Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
May 19, 2005

SERB MAN MURDERED NEAR OBROVAC, "HANG THE SERBS FROM THE WILLOW TREES" GRAFFITI IN GRACAC
BOOK BY BISHOP GRIGORIJE OF ZAHUMLJE AND HERZEGOVINA - THE HOUR IS NEAR AND IT IS ALREADY HERE
ORDER OF VUK KARADZIC PRESENTED TO HIEROMONK IRINEJ DOBRIJEVIC

SERB MAN MURDERED NEAR OBROVAC,
"HANG THE SERBS FROM THE WILLOW TREES" GRAFFITI IN GRACAC

On May 19, 2005 the body of a dead elderly man of Serbian nationality bearing visible signs of violence has been found in the village of Karin near Obrovac, reported Zadar police.

Milorad Pupovac, vice-president of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party (SDSS) and a deputy in the Croatian assembly, said late last night that this was "a politically motivated murder" which occurred immediately after local elections, reported SRNA's correspondent in Zagreb.

"This is just one of the tragic examples showing that although the local elections held last Sunday in Croatia were held in a tolerant atmosphere, this was immediately followed by a new wave of attack against Serbs," said Pupovac during a guest appearance on Croatian television.

He said that the beginning of the new wave of attacks on Serbs is also confirmed by the appearance of fresh graffiti in Gracac in Lika stating "Hang the Serbs from the willow trees" and large capital "U's" [for Ustashe] with swastikas.

Pupovac emphasized that the HDZ [Croatian Fraternal Union] in Knin was attempting to bring all Croatian parties under the same umbrella under the slogan "all Croats against the Serbs" in order to prevent the SDSS, the winner in this municipality with a total of 35 percent of the electoral vote, from participating in the future local government.

Pupovac assessed this as an attempt to weaken the government of prime minister Ivo Sanader, whom he called on "to think about the messages that are being sent by this".

"If Serbs and the SDSS are openly being told ten years after Operation Storm that they cannot be lived with, then this is a message for concern, all the more so since the SDSS is one of Sanader's strongest arguments on the road to Europe," said Pupovac.

Source: Radio Television Republika Srpska

BOOK BY BISHOP GRIGORIJE OF ZAHUMLJE AND HERZEGOVINA - THE HOUR IS NEAR AND IT IS ALREADY HERE

A promotion of a book by His Eminence Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina called “The Hour Is Near and It Is Already Here” took place yesterday in the Kolarceva Zaduzbina in Belgrade. Speakers at the event included His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Veles and Povardarje, Protopresbyter Petar Lukic, Prof. Dr. Vladeta Jerotic and Dr. Zorica Kuburovic.

At the beginning of the promotion Protopresybter Petar Lukic presented Bishop Grigorije’s book. The book is divided into six parts: Homilies on Themes from the Gospel, Holiday Homilies, Bishop’s Sermons to the People, Orthodox Discussions, Responses to Questions from Reporters and On Holiness and the Saints. Father Petar emphasized that Bishop Grigorije’s style is easy to follow and comprehend, that he is understandable to everyone and that this is the greatest value of the style in which His Eminence writes. He then read several characteristic passages from the book in order to exemplify his previous comments.

His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Veles and Povardarje continued in the same tone about the book, emphasizing that it is important because it deals with the trials presented by contemporary life to the way of life of the Orthodox faithful.

In further discussion, Prof. Dr. Vladeta Jerotic spoke about the character of the book itself and emphasized its significance from the psychological aspect. Following Prof. Jerotic, Dr. Zorica Kuburovic emphasized that the book is important from both a medical perspective and that the comprehensive nature of the Bishop’s homilies and writings is very important for the entire Serbian people in a period of great suffering and martyrdom for the faith.

The book was published by Tvrdos Monastery, the church of Gracanica of Herzegovina, and the brotherhood of St. Simeon the Myrrh-gusher. The editor is Anja Jeftic and the proofing was done by Danijela Jelic.

ORDER OF VUK KARADZIC PRESENTED TO HIEROMONK IRINEJ DOBRIJEVIC

Today in the offices of the Republic of Serbia’s Ministry for Diaspora Minister Prof. Dr. Vojislav Vukcevic presented Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic with the Order of Vuk Karadzic of the Third Degree for special contributions toward the improvement of relations between the Serbian state with Serbs living abroad and achievements in furthering relations between Church and state. Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic issued a decree in December 2004 to honor Hieromonk Irinej with this award.

The ceremony was attended by Their Royal Highnesses Princess Jelisaveta and Princess Linda; Stanislav Stakic, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vuk Draskovic; Richard Moore, chief of mission in the U.S. Embassy; Aleks Milutinovic, military attache in the U.S. Embassy; Mr. Dragan Babic, Mr. Miroslav Djordjevic, the president of the Serbian Unity Congress, Slava Draskovic, the director of the Serbian Unity Congress, and Maja Arezina.

Hieromonk Irinej thanked all those who made it possible for him to successfully carry out the mission of the Orthodox Church and enhance the imagine of Serbs in the world.

[Serbian Translation Services]