Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
June 23, 2005

HOLY SYNOD CALLS ON FAITHFUL TO TRAVEL TO THE HOLY LAND WITH THE BLESSING OF THEIR BISHOP

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church called on Orthodox faithful to not to travel on pilgrimages to the Holy Land and other holy places using arrangements by tourist agencies that do not have the blessing of the bishop in their diocese.

METROPOLITAN AMFILOHIJE LECTURES ON “THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY – THE MYSTERY OF DIVINE LOVE”

His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral gave a lecture on June 21, 2005 on “The Mystery of the Holy Trinity – The Mystery of Divine Love”. The event was held in the Parish Hall in Bar and was organized by the Orthodox Church Parish of Bar as part of its Days of St. Jovan Vladimir event.

“The fullness of the love of the Holy Trinity is revealed in all that exists. The universe and its beauty and laws attest to this Divine love. It is tragic and comic when people accept the belief that the universe exists in and of itself. Man sees that there is truly something wondrous in the world but it is difficult for him to admit that this beauty and perfection of the world could not have been created by accident, and that the power of Divine love exists, which is revealed in all that exists in the world, first and foremost, in man’s image and in his personality. During the course of his life man should work on perfecting himself and adding to the talents given him by God. Therein lies the purpose of his existence,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije.

He emphasized that recently the purpose of the stones at Rumija has been discovered even though some are not pleased by the discovery. “We regret that there are people who do not understand that this was no provocation but a sign of our love toward Rumija, toward these stones, toward the age-old tradition that belongs to all of us and our love toward all who live near Rumija. We are building a church at Rumija, and all tradition tied to this church, woven for centuries, are in the sign of the Venerable Cross and the church of the Holy Trinity, not St. Jovan Vladimir, as the papers are erroneously reporting. Who is bothered by our attestation (of faith) and our love as a portrait of this Divine love toward which we rush by consecrating this mountain? Who could be bothered by this love except those who have eyes but do not see, and have ears but do not hear. Unfortunately, there are such (people) among the politicians, too, and by their declarations they are consciously or unconsciously poisoning the people. The Cross is the symbol whereby we love “all and every” (and) we live with its love. All is becoming politics, and primitive (politics) at that,” assessed Metropolitan Amfilohije, adding that today we are living in an “un-Trinity-like” age.

M.V./Z.V.

Source: Svetigora

REGARDING THE BUILDING OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH AT RUMIJA

The fulfillment of the centuries-old covenant of the residents of the Bar region (Mikulici, Mrkojevici, Krajina, Spic, Crmnica) and the general area regarding the construction of a church on the top of Rumija has recently provoked several tumultuous reactions by professional, already confirmed opponents of Christ’s Church in Montenegro.

For centuries the people of this region, Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Mohammedan, bearing the cross of St. Jovan Vladimir to the top of Rumija in a religious procession on the feast of the Holy Trinity, have also carried stones for the building of a church. Several writers during the twentieth century have recorded the folk legend, still alive in these parts, that when enough stones have been collected on the top of Rumija, a church would “fly” to the scene. According to folk tradition, a church already existed there.

Only God’s Design knows why this occurred in our time; we can only speculate. But the fact is that, carrying stones to the top of Rumija with faith and hope, according to Orthodox ritual, the Orthodox church that has just “flown in” was built by Orthodox faithful and Roman Catholics and Mohammedans. It was built by their faith in God and the living cult and saintly power of St. Jovan Vladimir. The people, who are in essence honorable, follow a different logic than political manipulators.

The church that “flew in” at Rumija dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the God of Love, is the fruit of popular faith in God. No one carried a stone with great effort and by the sweat of his brow to the top of Rumija in order to included on the list of patrons of the church nor has anyone placed a Euro on the icon in the church in order to later claim it as his property. People are doing this out of deep conviction that their donation or sacrifice is beneficial to their soul and the souls of their heirs and those of their reposed forebears. The stealing of churches and manipulation regarding their ownership are the fruit of the unbridled police and political power of Godless persons and theoclasts. May God save any honorable person, no matter of what faith, of finding himself in their skin.

The wonderworking holy relics of St. Jovan Vladimir have been venerated for centuries by Orthodox faithful, Roman Catholics and Mohammedans filled with the fear of God in the Orthodox Monastery of Shin Jon (St. Jovan, St. John) near Elbasan in Albania. People of all three faiths have been coming to Rumija on the feast of the Holy Trinity for centuries; there were some on this holy day this year as well, gathered around the new church and the cross of St. Jovan Vladimir. The church at Rumija is open for all people of good faith. It is no divider as the people whose Godlessness has narrowed their consciousness fear. Albania is at least 30% an Orthodox land and 10% Roman Catholic. How is it then that only some of our Muslim Albanians are bothered by a Christian cross at Rumija where it existed previously for centuries and where we all gathered around it in God’s love? As we will continue to meet, God willing, in the future. The fact that some of our ignoramuses and persons with darkened minds spit upon the church of the Holy Trinity at Rumija, the realization of a ten century-long desire of many generations, is only an indication that such persons as are gathered around the so-called Montenegrin Orthodox Church serve every other purpose except the Living and True God.

Source: Svetigora

CHURCH AND WORLD – THE CHURCH AND CULTURE

On June 24 St Vladimir’s Seminary successfully concluded its annual summer institute devoted to the theme "The Church and Culture." Topics throughout the weeklong event were colorful and varied, ranging from lectures and discussions about the Church's engagement with politics, popular culture, technology, and film to insights into the ways that the second century Church Fathers and Old Testament prophets confronted and perceived the world.

Several guest faculty members enhanced this year's program with their expertise and fresh perspectives. The seminary was grateful for the participation of two keynote lecturers, Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic, consultant to the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Dr Albert Raboteau, professor of religion at Princeton University. Other esteemed guests who spoke during the course of the week were His Grace, Bishop Savas of Troas, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Dr Aristotle Papanikolaou, assistant professor of theology at Fordham University. Bishop Savas also presided and preached at the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of St John the Baptist, on the closing day.

The six-day forum, from June 19-24 attracted nearly fifty participants who each followed one of two tracks: pastoral practice or liturgical music. Participants in both tracks kept a busy schedule each day—worshiping, eating meals together, attending lectures, participating in discussions, and using the seminary's library resources. Dr Peter Bouteneff, who organized this year's program, commented that the topical theme, the top-notch faculty, and the high-caliber participants, all conspired to make this an especially vibrant and fascinating week.

The liturgical music track, coordinated by full-time institute faculty members Mr Mark Bailey, Ms Helen Erickson, and Dn Kevin Smith, offered practical training as well as theological reflection in many areas of liturgical music. Participants in the liturgical music track—divided into beginning and advanced groups—studied conducting, the eight tones, composition, vocal techniques for church reading, and church rubrics. Participants in the liturgical music track were responsible for all the liturgical services during the institute, both reading and singing responses.

Held each year in June, the Liturgical Institute of Music and Pastoral Practice (informally called the "summer institute") is a way for the seminary to serve the Church by inviting many to take advantage of the seminary's resources. It provides a forum for clergy and laypeople to learn more about their faith and Church practice through a week of worship, lectures, discussions, and activities.

Source: www.svots.edu

[Serbian Translation Services]