Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Oktober 7, 2004

OPEN LETTER OF BISHOP ARTEMIJE OF RASKA-PRIZREN AND KOSOVO-METOHIJA TO SERBIAN PRESIDENT BORIS TADIC

On October 5, 2004, Bishop Artemije of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija sent an open letter to Serbian president Boris Tadic in response to his public appeal to Kosovo Serbs, calling on them to vote in the upcoming Kosovo elections.

Esteemed Mr. President:

What we have awaited with trepidation for months, and discerned in our feelings, we experienced this evening as an expected but very painful blow. After so many discussions, consultations and advisory meetings with so many people, despite swearing to a unified position with regard to the Kosovo elections, you have acted like a free-shooter and, contrary to everyone else, said what we all heard in your address to the citizens of Serbia.

Did we not tell you a week ago that should you decide to call on Kosovo Serbs to vote, you should do so IN KOSOVO, face to face with these people. We told you at that time that the least you could ask and demand of the representatives of the international community is to allow you to come to Kosovo to our refugee camps to see for yourself how your people are living, and then call them to vote, if you think that their living conditions are such that they can "freely choose and be chosen". You have nevertheless chosen to do so from Belgrade. For shame!

Today's date for us Serbs in Kosovo and those who have been expelled from Kosovo can only be compared with March 17 of this year. On that date we experienced a pogrom at the hands of Albanian terrorists, and today we are experiencing betrayal by the president of our homeland. Your call has brought unrest to every heart, separation and division among the Serbian people, both in Belgrade and in Kosovo and Metohija.

A few days ago you said that you would never be a signatory to an independent Kosovo. Perhaps you will not be, because no one will ask for your signature. But it is certain that your methods and deeds, first and foremost, today's gesture will contribute to this coming to pass, in the same manner as that of your predecessors in this position. They did not sign anything, either, but with their deeds and THEIR erroneous policies they brought us into the position where we are today. You are surely completing their handiwork. History will record this, and God will repay everyone according to their deeds.

It is with deep regret that you have forced us to write this letter that we remain deeply disappointed.

Bishop of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija
+ARTEMIJE

RESTORATION OF CHILANDAR MONASTERY

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle together with members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops: His Grace Bishop Irinej of Nis, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, and His Grace Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic received Mr. Vojislav Kostunica, the prime minister of the Republic of Serbia; and Mr. Dragan Kojadinovic, the minister of culture and media, and assistant minister for capital investments. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Gordana Markovic, the director of the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments; Dr. Mirko Kovacevic, the architect participating in the restoration of Chilandar Monastery; and Mr. Slobodan Mileusnic, the director of the Serbian Orthodox Church Museum, and coordinator of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Committee for protection and restoration of churches and monasteries.

On the basis of a report by Bishop Irinej of Nis, who just returned from a visit to the damaged Chilandar Monastery, it was emphasized at the meeting that work on restoration is progressing slowly but that with faith in God everyone hopes that with the cooperation of the two Churches of Serbia and Greece work will speed up. Bishop Irinej asked all present to do everything in their power to complete what has been started, stating that inexcusably little has been done so far and that the tempo of work must significantly increase.

Minister Kojadinovic emphasized that the Government will continue to provide funds and that the Greek Ministry of Culture has promised to intervene to ensure that work on restoration is speeded up. Prime Minister Kostunica emphasized that it is necessary to make list of priority tasks.

FIRST SERBIAN UPRISING IN MONTENEGRO AND HERZEGOVINA AND CHRISTIAN EUROPE (1804-1813)

An international academic conference on “The First Serbian Uprising in Montenegro and Herzegovina and Christian Europe (1804-1813)” organized by the Diocese of Montenegro and the Littoral will take place in Ostrog Monastery and Podgorica from October 8-10, 2004.

On Friday, October 8, 2004, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, who also the president of the Committee for commemoration of the bicentennial of the First Serbian Uprising in Montenegro, will open this highly significant academic gathering in the refectory hall of Ostrog Monastery. After his welcoming remarks Metropolitan Amfilohije will present a lecture on “St. Peter of Cetinje, Karageorge, Makriyannis – Orthodox spiritual ethos”. Professor Dr. Rados Ljusic will speak about “Secular and spiritual leaders of the Serbs during the time of the Serbian Revolution”. The third lecturer will be academician Miomir Dasic on “Political and military cooperation between the Montenegro of Metropolitan Petar I Petrovic Njegos and the mountain clans with Karageorge’s Serbia, 1804-1813. This part of the conference will conclude with the lecture of a guest from Greece, Professor Dr. Panaiotis Haritos on “Rigas Konstantinos and the liberation of the Christian peoples in the Balkans”. The second session will begin with Professor Dr. Radoman Jovanovic’s speech on “Influence of the external factor on the policies of Metropolitan Petar I toward the First Serbian Uprising, 1804-1813”. Dr. Konstantin Nikiforov from Moscow will then speak about “Russian ties with Serbia and Montenegro during the First Serbian Uprising as the model for their future relations”. The speaker after the guest from Russia will be Dr. Vladimir Jovanovic on “Metropolitan Petar I and Karageorge – face to face” followed by academician Dragutin Lekovic’s discussion on “First Serbian Uprising in light of the philosophy of history”.

On Friday, October 8, 2004 the afternoon session beginning at 3:30 p.m. will start with Bishop Atanasije’s lecture on “Participation of the Herzegovians in the First Serbian Uprising” followed by Dr. Slavenko Terzic on “Old Herzegovina and the idea of the resurrection of the Serbian state”, Dr. Radoslav Raspopovic on “Petar I’s plan for engagement of the Montenegrin-Bay of Boka and Russian armies in Herzegovina and the program for creation of a Slavic Serbian state under the auspices of Russia”, and Vasko Kostic on “Serbian uprising (1804-1813), surrounding Serbian regions and Christian Europe”. The academic conference will continue with Zarko Lekovic’s lecture on “Montenegrin-Serbian cooperation, 1804-1813” and Luka Kastratovic on “Karageorge’s Rasko-Polimska offensive in 1809 (military aspect)”. This part of the session will conclude with Dr. Branko Nadoveza’s lecture on “Balkans and Balkan peoples during the First Serbian Uprising with special consideration of Montenegro and Herzegovina”.

On Saturday at 9:00 a.m. the first speaker in the conference room of the Ljubovic Hotel in Podgorica will be Dr. Jovan Delic on “Vuk, Europe and the Serbian language”, followed by Dr. Zoran Mirkovic on “Sources of the Code of Karageorge”, and Vukic Ilincic on “Serbia under the Nemanjic dynasty and Karageorge as the basis of the national program of Prince-King Nikola”. Dr. Radmilo Marojevic will then present his lecture on “The Dedication: critical edition and poetic structure of the text” [1] just before the break. After the discussion Dr. Veselin Djuretic present a lecture on “Serbdom in light of the First Serbian Uprising”, followed by Professor Dr. Dimitrije Kalezic on “Karageorge’s rebellion in light of the Revelation of John”, Professor Dr. Alojz Ujes on “Archimandrite Ruvim of Bogovadja Monastery on the stage of the Imperial Theatre of Vienna in 1849”, and Professor Predrag Vukic on “Drina River as a motif of rebellion in the First Serbian Uprising and the spirit of freedom tradition of the Serbian people”. On Saturday the fourth and final session of the conference will begin at 3:30 p.m. with a lecture by academician Ljubomir Zukovic on “Marko Miljanov on the First Serbian Uprising”, followed by Budimir Aleksic on “Folk poems about the First Serbian Uprising and ‘The Serbian Mirror’” [2]. Dobrilo Aranitovic will continue on “Poetry and historiosophy [sic] of rebellion (Visnjic-Sarajlija-Njegos)”, and Mihailo Scepanovic on “Montenegro and Vuk’s adages” [3]. After the discussion Presbyter Velibor Dzomic will speak on “Karageorge’s faith and religious devotion”, followed by Bojana Miskovic on “Pushkin on Karageorge and Montenegro”, Ana Pejanovic on “The Dedication: Russian poetic renditions”, and finally, Dr. Jovan Cadjenovic on “Momir Vojvodic's poem ‘Leader of Serbia’”.

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1. Reference to the introductory poem of The Mountain Wreath of Petar II Petrovic Njegos, “Dedicated to the Ashes of the Father of Serbia”, i.e. Karageorge.
2. In 1845 Njegos published a collection of folk poems entitled Ogledalo Srpsko (Serbian Mirror).
3. Narodne Poslovice (Folk Adages) by Vuk Karadzic published in 1836.

[All titles have been translated from Serbian.]

[Serbian Translation Services]