Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
April 8, 2005

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION
IS NOT NEGOTIATING THE STATUS OF KOSOVO
BUT STRUGGLING FOR THE RIGHTS OF ITS FAITHFUL

Recently the Serbian public has been informed by BK Television that during talks conducted by the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation with representatives of the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. His Grace Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina proposed that the status of Kosovo and Metohija "be negotiated directly with the Serbian Orthodox Church, excluding the Serbian Government".

This information is untrue and absurd. It is untrue because the clear position of Bishop Grigorije and the entire Serbian Orthodox Church delegation has been and remains that the sole purpose of direct communication between our Church and the United Nations and the U.S. Administration is to secure the protection of elementary human rights for the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, to enable the return of displaced persons and the establishment of a sustainable life for them, and to ensure the ownership of church property and the restoration of destroyed holy sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In short, the delegation is requesting the institution of the standards of democracy and civilization for all persons in Kosovo and Metohija; there are no talks regarding the future status of the Serbian province.

This information is absurd because neither the Serbian Orthodox Church nor its delegation has the authority to negotiate on issues related to the status of Kosovo and Metohija in the sense of a constitutional and political solution; however, it does have the legitimacy to talk about all issues of import for the Serbian people and Church in Kosovo and Metohija, and especially the legal status of the Serbian Orthodox Church, its usurped property and the restoration of its destroyed holy shrines in Kosovo and Metohija. Hence, the dissemination of untrue and absurd information in addition to its ill intention, serves the purpose of denying the Serbian Orthodox Church its legitimate right to act upon its concern for its faithful and its property.

BELLS TOLL IN SYMPATHY

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa on the day of the funeral of Pope John Paul II at 10:00 a.m. the bells tolled in all churches of the Diocese of Backa in sympathy and the expression of brotherly love towards the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church, most of whom live on the territory of this diocese.

From the Office of the Diocese of Backa

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION MEETS WITH CONGRESSMAN TOM TANCREDO

The official Serbian Orthodox Church delegation to the United States met on Friday, April 8, with US congressman Tom Tancredo from the state of Colorado in the offices of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington.

The delegation informed Mr. Tancredo regarding its activities and meeting in the US to date, as well as scheduled meetings to be held during the last week of its visit.

Congressman Tancredo also learned of the difficult human rights situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and the need for the US to become actively involved in providing assistance for refugee returns, the rebuilding of destroyed homes and churches, the restitution of Church property nationalized after World War II, ensuring of basic human and religious rights, as well as conditions for a dignified life, and adequate protection for the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija.

Congressman Tancredo is one of the most active members of the Serbian caucus in the US Congress. During the course of next week the SPC delegation will also be holding a series of meetings with other members of the caucus.

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION
MEETS WITH NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL

On Wednesday, April 6, the official Serbian Orthodox Church delegation met with Bertram Brown, the director for southeastern Europe in the National Security Council. The meeting was held in the offices of the Serbian Unity Congress in Washington.

At the beginning of the conversation Mr. Brown emphasized that he sincerely respects the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which acted "bravely" in public even prior to the war in Kosovo in expressing support for the opposition and the process of democratization. He emphasized that Washington hopes that the Church will continue to play the role of a partner for peace and stability, and that it would "encourage the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to become engaged in processes that are beneficial to all citizens". Mr. Brown also emphasized that the U.S. administration respects the achievement of the recently signed Memorandum on the restoration of destroyed churches.

Bishop Grigorije explained to his collocutor that the official Serbian Orthodox Church headed out on this mission because "the situation no longer allowed any hesitation". "As I have said many times already, we did not come here to concern ourselves with political issues but to assist in enabling the survival of our faithful in Kosovo and Metohija, and our holy shrines, among which the Pec Patriarchate, Decani and Gracanica are especially important," said the Bishop. He expressed the concern of the Serbian Orthodox Church that "Kosovo and Metohija may become completely ethnically cleansed unless the international community does not invest more effort toward establishing the rule of law and order".

"There is also a danger that an entire European Christian civilization will disappear, as well as that hasty solutions will result in a new crisis spot which will create conflicts and instability throughout the region," explained Bishop Grigorije. He added that the Church "is aware that confrontation with the international community would lead to the complete disappearance of our people and our holy shrines".

Commenting on the views of the Serbian Orthodox Church on key social issues, Bishop Grigorije emphasized that courage was necessary but also support for all those who think constructively and realistically.

Mr. Brown stated that he believes that a critical period is approaching for resolving the problems in Kosovo and Metohija. "The thing isn't to punish anyone or take away something from anyone but to create conditions so that Kosovo can function normally as a multiethnic society," he explained. He added that the key question in this process is decentralization. "However, in order to be able to resolve this problem," continued Mr. Brown, "as well as the issue of restitution of property, restoration of churches and homes, it is necessary that we have a collocutor and partner among the Kosovo Serbs". He also emphasized the importance of the Memorandum for the restoration of churches because "it is the first step and a way of encouraging the Serbs to begin restoration regardless of whether Kosovo will be independent, a part of Serbia or a protectorate". "As an individual I understand the reasons for a boycott but if this continues the position of the Serbs will be increasingly more difficult. That is why the Church can help the people to get involved and help themselves," concluded Mr. Brown.

Fr. Irinej Dobrijevic then joined in the discussion, emphasizing the importance of restitution of property and refugee returns, and mentioning the experience of the NGOs Philanthropy and the IOCC. "Return does not mean 'colonization' but return to one's own home, one's property and primarily to areas where Serbian holy shrines already exist nearby," said Fr. Irinej.

Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan explained to Mr. Brown that the Church enjoys a good reputation among the people and that the Serbian Orthodox Church has firmly decided to adopt a more constructive approach towards the international community. "With respect to Serb participation in the institutions, it is very important that the international community and Kosovo Albanians undertake steps to show the Serbs that they will not merely serve as decorations in the institutions, that they will be able to truly improve the position of their people," said the Bishop. He explained that the Serbs participated in local institutions for three years and were rewarded in the end with the March 17, 2004 pogrom.

Mr. Brown responded that one of the concrete stimuli for the people will be the restoration of destroyed churches and monasteries. In his opinion the Church could play a key role in returns. He cited the example of Bosnia and Herzegovina where "nothing happened for four years and then suddenly everything became dynamic".

Bishop Teodosije emphasized that the Church is not in a position to participate directly in the definition of political status, but that it can and should represent the vital interests of its faithful in order to secure rights and freedoms as well as adequate protection for the cultural heritage of the Serbian people. In this context the Church actively supports the process of decentralization that would ensure protection at the local level for our people as well as more effective possibilities for the preservation of their identity, culture and self-government in key areas such as, for example, health and education. "Serbs and other non-Albanians must be protected not only as individuals but as peoples," emphasized the Bishop. He added that the highest standards for protection of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija also need to be implemented.

Continuing on the same topic, Dr. Sijakovic emphasized that the same standards need to be implemented throughout the region. He cited the example of the Presevo Valley and Kosovo, saying that Kosovo officials are nowhere close to offering Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija what Serbia is giving to the ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley. "The resolution of property issues is an especially big problem," said Dr. Sijakovic. He proposed the forming of an independent agency for real estate to address these problems.

Going back to the issue of the implementation of the Dayton agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina emphasized that there is great concern among the people of Republika Srpska that the agreement will be annulled, that the Serbs will lose their independence, and that they will be suddenly marginalized in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Explaining his view of the situation, the Bishop emphasized that the percentage of Croats is rapidly dropping and that Sarajevo is becoming a purely Muslim city, something it has never been even during the Ottoman regime.

Mr. Brown told Bishop Grigorije that he sees no possibility for a change of the Dayton agreement but that he insists on the carrying out of responsibilities toward the Hague tribunal. He explained that the international community wants to see a greater integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the European Union in the near future. "The international community is not against Republika Srpska. It is against certain structures in Republika Srpska that are seeped in corruption while the people are living in poverty," concluded Mr. Brown.

IOCC WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE RETURN PROCESS
IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

After meeting with Bertram Brown, the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation met in the offices of the Serbian Unity Congress with Dean Triantafilou, a representative of International Orthodox Christian Charities.

During the course of the meeting they discussed the possibilities for engaging the IOCC in the return process, the restoration of their homes and mini farm projects. It was emphasized that returns must be sustainable and that people must be provided with economic conditions for living. It was agreed to include the IOCC offices in Belgrade and Podgorica in future coordination, as well as work with the organization USAID.

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION SIGNS
BOOK OF MOURNING IN WASHINGTON NUNCIATURE

On Wednesday, April 6, the official Serbian Orthodox Church delegation which is presently on an extended visit to the United States of America signed the book of mourning upon the death of Pope John Paul II of Rome in the Apostolic Nuncio's office in Washington, D.C.

The delegation was greeted by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo Higuera, the Apostolic Nuncio to the USA, who thanked the SPC delegation for its condolences expressed to the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor Montalvo said that he had previously served for six years as the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Belgrade, which remains in his fond memories. Archbishop Montalvo conveyed his sincere greetings to His Holiness Patriarch Pavle and the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

NEW WEB SITE DEDICATED TO KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

At the beginning of April 2005 the government of the Republic of Serbia opened a new web site dedicated to Kosovo and Metohija at http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/kosovo-metohija The home page of the presentation provides the latest news about Kosovo and Metohija. The site also provides all relevant documents on the southern Serbian province, video reports from Kosovo and Metohija, witness accounts of terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija, and facts about the March 2004 pogrom (with photographs).

ANNUNCIATION DAY IN CHICAGO

The Serbian National Library from Chicago, the endowment of Milun and Nada Nikolic, from this year will begin to organize an Annunciation Day literary event in Chicago, which is expected to be held each year in the Michigan city around the feast of the Annunciation.

Annunciation Day in Chicago is the first Serbian literary event in the Western hemisphere, just as the Library was in 1990 the first Serbian library founded on the North American continent.

The main program of the literary event will feature a modern Serbian writer in light of the Serbian literary tradition. The lecturer at the first event will be Dr. Bogdan Rakic, a professor at University of Chicago, a world renowned Slavist and editor of Serbian Studies, which is published in English in the United States. Professor Rakic will speak about the poetry of Jovan Ducic and Djordje Nikolic, a poet from Chicago.

The Annunciation Day literary event will also feature the US promotion of Nikolic’s books published in Serbia, including “Srpska glava”, “Nebeski vrt”, “Dopis” and “U potrazi za Euridikom”. The event will represent Nikolic’s first literary presentation in Serbian in the US since his emigration to this country more than 33 years ago.

In addition to the cultural program, the event will include the launching of a campaign to assist the Serbian Literary Association and Matica Srpska. Toward this end the Library has set up a traveling literary festival called “Giving Back to the Serbian Literary Association and Matica Srpska”. Serbian writers will take part in literary evenings to be organized both in Serbia and among the diaspora, spreading the mission of the Serbian Literary Association and Matica Srpska, and encouraging patriotic Serbs to help the work and survival of these most important Serbian cultural centers. The Annunciation Day literary event will also signal the beginning of the “Giving Back” campaign, which will be organized and underwritten throughout the world by the Serbian National Library from Chicago. All proceeds from the sale of Nikolic’s books at the event will be donated by the Library to the Serbian Literary Association in order to meet this year’s publishing schedule.

“The Serbian National Library plans to expand its campaign throughout the US, Canada, Australia and Western Europe and to call on Serbs to unite behind the ideal of preserving the Serbian language and Serbian Cyrillic script by helping the Serbian Literary Association and Matica Srpska. Without their historic role Serbdom would certainly be deprived of its character reflected in the teachings of St. Sava,” said Dragica Milosevic, the director of the Library.

This year’s even will be held on St. Lazarus Sunday, April 23, 2005 in the great hall of the cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on Palmer Square in Chicago. The event will begin with a prayer service and memorial to the poets Jovan Ducic, Ratko Petrovic, Milos Crnjanski and other Serbian emigrant writers whose works were created abroad but who remain an inalienable part of the living body of Serbian literature.

KYR STEFAN THE SERB CHOIR IN PRAGUE

In Prague on Monday, April 4, 2005 in the Orthodox church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, a concert of spiritual music was held. The performer was the municipal woman’s choir Kyr Stefan the Serb from Smederevo, a member of the Serbian Choir Association founded in 2003. The concert was held in front of a full church where in addition to large number of Serbs there were Czechs, Russians and Ukrainians present. In addition to the Serbia and Montenegro ambassador to Prague, Mr. Aleksandar Ilic, this spiritual event was also attended by representatives of other diplomatic missions in the Czech Republic, as well as 15 deputies of the Serbia and Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia Assemblies from Belgrade who are presently visiting their Czech colleagues. The first part of the concert by one of our most eminent choirs, directed by Milan Ilic, included songs from the Holy Liturgy, compositions of Kyr Stefan the Serb, Mokranjac and Tajcevic. The second part of the concert included authentic folk songs from Serbia. The concert was organized by the founding board of the Serbian Orthodox parish of Holy Prince Lazarus in Prague.

[Serbian Translation Services]