Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
April 20, 2005

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF GENOCIDE

On April 22, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle will serve a short memorial service for the victims of genocide in the Orthodox Cathedral (Saborna crkva) in Belgrade.

CARDINAL RATZINGER ELECTED POPE

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected last night, April 19, 2005, by the conclave of cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church as the 265th consecutive Bishop of Rome, and the first in the 21st century. The new pope chose the name Benedict XVI.

Yesterday at 5:50 p.m. white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica signaled the election of a new pope. Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez of Chile came out before the faithful, who gathered in great number in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, and said that Cardinal Joseph Racinger had been elected as the 265th consecutive pope.

Pope Benedict XVI was born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Germany. From 1946 to 1951, he studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher school in Freising. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1951. In 1953, he obtained a doctorate in theology with a thesis entitled: "The People and House of God in St. Augustine’s doctrine of the Church". Four years later, he became a university teacher, teaching dogma and theology at the Higher school of Philosophy and Theology in Freising, then in Bonn from 1959 to 1969, Muenster from 1963 to 1966, and Tubinga from 1966 to 1969. From 1969, he was a professor of dogmatic theology and history of dogma at the University of Regensburg.

In March 1977, Pope Paul VI elected him Archbishop of Munich and Freising and on May 28, 1977 he was consecrated. Paul VI elevated him to the College of Cardinals on June 27, 1977.

On November 25, 1981 he was nominated by Pope John Paul II as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, president of the Biblical Commission and of the Pontifical International Theological Commission.

Pope Benedict XVI speaks 10 languages.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON “LET US BREATHE LIFE INTO SERBIA” PASCHAL BENEFIT CONCERT

On Friday, April 22, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. a press conference will be held on the “Let us breathe life into Serbia” Paschal Benefit Concert.

Speakers at the conference will include His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa, Mr. Minja Tomasevic, the organizer of the campaign, Mr. Vojin Djordjevic on behalf of the SI&SI Company, the general sponsor of the concert, and director Ivica Vidanovic.

Teodulija It is our honor to invite representatives of the media to attend this event and become involved in this philanthropic campaign of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church launched the “Let us breathe life into Serbia” campaign in 2001 and has been conducting it for the past five years with the sponsorship of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle. The basic goal of the campaign is to provide desperately needed incubators for prematurely born children to all maternity wards in Serbia, as well as other equipment.

Katarina Radivojevic In the past three years infant mortality, especially for prematurely born children, has reduced by half, we believe in part thanks to this campaign. During this period 77 stationary incubators, 3 transporter incubators, 17 phototherapy devices, 15 patient monitors, 9 pulse oximeters, 3 sterilizers, 1 respiratory machine, 1 suction set and 1 bilirubinometer were distributed.

Kalina Kovacevic Serbia still has an infant mortality rate of more than 9 percent, whereas infant mortality in Western Europe varies between 3 and 5 percent. The basic cause of this tragic situation in our country is the lack of incubators and other equipment in the maternity wards. During the current year, we wish to provide incubators to as great a number of medical institutions as possible.

Marija Karan In order to remind and caution Serbian society of the necessity of obtaining additional neonatal devices, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church has been organizing the “Let us breathe life into Serbia” paschal benefit concert every year. This year the traditional concert will be held on the second day of Pascha, May 2, 2005, in the concert hall at Kolarceva Zaduzbina. His Holiness Patriarch Pavle will be attending the concert, as well as other eminent figures from the life of the Church and Serbian society.

Performers will include Katarina Radivojevic, Marija Karan, Kalina Kovacevic; the groups Teodulija, Belo Platno and Gora; and the choirs of the monastery of Kovilj, Mojsije Petrovic and the Church of the Holy Trinity in Zemun. The general sponsor of the concert is VODA VODA.

All proceeds from ticket sales will be used to purchase incubators. The entire concert will be inspired by the spirit of the most joyous holiday of holidays – Pascha.

“WE WERE CHILDREN” DIGITAL EXHIBITION

The “We Were Children” exhibition is dedicated to the children who perished in the Ustashe concentration camp of Jasenovac. The authors of the exhibition are Jovan Mirkovic and Dragoje Lukic of the Museum of Genocide Victims in Belgrade. The exhibition has been organized by the Council for Jasenovac of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and will also commemorate the 60 year anniversary of the break out of prisoners from the Jasenovac concentration camp.

The exhibition will be opened on April 21, 2005 at 8:00 p.m. in the facilities of the Serbian Ministry of Culture in Belgrade, Vljajkoviceva Street no. 3.

The formal opening of the exhibition will be attended by the highest representatives of Church and state, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps. The exhibition will remain open until April 27, 2005.

BELGRADE-MOSCOW MARATHON

On Thursday, April 21, 2005, after prayers at 9:00 a.m. and with the blessing of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, 12 marathon runners will start out from in front of St. Sava Memorial Cathedral in Belgrade on a 2,450 kilometer marathon. The final destination is the Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, where they plan to arrive at 4:00 p.m. on May 6, 2005, the patron saint’s day of the city of Moscow.

This marathon, one of the longest and fastest ever to be run in the world, will pass through a total of six countries: Serbia and Montenegro, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belorussia and Russia.

The sponsors of the marathon include the Prince Tomislav Karadjordjevic Foundation and HRH Princess Linda Karadjordjevic, the Department of Sports of the Republic of Serbia’s Ministry for Education and Sports, and the Serbian-Russian Friendship Society.

Participants of the marathon are members of the AK Plemenito Srce (Noble Heart Athletic Club) and include some of the best marathon runners in the world.

Members of AK Plemenito Srce running the marathon will be joined by one member of the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as by HRH Prince Djordje Karadjordjevic, presently a cadet at the Belgrade Military Academy, who will be representing the Serbia and Montenegro Army.

[Serbian Translation Services]