Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Avgust 11, 2004

RUSSIAN PATRIARCH ALEXEI’S INTERVIEW IN “VECERNJE NOVOSTI”

The Russian Orthodox Church is still ready to help in the renewal of destroyed Serbian holy shrines in Kosovo and Metohija. When the West guarantees that it will energetically prevent every new attempt on the part of Albanian extremists to destroy and torch churches and monasteries there, we will restore them together with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, the West has double standards in its political assessments, even when Orthodox Christian holy shrines are being destroyed, His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All-Russia told “Vecernje Novosti”.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church told “Novosti’s” correspondent that he recently visited the Greek Embassy in Moscow and on that occasion was asked by reporters what he thought of the destruction of Buddhist temples in Afghanistan.

“I told them that I am against the destruction and desecration of any and all holy shrines, including Buddhist ones. At the same time I asked them: why do you go so far, all the way to Afghanistan, when Kosovo and Metohija is geographically far closer to Greece, in whose embassy we are presently located. Why do Western reporters and other reporters, too, not talk about the destruction and torching of Serbian churches and cultural and historical monuments located in the heart of Europe? The global community must be made aware of the difficult position of the Serbian people in this province, as well as of the systematic destruction of unique cultural monuments and Orthodox holy shrines.”

“Novosti’s” correspondent asked the Russian Patriarch to answer the question why the Catholic Church is for the most party calmly watching the destruction of the Orthodox churches in Kosovo and Metohija, all the more so since the Vatican frequently emphasizes that it supports the bringing together of all Christians. If the Vatican truly believes Orthodoxy to be a sister church, why does it raise its voice against this sacrilege more decisively?

“The Russian Orthodox Church has publicly warned of the untenable situation in Kosovo and Metohija many times,” said Patriarch Alexei. “So it cannot be that the West does not know what is happening there. The main problem, I reiterate, is double standards. The West has not done enough to protect the Serbs and their holy shrines because that is their policy.”

When asked whether the Russian Orthodox Church through its diplomatic channels has attempted to send a message to the Vatican that the Pope’s voice might awake the conscience of those in the West who pretend not to see what is happening in Kosovo and Metohija, our collocutor replied:

“You are aware that our relations with the Vatican are complex and hence we have not addressed them specifically regarding this issue. However, from our public assessments of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the Catholic Church could learn that we are distraught by what Albanian extremists are doing in Kosovo and Metohija. The fact is, however, that they do not respond and remain silent regarding to what is occurring there. It is sad but true: the Catholic Church is silent and says nothing about the destruction and torching of Serbian holy shrines.”

NEW ANGLICAN CHAPLAIN IN BELGRADE

On Sunday, August 9, 2004 the new Anglican chaplain Robin Fox served, for the first time, services in the Anglican chapel in Belgrade. Father Robin Fox arrived in Belgrade to replace the previous Anglican chaplain, Philip Warner. With this news we include his biography and a clarification of the Christian relations of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Anglican Community for Orthodox faithful.

Anglican chaplain Robin Fox was born in 1968 as the youngest in a family of four in Casterfield, a city in central England. Upon completing secondary school he studied at Durham University, where he took his degree in English literature and later a master’s degree in literature and theology. During his studies he became interested in theology and felt God’s calling to become a priest. After completing university he worked for 18 months as a volunteer assistant in the parish. He then worked for six months as a medical assistant in a hospital, helping care for terminally ill patients. After this he realized his lifelong dream and became a priest, studying theology at the College of the Resurrection under the auspices of an Anglican monastic community from Mirfield in Yorkshire. He spent three years at this college and took a master’s degree.

He was ordained deacon in July 1999 and vested in the priesthood in July 1996. He first served in the parish of South Shields in northeast England and in March 1999 moved to London, where he spent the next five years as the parish priest in north London – Tottenham. When he visited Belgrade for the first time in February 2004 and met the members of the Anglican community and Orthodoxy, he was happy and prepared to accept to serve here. He told us that it is very nice and comfortable to live in Belgrade and that it is a great honor to work with the Orthodox Church. He is delighted to learn more about local traditions, language and culture, and to make new friends.

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Relations between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Anglican Community became intensive in 1915, when the Serbian government sent Holy Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich to dispel propaganda against the Serbs in London. He was the first non-Anglican to hold services in St. Peter’s Cathedral in London. Holy Bishop Nikolai fostered good relations with the famous Anglican Bishop Bell. From 1917 during World War I a number of young theologians continued their education at Cagdan College near Oxford. It is interesting to note that among them was Father Justin Popovich, as well as the most recent hierarchal appointee for the city of Belgrade, Protopresbyter Konstantin Lukovic. The Anglican church printed the Sluzhebnik (Service Book for Priests) and Trebnik (Euchologion) in the Serbian language for these theologians.

Before World War II the Serbian Orthodox Church received visits from many Anglican delegations and cooperation continued later on as well. Canterbury archbishop Michael Ramsey was the first Anglican archbishop to visit the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1965 and the Serbian Patriarch German of blessed memory returned the visit in 1973. After this there were student exchanges and during the time of Patriarch German the chapel of St. Simeon the Myrrh-gusher was made available to the Anglicans for Christmas and Easter services, which were generally also attended by the Serbian Patriarch.

[Serbian Translation Services]