Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
December 1, 2004

WITH LOVE FOR THE CHILDREN OF LIPLJAN

On November 20, 2004 the Holy Bishop Nikolai Orthodox Youth Association of St. Sava Church in Vancouver, an active participant in the life of the church community, organized a large fundraising concert for children in Kosovo and Metohija in the Massey Theatre in New Westminster. Proceeds from the concert will go toward the construction of a school in Lipljan.

Over 70 performers gathered in this beautiful theatre and in his or her way made a contribution to this fundraising effort. The concert began with the Serbian national anthem “God of Justice” performed by the Serbian Community Choir of Vancouver. Numerous artists and folklore ensembles took part in the program.

After the cultural part of the program, slides from Kosovo and Metohija shown with a description of how things once were and how they are now. Shocking pictures of destroyed homes, holy shrines and Serbian refugees touched every heart. Also shown were photographs of the children of Lipljan, so the audience could see the faces of these Kosovo and Metohija children who hope to realize their dream of having a school with the help of Serbs living in Canada.

Many in the audience could not hide their tears but at the same time expressed satisfaction that by attending the concert and giving a contribution they could help the children in Lipljan.

In his concluding remarks following the concert Church School Parish president Ljubomir Jankovic first thanked the public and then all sponsors and participants in the concert. The concert is over but donations for the children and school in Lipljan are still arriving. So far a total of over 10,000 dollars has been collected.

We wish to thank everyone who helped us to realize this huge undertaking both directly and indirectly.

The Serbian Theatre in Ottawa has also earmarked a donation for the construction of the school in Lipljan from its fundraising performances, and the University of British Columbia Serbian Students’ Association organized a bake sale to raise funds to help the children of Lipljan.

It is our hope that this campaign will encourage other Serbs abroad and that help will arrive not only to Lipljan but everywhere where it is needed in Kosovo and Metohija.

On behalf of the children of Lipljan we thank you for everything, most of all for the love you have shown. May the Lord reward your generosity.

FROM OXFORD FOR CHILANDAR

In the parish of the Holy Ascension of Our Lord, church life is organized into three centers where religious services are held. These are Oxford, High Wickham and Redding. The parish priest, Protopresbyter Nikola Kotur, and the faithful have the ongoing concern of securing a building for the religious services. Of great assistance in the organization of church life in the parish are the members of the St. Paraskeva Serbian Sisters Circle in High Wickham led by their president, Mrs. Miljka Jankovic. They were recently joined by the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos Serbian Sisters Circle founded on June 18, 2004 in Oxford with Mrs. Grozdana Besovic as president.

Upon the proposal of the parish priest, Father Nikola Kotura, the parish organized the collection of assistance for the repair and rebuilding of Chilandar Monastery. This campaign has been taking place for several months now; the largest gathering toward this end took place on Sunday, November 28, at the fundraising event in High Wickham. In his opening remarks Father Nikola reported on progress made to date on collection of funds, stating that upon the completion of the campaign he would personally present the funds to the monastery administration. On this occasion monk Pavle (Kondic), an instructor at the Cetinje Seminary who was visiting England as a part of his studies, spoke regarding the history of Chilandar Monastery and its importance for the Serbian people and the entire Christian economy. It is worthy of mention that almost all participants in the organization of this fundraising event donated their services for the restoration of Chilandar.

O. J.

CHILDREN OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA IN VIENNA

Last Saturday in the Vienna Kongreshaus the Association of Serbian Clubs organized the Twenty-second festival of cultural and artistic creation of Serbian children, youth and workers in Austria with the sponsorship of Vienna mayor Dr. Michael Haupl.

The special visitors who attended this important cultural gathering at the invitation of the Association of Serbian Clubs especially delighted the guests. With the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, six little girls from Velika Hoca and Orahovac in Kosovo and Metohija arrived in Vienna. These children who have never had a childhood were accompanied on the trip by Protopresbyter Radomir Nikcevic of Cetinje, nun Stefanija from the monastery of St. Luke – Parish of Niksic, and Serbian language professor Vesna Todorovic, who was fired from her job in connection with well-known events in Montenegro in connection with the “mother” language. No one remained untouched when the little girls from Kosovo and Metohija appeared on the stage dressed in folk costumes. Not an eye remained dry while they sang the song “Sa Kosova zora svice” (From Kosovo dawn rises). During their brief appearance, Katarina Djuricic, Daliborka Putnik, Milica Antic, Tamara Stasic, Miroslava Vucic and Dragana Manitasevic also read excerpts from the book “Sanjam, a sta mi se dogadja” (I dream yet look what is happening to me).

This exceptional book, featured at this year’s Belgrade International Book Fair, was prepared by Monja and Ivan Jovic from the non-governmental organization Ramondia Serbika and published by Svetigora. The book includes works from the suffering children of Kosovo and Metohija who open their souls to us but refuse to give up in the hope and faith that all troubles will pass. It is a most beautiful testimonial how faith, tradition and culture can be preserved even under the most difficult life circumstances.

On Sunday the children from Kosovo and Metohija sang at the Holy Liturgy served by Father Radomir Nikcevic in the Vienna church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. After Liturgy they took part in a brief program in the church social hall and stayed on to talk with numerous faithful. From Vienna, this small group emanating optimism and hope in a better tomorrow traveled onward to Germany.

Text and photo: Miodrag Mecanovic

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL IN MERRILLVILLE CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

The celebration of the 40th anniversary of a church in Serbia and Montenegro does not have the same significance as in the United States and Canada. Every Church School Parish in the United States and Canada is relatively new. One such Church School Parish is located in Merrillville and is dedicated to the Holy Prophet Elijah. Located in the southwest of the state of Indiana in the United States, on flat and fertile land, this large and busy parish headed by the Rt. Reverend Father Lazar Kostur festively celebrated this anniversary on Saturday, November 20, 2004.

Hierarchal Liturgy was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher of Central and Western America, together with His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America, assisted by the clergy and monkery.

Hierarchal Liturgy was followed by a banquet where the honored speaker was hieromonk Irinej (Dobrijevic), who is well known to us all and deeply respected. With humility and a wealth of knowledge and expertise regarding conditions in this area, he presented a part of the history of this church. He described the parish to the guests as a model, and gave the residents of this Church School Parish strength and even more will to bring the race begun to a dignified finish and adorn their lives with the wreaths of eternal glory.

Deacon Damjan S. Bozic

SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE RECEIVES CARDINAL ENNIO ANTONELLI, ARCHBISHOP OF FLORENCE

On Tuesday, November 30, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle received Monsignor Ennio Antonelli, Archbishop of Florence, Italy, in the Belgrade Patriarchate. Cardinal Ennio was accompanied by his host, Monsignor Stanislav Hocevar, Archbishop of Belgrade. During the course of the sincere and open conversation, there was mention of the difficult situation of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbian Patriarch took the opportunity to thank Cardinal Antonelli for the aid provided by Caritas Florence for Serbian children.

NEW BROADCASTING TIME FOR “SABORNIK” ON RTS FIRST PROGRAM

According to the new program schedule of Radio Television Serbia, the “Sabornik” program will no longer be broadcast on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. as before but instead on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on RTS First Program.

In addition to the new schedule, “Sabornik” will launch a new series of broadcasts dedicated to the theme of love, where many questions and answers will be provided on the topics of marriage, marital and family relations. The purpose of this series is to point out the numerous biases in alleged church interpretations of family relations so that religious and canonical elements can be separated from folklore and hearsay interpretations of this exceptionally important sphere of human life.

Answering listeners’ questions will be His Grace Bishop Porfirije of Jegar.

A second series will concern itself with the role and position of women in the Church, and a third, Laypersons speak, about what the Church means to lay people, how they coordinate their responsibilities and life in the modern world with Christian principles, and whom they approach when they have problems, will present many well-known personalities.

[Serbian Translation Services]