Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
January 12, 2005

COMMUNIQUE ON FORMER BISHOP DAMASKIN DAVIDOVIC

Following statements published in recent days in the media by former Bishop Damaskin of Western Europe wherein he is referred to as a Bishop, we wish to inform the public that aforementioned Damaskin Davidovic has been punished by removal of his bishop’s and monastic office by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on November 19, 2005 (Asbr. 4/zap.15 dated November 18/5, 2003).

This decision was subsequently confirmed by the decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops (Asbr. 80/zap. 136 dated May 19/6, 2004).

By the same decision the aforementioned was stricken from the list of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Damaskin Davidovic was stripped of his bishop’s office for his uncanonical activities, disregard for the decisions of the Holy Assembly of Bishops and the Holy Synod of Bishops, slandering the Patriarch, apostasy from his Church, and joining schismatic communities.

BISHOP IRINEJ OF BACKA RECEIVES
RADIO TELEVISION NOVI SAD DIRECTOR

On Wednesday, January 12, 2005, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa received Mr. Petar Jovanovic, the director of Radio Television Novi Sad, in the bishop’s residence in Novi Sad.

Further cooperation between the Diocese of Backa and Radio Television Novi Sad to be reflected in the realization of a program of spiritual content was agreed upon at the meeting.

From the Office of the Bishop of Backa

METROPOLITAN JOVAN VISITS KRKA MONASTERY

His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb-Ljubljana and All-Italy visited Krka Monastery on January 11, 2005 to see first-hand the living condition of the monks there. On this occasion he met with His Grace Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia. Metropolitan Jovan has special ties to Krka Monastery, where he took his monastic vows and from 1967 to 1977 he was a brother of the monastery and a professor in the Holy Three Hierarchs Seminary.

HUMANITARIAN AID FROM HERCEG NOVI
FOR THE SUFFERING SERBS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

A delegations of the Serbian Sisters’ Society and the church parish of Herceg Novi planning to deliver humanitarian aid to the suffering Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija on January 11, 2005 cancelled its trip after learning from Radio Kosovska Mitrovica that UNMIK has introduced a new customs procedure which foresees the distribution of aid exclusively through the International Committee of the Red Cross. The members of the Serbian Sisters’ Society collected four tons of humanitarian aid in the past month, including winter clothing, flour, food articles, hygienic materials and money. The delegation that was to have delivered the aid included the president of the Herceg Novi Serbian Sisters’ Society, Dragica Spajic; the parish priest, Protopresbyter Djordje Orovic; Radio Herceg Novi editor Dragana Zecevic; and poetess Visnja Kosovic. The distribution of aid was to have taken place in cooperation with Radio Television Serbia and for the first time it was to have been delivered directly to the homes of suffering Serbs in the north of the Province, and those who found sanctuary from the March violence in camps protected by KFOR. The fate of the humanitarian aid from Herceg Novi is not known at this point but it is evident that it depends exclusively on the Kosovo provisional government. The Serbian Sisters’ Society has already delivered humanitarian aid from the suffering Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija on two previous occasions; both times, the aid was delivered to Gracanica Monastery.

Source: Svetigora Press

[Serbian Translation Services]