Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
June 13, 2005

SERBIAN PATRIARCH PAVLE CONSECRATES NEW CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION AT PASINO BRDO

On Sunday, June 12 His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle consecrated a newly built church dedicated to the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord at Pasino Brdo in Belgrade. The church, built according to the plans of architect Ljubica Bosnjak, now graces this part of the Serbian capital 80 years after this land was donated and set aside for the building of an Orthodox church.

Concelebrants with His Holiness included Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Cedomir Vuckovic, Protopresybter-Stavrophor Andreja Arsic, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Stevan Vlacic, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dimitrij Zalezic, Protopresbyter Mileta Petrovic, Protopresybter Jovan Blagojevic, Protopresbyter Ratko Savic, Protodeacon Tomislav Milanovic, and Protodeacon Stevan Rapajic.

The Holy King Milutin Choir sang during the Holy Liturgy, and the members of the Cultural and Arts Society of Old Vozdovac performed in a cultural arts program.

In his address to the people who gathered, Patriarch Pavle emphasized that decades of effort that have gone into preserving this land parcel for the purpose of building an Orthodox church here have been fruitful and brought us the divine blessing and grace of “gathering here today and praying to the Lord God in this beautiful holy shrine.”

The elder of the church of the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord in Belgrade, originally consecrated on December 3, 2000, is today Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Branislav Govedarica.

GEORGIAN PATRIARCH VISITS AZERBAIJAN

Upon the invitation of the Government of Azerbaijan, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia made an official visit to the Caspian country from June 5-8, 2005. During the course of his visit, on June 7, Patriarch Ilia visited the Orthodox cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Diocese of Baku and the Caspian, where he served a short memorial service.

On June 7, 2005 Patriarch Ilia II signed a bilateral Declaration on the establishment of peace in the Caucusus with the spiritual head of the Islamic community of the Caucusus, Sheikh ul-Islam Alahshukyoro Pashazade in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku.

The Declaration attests to unity in inter-religious joint efforts on the establishment and preservation of peace, enables further cooperation and serves as a model. It states the common position that the peoples in the Caucusus wish to live as good neighbors and that they do not want to separate from each other; instead, they wish to follow a common path through mutual recognition and respect that guarantees a just peace to both sides consecrated by the blessing of the Almighty. The Declaration condemns all acts that deny people the right to live in their country, and represent a threat to regional stability. Every form of separatism and national egoism was also condemned.

During his visit, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev presented Patriarch Ilia II with the Order of Glory, one of the highest distinctions of this land.

[Serbian Translation Services]