Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
December 27, 2004

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED IN ISTANBUL

His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy on Christmas Day (according to the Gregorian calendar) on December 25, 2004 in the church of St. George in the Istanbul quarter of Phanar. In his sermon to the faithful who gathered to celebrate the most joyous holiday of Christ’s Nativity with their bishop, priests and deacons, Patriarch Bartholomew said that “terrorist attacks are directed against the blameless and innocent” and emphasized that Christmas represents the celebration of peace and joy in this tortured world.

URGENT APPEAL OF THE DIOCESE OF RASKA AND PRIZREN

The Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija publicly appeals to the UN civil mission in Kosovo and Metohija, relevant institutions in Serbia and the entire international community to find the best solution as quickly as possible in order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Even though the formal reasons given for shutting off the electricity are non-payment of electricity consumed and problems with the electrical system, selective blackouts affecting only Serb inhabited locations prove that this is another form of ethnic discrimination to put more pressure on the Serbian community.

For more than two weeks several thousand Serbs living villages in central Kosovo have been without electrical power. Even though the formal reasons given for shutting off the electricity are non-payment of electricity consumed and problems with the electrical system, selective blackouts affecting almost exclusively Serb inhabited locations prove that this is another form of ethnic discrimination to put more pressure on the Serbian community. Serbian households are receiving electricity bills for several thousand euros, which they are unable to pay. Even the Serbian Orthodox parish in Prizren received an enormous electricity bill despite the fact that the last surviving churches in the city were destroyed in March of this year and the bishop's residence itself was looted and torched.

It is a well-known fact that almost two thirds of consumers in Kosovo and Metohija are not paying their electricity bills. However, power is being shut off almost only in locations inhabited by Serbs, which constitute far less than two thirds of the population in the Province. The consequences of this policy, which unfortunately is supported by Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) director John Ashley, are increasingly tragic. On December 21 Ashley rejected a proposal by Kosovo ombudsman Marek Antoni Nowicki to write off the enormous debts of those who are simply unable to pay and remains determined to compensate losses stemming from five years of corruption and embezzlement in the KEK at the expense of the Serbian community, already economically impoverished, lacking freedom of movement and jobs. After the arrival of the UN mission in Kosovo, thousands of Serbian workers were let go from their jobs in the Kosovo Power and Supply Company, now operated exclusively by Albanians. This injustice is now being supplemented by a further injustice, which is being tolerated by the UN mission, and all indications are that Serbs will be welcoming the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays in the dark and cold.

In addition to all the security, social and economic problems confronting the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija this winter, more than two weeks without electrical power have had multiple other undesirable effects: the work of medical institutions in Serbian enclaves is being affected, and the number of elderly people and children becoming ill as a result of their difficult living conditions and the cold is on the rise. Also increasing daily is the level of political tension, which may easily lead to road blockages which would no doubt cause a chain reaction of violence on the Albanian side and the destabilization of the situation in the Province.

The Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija publicly appeals to the UN civil mission in Kosovo and Metohija, relevant institutions in Serbia and the entire international community to find the best solution as quickly as possible in order to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Before a long term solution to the financial problems of the bankrupt Kosovo Energy Corporation is found, it is essential to urgently enable the humanitarian import of electrical power to Kosovo and Metohija and to stop power shut offs in Serbian enclaves.

Unless appropriate measures are urgently enacted in order to stop the suffering of the civilian Serbian population by taking away its electricity in the middle of winter, direct responsibility for the consequences will be borne by all those who are in a position to help find a solution to this problem, and who for weeks have been ignoring the appeals of endangered citizens.

FRESCOES OF CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS IN VELIKA HOCA

On Tuesday, December 28, 2004 in the Gallery of Frescoes of the National Museum in Belgrade at 7:00 p.m., Bojan Popovic, the custodian of the Gallery of Frescoes, will hold a lecture on “The frescoes of St. Nicholas in Velika Hoca, Metohija” as part of a series of lectures and presentations of materials recorded in Kosovo and Metohija under the auspices of the Velika Hoca Art Forum.

PUBLIC FORUM ON RESTORATION OF RUJAN MONASTERY

A public forum on the restoration of Rujan Monastery will be held on December 27, 2004 in the National Library of Serbia in cooperation with the Orthodox Diocese of Zica. Issues discussed will include the spiritual and historical importance of the monasteries, the renowned “Cetvorojevadjelje” (the four Gospels) printed in Rujan Monastery in 1537, as well as the plan for restoration of the buildings itself and monastic life, the National Library of Serbia has announced. Expected participants in the public forum include His Grace Bishop Hrizostom of Zica, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Blagoje Dodic, Slobodan Mileusnic, Lazar Djuric and Katarina Mano-Zisi. The formal part of the event will include a mini concert by an octet of the St. Sava choir, comprised of the clergy of the Diocese of Zica.

Source: www.seecult.org

ANGLICANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN PATRIARCHAL CHAPEL

Faithful of the Anglican Church in Belgrade celebrated Christmas with services held in the patriarchal chapel dedicated to St. Simeon the Myrrh-gusher on Friday evening, December 24, 2004. Among those present were the ambassadors of Great Britain and Australia in Serbia and Montenegro, David Gowen and John Oliver, respectively, with their spouses and members of the diplomatic corps, as well as other Anglican faithful who live in our country. Christmas liturgy was served by Chaplain Robin Fox, who assumed the office at the beginning of August this year from former Chaplain Philip Warner.

Chaplain Fox thanked His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle and conveyed the greetings of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Gibraltar. He presented His Holiness with a book as a symbolic gift of Christian love and true friendship over many years.

SECURITY INFORMATION AGENCY BUILDING CONSECRATED

Upon the invitation of Security Information Agency director Rade Bulatovic, on Friday, December 24, 2004 Protonamesnik Simo Klickovic, Protonamesnik Budimir Zekanovic and Presbyter Milan Lazarevic of the church of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Helen consecrated the building of the Security Information Agency in the presence of Mr. Bulatovic, Nikola Bujic and other employees. In his sermon, the officiating parish priest, Presbyter Milan Lazarevic, said “I wish you everything good from Our Lord Jesus Christ. I wish you much success in your lives and work and in every good deed on behalf of our Church and state.”

[Serbian Translation Services]