Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Avgust 24, 2004

PATRIARCH PAVLE TO PRESIDENT CRVENKOVSKI:
STOP TRAMPLING OF BASIC HUMAN AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS

Following the decision of the Primary Court in Bitolj whereby His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Veles and Povardarje was sentenced by the Primary Court in Bitolj to one and a half years in prison, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle addressed a letter to Mr. Branko Crvenkovski, the president of the Republic of Macedonia, enclosed herein in its entirety:

We have been informed that on August 18, 2004, the Primary Court in Bitolj reached a decision whereby Metropolitan Jovan of Veles and Povardarje, the exarch of the canonic Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid, recognized by all Orthodox churches, is sentenced to a one and a half year prison term. Everyone knows both domestically and abroad that the Metropolitan was tried solely for serving Orthodox Divine Liturgy, which the court has proclaimed to be “an incitation of national and religious hatred, division and intolerance”.

After our recent written contacts and agreements; after you and your delegation were received in the monastery of Prohor Pcinjski on the occasion of the Macedonian national holiday of the feast of St. Elijah (Ilindan), we believed that the persecution of Metropolitan Jovan, the clergy and faithful of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid would end and that basic human and religious rights would be tolerated.

However, this and such a decision confirms, unfortunately, that this has not occurred but, on the contrary, an even more brutal persecution for religious conviction and choice continues in Macedonia to the direct detriment of the dignity of the Macedonian state and its international reputation. This decision represents an attack not only on the Archdiocese of Ohrid and the Serbian Orthodox church but on the Orthodox Church as a whole and its humiliation, considering that Metropolitan Jovan, together with the two bishops of the Archdiocese of Ohrid, is the only Metropolitan in Macedonia recognized by the entire Orthodox world.

We protest against this senseless act, urging you, Mr. President, to use all your authority and powers to stop this trampling of basic human and religious rights in Macedonia and enable freedom of religious service and activities of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid, guaranteed by both international legislation as well as by God’s and human justice.

Please accept, Mr. President, expressions of our regard.

[Serbian Translation Services]