biggest sports event of the year.

His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All-Greece advised the general public of the schedule for religious services after blessing the Greek Olympic team. On that occasion the Archbishop emphasized that priests have been chosen who speak all European and Slavic languages and who have been specially prepared for this event. Written material regarding Orthodoxy has also been prepared and will be distributed to the Olympians.

Archbishop Christodoulos has also sent all Orthodox priests in Greece a letter containing “the ten Olympic commandments” with recommendations that all churches are to be neat, that bells are to be rung regularly and that appropriate brochures regarding Orthodoxy be made available for all tourists visiting Greece, a land of Orthodox spiritual heritage.

[Serbian Translation Services]