Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
July 22, 2005

COMMUNIQUE
OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS
ON THE SENTENCING OF ARCHBISHOP JOVAN OF OCHRID

Following the sentencing of His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid and Metropolitan of Skopje by a court in Bitolj, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church wishes to express its bitterness and shock upon this act of trampling of elementary religious and human rights.

We had hoped that the time of persecution of the Church had passed. The sentence against Archbishop Jovan, recognized by all local Orthodox Churches, represents a sentence against all of Orthodoxy.

Hence, we call on the state institutions of the Republic of Macedonia to withdraw this senseless act that only serves to cast an irreparable stain on this country and on its justice system before God, justice and the international public.

In Belgrade, July 22, 2005

The Holy Synod of Bishops of
the Serbian Orthodox Church

METROPOLITAN JOVAN FORMALLY PRESENTS
VARAZDIN EPISTLE TO LEPAVINA MONASTERY

On the feast of St. Prokopios the Great-martyr, His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb and Ljubljana served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of St. Stefan the Archdeacon in Mali Poganac.

St. Prokopios the Great-martyr is celebrated as the patron saint’s day of the three villages belonging to the church, and every year it is celebrated together in the church of St. Stefan the Archdeacon in Mali Poganac.

During the service Metropolitan Jovan emphasized the example of St. Prokopios the Great-Martyr in his unshakeable attestation of faith in the one, true God and the beneficial effect of his example on converting others to the faith.

Metropolitan Jovan further highlighted the evangelical message from the service regarding bearing one’s cross and loving one’s neighbor, noting the need to take care of our Christian life: the fulfillment of God’s commandments and frequent partaking of the Holy Mystery of Communion in order to avoid the temptations that come with the modern way of life.

Metropolitan Jovan then visited Lepavina Monastery and formally presented a photographic reproduction edition of the Varazdin Epistle*.

* An Epistle Lectionary, the first known Serbo-Slavonic book to be written in the area, copied in Varazdin in 1454 through the intercession of Katarina Brankovic, daughter of Serbian Despot Djuradj (reigned from 1427–1456). Kept in the Serbian Orthodox Church Museum in Belgrade, it bears the inscription: This liturgical book was written "during the time of Right-believing and Christ-loving Lady and Princess Cantacuzenus, Daughter of Despot Djuradj, Serbian Autocrat."

METROPOLITAN AMFILOHIJE SERVES AT THE PEC PATRIARCHATE

His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy yesterday, Thursday, July 21, 2005, on the feast of St. Prokopios the Great-Martyr, in the church of the Holy Apostles in the monastery of the Pec Patriarchate in Kosovo.

During the course of the day Metropolitan Amfilohije visited Serbian returnees to the village of Belo Polje near Pec.

Source: Svetigora Press, S.K.

“LIFE IN THIS WORLD AND LIFE ETERNAL”

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Vasilije of Srem, the Church Council of the Church Parish of Paragovo organized a humanitarian blood drive yesterday, July 21, 2005 called “Life in This World and Life Eternal”.

A large number of faithful responded to this Serbian Orthodox Church campaign and a considerable quantity of the precious fluid was collected on the occasion of the eve of St. Marina the Great-Martyr (Mary of Fire), the patronal feast of the parish of Paragovo.

[Serbian Translation Services]