Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
November 9, 2004

VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE TO AUSTRALIA

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle arrived on Friday, October 29, 2004 in Melbourne on his first official visit to Serbs in Australia to last several days. The delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church accompanying the Patriarch is comprised of Bishop Irinej of Nis and Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, both members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Bishop Georgije of Canada and Bishop Longin of Nova Gracanica; and Protodeacon Stevan Rapajic and Hypodeacon Miroslav Rakonjac.

On that morning many Serbs went early to Melbourne Airport to be present at this historic occasion: the arrival of the first head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the history of the Serbian emigrant community on the Australian continent. The choirs “Kornelija Stankovic” from St. Stefan the Archdeacon in Keysborough and “Stevan Mokranjac” from the church of the Holy Trinity, directed by Sanja Drljaca, enhanced the event, as did the folklore groups “Morava” from St. Albans and “Sumadija” from Keysborough.

Parish members of the parish of St. Stefan the Archdeacon in Keysborough, where His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy on Sunday, October 31, 2004. “Never forget to which people we belong, to which holy faith – the Orthodox faith, which has knowledge of evangelical truths and of living knowledge, too. That we may act in accordance with this faith on every occasion and in love toward all people of good will in the world. Convey my greetings to all the members of your household, and to all people of good will throughout this land. Be good citizens in this country that received you, be good neighbors toward your neighbors, good employees in the work that you do. In this way you will fulfill the purpose of your life, help your family if it finds itself in some sort of difficulties and problems, and help yourself most of all. May God bless you and grant you everything that is good,” said Patriarch Pavle to the faithful gathered in the monastery of St. Sava in Elaine during his sermon at Holy Liturgy on Saturday, October 30, 2004, the second day of his visit to Australia.

On the feast of the Holy Evangelist and Apostle Luke, Patriarch Pavle served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of the Holy Archdeacon Stefan in Keysborough. Before the Liturgy, as His Holiness the Patriarch passed through the courtyard, children wearing traditional Serbian costumes scattered rose petals along the path leading to the Church. Several representatives of political and public life in the province of Victoria attended the Holy Liturgy, including Australian House of Representatives Members Bob Sercombe and Ann Corcoran, Government of Victoria Minister Tim Holding, Greater Dandenong City Council Councillor Roz Blades and others. On the same day, the Patriarch and Bishops visited the church of the Holy King Stefan of Decani in Frankston.

Evening services were held in Greensborough. On Wednesday, November 3, 2004 in the afternoon, His Holiness together with the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation traveled to Canberra, where a welcoming ceremony for him was held in front of the monastery of St. Sava – Novi Kalenic. On this occasion, Serbian Patriarch Pavle told the faithful who gathered here: “Lord, help us to faithfully represent our Orthodox people, our Orthodox faith, not disunited and divided over trivial matters and reasons. Help us to remain in unity with the ecumenical Orthodox Church. Help us remain true to our Holy Fathers and St. Sava and the Holy Martyrs and Great Martyrs. Help us to show all people of good will what is Orthodoxy, and that we not only know the teachings of the Gospel but live and act according to it. The times in which we live are very difficult and demanding, and we have so many problems in our land, in Kosovo and Metohija... What all of us can do is to be what is right and what we should be, and to thus show those who are our enemies in this world and who do not consider us as people that we have been and remain people, and that we will be people to the end of the world. We need to support each other like one family, and by doing so to survive physically, too.”

Government of Victoria Minister Tim Holding, speaking on behalf of the Premier of Victoria, Mr. Steve Bracks, addressed the high guest to Australia and said: “It is my great honor today to attend with all those present the historic visit of His Holiness to Australia, and especially here in Victoria. My colleagues are also here, the members of the Federal parliament and the Dandenong region, eminent representatives of the Serbian community throughout Australia, and if I understood correctly, Serbs from New Zealand. His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle has a globally acknowledged reputation as a man who shows by example how we should live. He lives a humble life in which he seeks to elevate the Serbian Orthodox faith in his country and throughout the world. That is why they call him by a suitable name – a man of holy life. We are happy that he has come to Australia to fortify Serbian culture and spiritual tradition in this country, and of course throughout the world, and to promote the values of tolerance and cooperation. Your Holiness, we hope that you will pass pleasant moments in Australia in which you will be able to see how strong the Serbian community has become in this country. You will see people who are happy to call Australia their home but who at the same time have not forgotten their culture and tradition. Today we saw the exquisite dances of youth from the Serbian community who live in Australia. They are proud of their culture and tradition, and they are sure to guard it for many years in the future,” said Minister Holding.

The Patriarch addressed the minister, expressing gratitude for Australia for offering the opportunity to our people to seek a new home in it. “I would also like to thank you for all your kind words addressed to me. Thank you for receiving our people who under great difficulty found a homeland here. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my greetings to the government through you and to once again thank you for receiving our people. My greetings are for all people of good will in this blessed land, regardless of nation, religion or belief. I wish all good things to all, the feeling of brotherly love for all that which makes us Christians. Be good citizens in this land, honor its regulations and laws, be good employees in the work that you do, good neighbors, and then the Lord will be with you, with us, and with all good people throughout the world. May God bless you and grant you all that is good,” said His Holiness Patriarch Pavle.

The members of the Church-School Parish of St. Stefan the Archdeacon then performed a cultural and artistic program, and Marko Kicanovic and Jovana Begovic, students of the Vuk Karadzic Sunday School recited several pieces. The Sumadija Folklore Group, which during a recent visit to the homeland had the opportunity to visit the Patriarch and receive his blessing, now had the opportunity to be his host, presenting him with the symbol of Australia – a boomerang – as a memento. The group also performed in honor of the high guests. Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Cedomir Videkanic then presented gifts to His Holiness and Bishop Irinej of Nis, Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, Bishop Georgije of Canada, Bishop Longin of America and Canada, Bishop Milutin of Australia and New Zealand, and the officials of the Australian state.

During Patriarch Pavle’s visit to the parish of St. Paraskeva in Rockbank, a large number of Serbs gathered in the church to receive his blessing. Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dusan Rakic spoke about the history of the parish, the youngest in the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as about plans for the construction of a church on property owned by the church in the future. The Patriarch then greeted all the Serbian people in the church hall and once again reminded that when we live far from the homeland and in prosperity we should not forget the people who live under difficult conditions and poverty, especially the refugees from Croatia, Bosnia, and now also from Kosovo and Metohija.

On the last day of his visit to the Serbs in Melbourne, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle served the morning service in the church of the Holy Trinity in Brunswick. Although Wednesday was a working day for most people, the service was attended by a large number of people, many of whom went to work immediately upon the conclusion of the service and upon receiving the Patriarch’s blessing.

As in all his sermons in Melbourne, His Holiness again encouraged people to remain faithful, to be good people, and by their deeds and example to demonstrate that they deserve to bear the name of the people of St. Sava. The delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church headed by the Patriarch then traveled to Canberra, where the local community prepared a festive welcome. Serbia and Montenegro Ambassador Milivoje Glisic organized a luncheon for the high guests. In the evening hours they visited the church of St. George in Forrest. Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffrey also received the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Immediately after this meeting, the Patriarch arrived in the church of St. Sava in Ferrero.

On Saturday, November 6, 2004, His Holiness served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. in St. Sava Monastery – Novi Kalenic. A large number of church-school parishes from other locations provided arrangements for their faithful to attend this event. On Saturday afternoon, the Patriarch arrived in Sydney, where he consecrated the site of the future Serbian College on Sunday, November 7.

SEMINAR FOR ORTHODOX RELIGION TEACHERS HELD IN AUSTRIA

On Thursday, November 4, 2004, a seminar for all Orthodox religion teachers in the Austrian administration of the Diocese of Central Europe was held in the church of St. Basil of Ostrog the Wonder-Worker in Linz. His Grace Bishop Konstantin of Central Europe was present at the seminar, and lecturers included His Grace Bishop Ignjatije of Branicevo and Professor Dr. Dragomir Sando of Belgrade. Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Djordje Knezevic, the Vienna priest responsible for religious instruction, and inspector Branislav Djukaric were also present.

Orthodox religious instruction has been taught as a compulsory subject in Austrian schools for the past 12 years. Bishop Konstantin appoints instructors of Orthodox religion and the Austrian ministry for education and culture finances their work. In the 2004/05 school year, there were 60 such instructors teaching Orthodox religion in 543 elementary schools and 42 secondary schools. A total of 938 class hours are delivered weekly for 6,806 students. In order to ensure the success of the instructional program, every year Bishop Konstantin organizes seminars where instructors enhance their skills and exchange their experiences.

Text and photo: Miodrag Mecanovic

ROUND TABLE ON KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

On October 22, 2004 the 14th Convention of the Serbian Unity Congress took place in Washington. Participants in a round table on the future of Kosovo and Metohija at the Convention included His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren; Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic, consultant to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and editor in chief of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Information Service; Vuk Jeremic, special advisor to Serbian president Boris Tadic; and Joseph Grieboski, chairman of the Institute for Religion and Public Policy in Washington. During the discussion it was emphasized that Kosovo and Metohija is the most important issue for the Serbian people at the beginning of the 21st century. Kosovo and Metohija is an open wound that has been bleeding since 1999. Since then to today 70,000 houses have been destroyed, approximately 1,000 have been razed, and almost 150 churches and monasteries have been destroyed. Serbs are forced to live in enclaves without conditions for normal life. The eyewitness testimony of His Grace Bishop Artemije regarding the life of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija attracted significant attention. To this Hieromonk Irinej added his personal testimony regarding Devic Monastery, where nuns are living in portable containers. At the end of the round table, Fr. Irinej emphasized that it is not the Church’s role to offer a political solution because the Church offers Truth, Eternal Life and faith in Our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

VISIT TO DRAGOVIC MONASTERY

On Sunday, November 7, 2004 His Grace Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Dragovic Monastery. Among the faithful who gathered were members of the Orthodox Church from Split who came to the monastery to bring collected assistance. On behalf of the brotherhood of the monastery of Dragovic, Bishop Fotije thanked all for their visit and contribution toward the restoration of Dragovic Monastery.

Bishop Fotije also stated preparations were in progress in the Diocese of Dalmatia and the church parish of Split to complete the cathedral of St. Sava in Split, begun in 1938.

[Serbian Translation Services]