Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Oktober 8, 2004

COMMEMORATION OF 70-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF KING ALEKSANDAR I KARADJORDJEVIC

Saturday, October 9, 2004 will mark the 70-year anniversary since the assassination of Serbian King Alexander I Karadjordjevic by criminals in Marseilles. The Serbian Orthodox church will commemorate this date and honor the memory of the late King and Unifier of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes by serving Liturgy for the deceased and short memorial services in all churches in the homeland and abroad.

His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija will serve Liturgy for the deceased at 9:00 a.m. and a short memorial service at 10:30 a.m. in the church of St. George the Great-martyr in Oplenac in the presence of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II, and with the concelebration of His Grace Bishop Profirije of Jegar. At 11:00 a.m. academician Matija Beckovic will speak in front of the church in Oplenac about the King and his death followed by the opening of an art exhibition in the Royal Villa.

BISHOP IRINEJ OF BACKA VISITS INSTITUTE FOR NEONATAL CARE

His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa visited the Institute for Neonatal Care on Thursday, October 7, 2004, accompanied by Protonamesnik Miodrag Popovic. Bishop Irinej is the head of the “Let Us Breathe Life into Serbia” campaign on behalf of the Serbian Holy Assembly of Bishops, while Father Miodrag is the editor in chief of “Pravoslavlje” (Orthodoxy), the official publication of the Serbian Patriarchate.

On this occasion Bishop Irinej presented an incubator for premature infants to the Institute donated by Mrs. Danica Petkovic, the director of the Delfin Film Company. Institute director Professor Dr. Slobodanka Ilic welcomed the Bishop and Mrs. Petkovic, noting that currently 132 children from over 60 maternity wards throughout Serbia and Montenegro are at the Institute because their lives are in danger. Therefore, this incubator is all the more precious.

Bishop Irinej emphasized that that every medical institute in some way serves the preservation and furthering of human lives, and by virtue of this represents a divine service. Even when the physicians themselves are not aware of the fact, or when they themselves do not believe in God, they serve their patients. Therefore, cooperation between the Church and medical institutions is completely natural. Bishop Irinej especially thanked Mrs. Petkovic for her donation, and for improving conditions to enable newly born infants to develop better.

Mrs. Petkovic thanked the medical staff and emphasized that she is aware of all the difficulties and working conditions in which medical staff are working. She appealed to all citizens in the land to assist them in achieving normal conditions so that their work can yield favorable results.

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The “Let Us Breathe Life into Serbia” campaign is especially pleased to advise that Volptelnet Telecommunications Company has joined the campaign as a sponsor. Volptelnet, which also provides Internet services, will donate 10% of proceeds from every voucher sold toward the purchase of much needed incubators.

PRINCE DJORDJE KARADJORDJEVIC SWORN
IN AT MILITARY ACADEMY IN BELGRADE

On Friday, October 8, 2004, His Royal Highness Prince Djordje Karadjordjevic, the son of the late Prince Tomislav and Princess Linda, took his oath together with several hundred new Serbian officer cadets in the Military Academy of the Serbia and Montenegro Army. This is moment is of special historical significance for the Serbian people because Prince Djordje is the first to resume the tradition of the Karadjordjevic dynasty of educating its descendants in military academies. Moreover, Prince Djordje is the first Karadjordjevic to attend the Serbian Military Academy. In his address to the new officer cadets General Branko Krga emphasized that the return of a descendant of the great Serbian leader Karageorge among the ranks of the Serbian Army is a great and historic event. On behalf of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic, consultant to the Holy Assembly of Bishops attended the swearing in ceremony at the Military Academy.

150-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTH OF MIHAJLO PUPIN

The main commemoration on the occasion of the 150-year anniversary of the birth of the great Serbian scientist Mihajlo Pupin will take place in Idvor on October 9, 2004. The event will begin with Holy Liturgy and then continue with a visit to the exhibition in the Mihajlo Pupin Memorial Center.

A formal academy will begin 12:00 noon in the Culture Hall auditorium. At 1:30 p.m. Serbian president Boris Tadic, who is sponsoring this event, will formally open the restored home where the Serbian genius was born. The event will close with a projection of a documentary film about Mihajlo Pupin in the Culture Hall at 5:00 p.m.

The Information and Publishing Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church will be publishing a book in honor of this important anniversary by Protopresbyter Sava B. Jovic called “Hristov Svetosavac Mihajlo Pupin” (Christ’s Follower of St. Sava Mihajlo Pupin) which the goal of accurately representing the greatness and importance of this great scientist.

The Mihajlo Pupin Memorial Center and the house of his birth in Idvor have been restored in this jubilee year. As well, the restoration of the Pupin Fund has begun through the Mladen Selak Award, a postage stamp has been issued, and a scientific conference on Pupin’s work is in preparation, as well as a monograph.

The traditional recognitions for Innovators’ Day, monetary awards for Young Inventors and the Pupin Medal will be presented as part of tomorrow’s ceremony.

[Serbian Translation Services]