Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
April 10, 2005

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION VISITS THE WHITE HOUSE

On Friday, April 8, 2005 the official Serbian Orthodox Church delegation to the United States met yesterday (Friday) in the White House with Dr. Jack D. Crouch, one of president George Bush's advisors on national security; ambassador Dan Fried, who will soon be assuming the duties of advisor to the US president for southeastern European affairs, and Bertram Brown, the director of the National Security Council for southeastern Europe. This meeting was very important because these are individuals directly advising president Bush on Balkan issues. The meeting was also attended by Serbia and Montenegro ambassador Ivan Vujacic and our embassy in Washington contributed significantly to the organization of meetings of the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation in Washington.

The meeting was also to have been attended by Stephen Hadley, the chief advisor to the US president on national security with the president himself to appear at the meeting and speak briefly with the delegation. However, due to the urgent departure to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II president Bush and Mr. Hadley were unable to meet with the delegation.

At the beginning of the discussion Mr. Fried expressed the strong support of the US administration for the efforts of the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation during the course of its mission to the United States. He also emphasized that Washington respects the fact that the Serbian Orthodox Church has resolved the crisis that ensued with respect to the restoration of destroyed churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija, and expressed the wish that the restoration process begins as soon as possible in accordance with the memorandum signed by Patriarch Pavle on behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops. Mr. Fried said that the US wants a multiethnic Kosovo and opposes every form of nationalism. In this process the White House sees the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which enjoys great respect among the people, as very significant.

Bishop Grigorije explained that the Church by its nature cannot be nationalistic because its mission transcends ethnic and political borders. "The Church supports dialogue, not closedness and isolation," explained the Bishop. He added that "the Church cannot concern itself with political issues such as the future status of Kosovo and its political organization; however, it feels great responsibility with respect to the survival of endangered people, their human and religious rights, and the restoration of destroyed holy shrines".

Later in his commentary Bishop Grigorije again emphasized the importance of the restitution of confiscated church property, as well as the urgent resolution of property issues with full protection for privately owned Serbian property, which would send a strong signal to refugees to return to Kosovo and Metohija. He explained to his collocutors that since the beginning the Serbian Orthodox Church established active dialogue but that the tragic events of March 2004 resulted in great lack of confidence since Kosovo and Metohija are increasingly becoming ethnically pure Albanian territories. That is the very reason why the Serbian Orthodox Church felt it necessary to re-examine whether further dialogue would be useful. Nevertheless, His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch and the Holy Synod of Bishops concluded that dialogue should be intensified, especially with respect to the US, whose troops during the March riots played a key role in preventing even more wide-spread violence and destruction.

Mr. Fried explained that March 17, 2004 was "a great tragedy and a lesson for all" but that since then KFOR has undertaken significant measures to increase the level of battle readiness in the event of new disturbances. He explained that the White House sees great importance in the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo, and that the Serbian Orthodox church has great moral potential to be an active and constructive partner in the dialogue process, as well as in achieving a unified position among Serbian politicians in Kosovo. He explained that the international community will be assessing standards in the coming six to eight months and that, if the assessment is positive, they will initiate discussion on the final status of Kosovo. "Your voice is important because it tells us what is necessary to the Serbs, their Church and cultural heritage in order to survive," said Fried. He added that "the Serbian people and Church will enjoy protection with all international guarantees regardless of future status". He called on the Serbian Orthodox Church to define what the Church needs as soon as possible but also to advise Serbian political representatives in formulating a model of decentralization that will give Serbs "more power at the local level".

Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic presented the proposal that the return of Serbian refugees be intensified primarily to those areas where holy shrines are to be restored or where they already exist, and that Serbs are actively engaged in the restoration process. He emphasized that this certainly did not represent any form of "colonization" as tendentiously portrayed by some Kosovo Albanian media but the return of Serbs to their own homes and their privately owned property near churches and monasteries where they will feel stronger spiritually.

Bishop Teodosije explained to the collocutors that even during the war the Church had a constructive position and clearly polarized against violence, receiving all refugees, including Albanians, into its monasteries. He also emphasized the painful fact that almost all urban centers in Kosovo and Metohija have become monoethnic since June 1999, and consequently that returns need to be made possible not only to rural settings but also to the cities. He emphasized the example of Prizren where the 30 remaining Serbs who were expelled from their homes on March 17 still have not been able to return to their homes. As well, despite partial restoration of destroyed and damaged homes, there have been no returns to Gnjilane and Obilic because people do not feel safe since the perpetrators of the March violence and other crimes still have not been found.

Bishop Grigorije added to the discussion that in Bosnia and Herzegovina refugee returns are progressing much more easily to those areas where there are compact ethnic groups because people feel more secure there. In order to enable the integration of the population, economic factors such as commerce and the development of the economy may play a key role. "In Bosnia and Herzegovina the initial territorial division into entities enabled the preservation of communities; however, this isolation between people is not supposed to last forever but to be transcended through a reconciliation process. Nevertheless, until conditions are created for a normal life, there should be no experimentation with attempts to annul the entities since they are the guarantors of an equilibrium established with great effort," explained Bishop Grigorije.

Bishop Teodosije also pointed out the problem that economic assistance in Kosovo and Metohija largely went to the Albanians. "Funds for many projects were received which were described as multiethnic even though Serbs have no real possibility of participating or deriving any sort of benefit from them. On the other hand, the Albanian community has on numerous occasions blocked the building of schools and infrastructure in Serbian enclaves by complaining that these were monoethnic projects. This problem has led the Serbian community to the brink of economic ruin, which not only hinders return but threatens the survival of those who still remain in their homes, especially young people who do not see any sort of economic prospects here," said the Bishop. "Moreover, we are still witness to armed provocations and physical attacks which only further discourage the Serbs," he said.

The White House advisors thanked the Serbian Orthodox Church delegation for its constructive analysis of the situation and its proposals. Emphasis was placed on the need to remain in constant contract through the embassy in Belgrade and the US office in Pristina. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Crouch encouraged the delegation by saying that the role of the Serbs in negotiations on Kosovo will be very important and that in this process they will have enjoy great support from the international community, especially the USA.

The Serbian Orthodox Church delegation is leaving today for Chicago, where it will make important contacts with representatives of the Serbian diaspora. On Tuesday, April 13, the delegation will return to the US capital, where it is scheduled to meet with congressional representatives and other US officials. The return of the Delegation to Belgrade is scheduled for April 16.

MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD FOR FORMER BISHOPS OF BACKA

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa served a memorial service for Bishops Jovan Jovanovic (1786-1805) and Irinej Ciric (1922-1955) of blessed repose as part of the commemoration of the two hundred year anniversary of the repose of Bishop Jovan and the 50 year anniversary of the repose of Bishop Irinej.

In his homily Bishop Irinej emphasized the importance and greatness of these figures in the life of our holy Church.

From the Office of the Bishop of Backa

MEETING OF THE DIOCESE COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF THE DIOCESE OF BUDIMLJE AND NIKSIC

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, in the monastery of Djurdjevi Stupovi (Berane) the regular meeting of the Diocese Council and the Administrative Board of the Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic was held and chaired by Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic. At this meeting the final budget for 2004 was adopted as well as the proposed budget for 2005 for the aforementioned Diocese. The Council and the Board were pleased to conclude that spiritual life in the Diocese is progressing and that the faithful are increasingly helping their Church, actively participating in the restoration of holy shrines and all spiritual events organized by the Diocese and its various bodies.

During the course of 2004 four churches were consecrated in the Diocese, two priests were organized, and a total of eight monks and nuns were tonsured. Monastic life was renewed in the monastery of Podvrh, and presently 38 churches and parish homes are being built or restored throughout the Diocese.

The Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic calls on the highest government officials in Montenegro to initiate as quickly and responsibly as possible the regulation of relations between the State and the canonical Orthodox Church in Montenegro on a judicial and legislative foundation and in accordance with European standards. This is the only way to resolve the numerous accumulated problems in those relations and to transcend detrimental disagreements on a daily basis. This foresees the passing of a law on the restitution of illegally confiscated property to the Church, reaching an agreement on mutual relations between Church and State, the return of the rights of children to religious education in schools, and legal protection of identity and names, property rights and religious freedoms to the canonical Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro recognized by all.

The aforementioned administrative bodies of the Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic expressed their utmost concern because of the subversion of the Serbian language in Montenegro, and a state campaign of terror against the conscientious and brave professors of secondary schools in Niksic and Herceg Novi who sacrificed their livelihood for the defense of the scientific truth and honor of all those who inherited the Serbian language as one of their prime values from their fathers.

The members of the Council and the Board of the Diocese of Budimlje and Niksic extended their most sincere greetings to all faithful and to their associates and donors to the Diocese with the wish that they may celebrate the greatest of Christian holidays in peace and full Paschal radiance.

INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE DIOCESE OF BUDIMLJE AND NIKSIC

[Serbian Translation Services]