Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
May 23, 2005

PATRIARCH PAVLE PRESENTS AWARD TO GREEK AMBASSADOR IN BELGRADE, MR. MICHEL SPINELLIS
9^TH ANNUAL THEOLOGICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SYMPOSIUM IN SAVINA MONASTERY ON “MEMORY AND FORGETTING”

PATRIARCH PAVLE PRESENTS AWARD TO GREEK AMBASSADOR IN BELGRADE, MR. MICHEL SPINELLIS

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle presented the highest distinction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Order of St. Sava of the First Degree, to the long time ambassador of the Republic of Greece in Belgrade, His Excellency Mr. Michel Spinellis, in the Belgrade Patriarchate today in the presence of the members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops.

In his address to His Excellency, His Holiness Patriarch Pavle said that it was a special honor for him to have the opportunity to convey his greetings and present the highest honor of our Church to Ambassador Spinellis.

His Holiness emphasized that during the time he has spent in our country as a representative of the Greek state and the Greek people, Mr. Spinellis has always been on the side on truth, which for us “is not just an idea but the God of Truth”. Upon Mr. Spinellis’ departure from our country to assume new duties, His Holiness emphasized that wherever he might live and work in the future, we will always remember him with love. “We remain thankful to you personally and to your government for all the good works you have brought us during the course of these most recent, difficult years”.

“We pray to God for you, for the country of Greece and for the Greek people, and for the place where you will work in the future. We especially pray to the Lord for your pious family with the hope that you may always remain together.”

The decision to award the highest distinction of the Serbian Orthodox Church to His Excellency Mr. Michel Spinellis was read by Protopresybter-Stavrophor Savo B. Jovic, the executive secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops.

Mr. Spinellis expressed his thanks for the award as well as the kind words of His Holiness, emphasizing that the medal represented a high honor and a responsibility, regardless of where he lived and worked, to justify the highest award of the Serbian Orthodox Church in word and deed.

9^TH ANNUAL THEOLOGICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SYMPOSIUM IN SAVINA MONASTERY ON “MEMORY AND FORGETTING”

The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Fund of professors of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niksic are organizing the 11th annual Sts. and Methodius theological and philosophical symposium traditionally held on the feast of Sts. Sava and Methodius. This year the academic conference will take place in Savina Monastery and Herceg Novi from May 22-24. It will be dedicated to the topic of “Memory and forgetting.

Once again the co-organizer this year will be the municipal assembly of Herceg Novi in whose facilities one part of the working part of the symposium will be held. As in previous years, theologians, philosophers, sociologists, literary critics and historians from at home and abroad are expected to attend and to demonstrated the universal significance and contemporary developments of the topic through the prism of their respective disciplines both her in Serbia as well as in the context of global trends.

Professors from the universities in Podgorica, Banja Luka, Belgrade and Novi Sad are expected to attend, as well as guests from abroad. Participants will include His Eminence Metropolitan Kirill of Varna from Bulgaria and Dr. Hanna Kowalska-Stus from Krakow, as well as Bishop Jovan of Dioclea, Seminary Rector Protopresbyter Gojko Perovic, Presbyter Dr. Boris Brajovic, Deacon Zlatko Matic, Prof. Dr. Savo Lausevic, Vuko Velas, Visnja Kosovic, Vladimir Djurdjevic, Goran Radonjic, Caslav Koprivica, Slobodan Kanjevac, Dusan Krcunovic, Goran Komar, Bogdan Kosanovic, Sinisa Jelusic, Olivera Doklestic, Stojan Sljuka, Bogoljub Sijakovic, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Simo Elakovic, Drago Djuric, vuk Miljanovic, Radojka Vukcevic, Karmen Andjela Cvetkovic, Gordana Krcunovic, Zoran Avramovic, Drago Perovic, Miso Kulic and Zdravko Peno.

Source: Svetigora

[Serbian Translation Services]