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Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
Avgust
24, 2005
SERBIAN PATRIARCH CONGRATULATES NEWLY
ELECTED PATRIARCH THEOPHILOS OF JERUSALEM
His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle sent a telegram today to
His Beatitude Theophilos, the newly elected Patriarch of Jerusalem
congratulating him on his election as the 140th successor to
the throne of the Holy Apostle Jacob, the brother of Our Lord.
The text of the telegram is as follows:
Holy brother, please accept our most sincere greetings and congratulations
on the occasion of your election as Patriarch of the ancient
and glorious apostolic throne of Jerusalem. Axios (worthy)! We
extend our prayerful wishes for your fruitful patriarchal service
and longevity for the benefit of the Mother Church of Zion and
all of Orthodoxy.
Serbian Patriarch Pavle
and the Holy Synod of Bishops
PAPAL NUNCIO IN SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
CONDEMNS ARREST OF BISHOP JOVAN OF OCHRID
The ambassador of the Vatican in Serbia and Montenegro, Archbishop
Sbarbaro, stated in Bor today that the Holy See has intervened
with Macedonian authorities to secure the release of Archbishop
Jovan, who has been sentenced to prison in that country.
“The position of the Catholic Church and the Holy See is clear:
we are unhappy that Bishop Jovan has been arrested. That is why
the local Bishops’ Conference and the Holy See have intervened
with Macedonian authorities in order to procure an amnesty and
compassion for the imprisoned Bishop,” said Archbishop Sbarbaro.
The ambassador of the Vatican, who presented a donation to the
hospital in Bor today valued at 13,000 euros, added, “every conflict
between Churches is a problem and a difficulty”.
“We want the Orthodox Church to be united and in a position
to convey Christ’s message to this population, to whom it is
direly necessary,” said Archbishop Sbarbaro.
Source:
www.rts.co.yu
HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY SENT
A LETTER TO MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT CONCERNING ARREST OF A BISHOP
OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
 His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia sent a telegramme to
the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church informing him of the
imprisonment of Metropolitan John, who was elected Archbishop
of Okhrid and Metrop0olitan of Skopje by the Bishops' Council
of the Serbian Orthodox Church in May 2005. The message contains
a request to help release the hierarch.
On August 22, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All
Russia sent a letter to Macedonian President B. Crvenkovski.
His Holiness said in his letter that differences with regard
to the church order in the Republic of Macedonia could be resolved
only through church dialogue based on the holy canons. The arrest
of Metropolitan John became a very serious obstacle for the continuation
of this dialogue and inflicts a considerable damage on the mutual
relations of the two fraternal Orthodox nations.
That same day the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church informed
His Holiness Patriarch Pavle about his letter to President B.Crvenkovski
and assured him of ardent prayers for an early release of the
suffering brother and healing the division and confrontation
in the Republic of Macedonia so painful for the whole Orthodox
world.
www.mospat.ru
COMECE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ARCHBISHOP
JOVAN IN MACEDONIA
 Bishop Josef Homeyer, President of the Commission of the Bishops’
Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), today sent a
letter to the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President-in-Office
of the European Council, to the High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and to the European
Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, alerting them to the
imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan Vraniskovski of Ochrid and the
Metropolitan of Skopje on 26 July 2005 in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
Bishop Homeyer requests that the three leaders employ every
effort at the highest political level to bring about the immediate
release of Archbishop Jovan, who is a representative of the Serbian
Orthodox Church in Macedonia. Archbishop Jovan was convicted
on 1 July 2004 of allegedly instigating ethnic, racial and religious
hatred, discord and intolerance. This conviction was confirmed
by the Court of Appeal in Bitola on 23 June 2005. With this sentence
Archbishop Jovan will serve up to two and a half years imprisonment.
Bishop Homeyer expresses great concern over the sentencing of
Archbishop Jovan as there are reasons to believe that the statements
made the Archbishop were consonant with the provisions for freedom
of religion and freedom of expression as delineated in articles
9 and 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms .For these reasons Bishop Homeyer
calls upon these three leaders to pursue bilateral contacts and
discussions to broker the release of Archbishop Jovan forthwith.
www.comece.org
HOLY RELICS OF ST GEORGE IN MOSCOW
 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All-Russia served
an all-night vigil on August 22, 2005 in the church of Christ
the Savior in Moscow. Patriarch Alexy then led a festal religious
procession with the holy relics of St. George the Great-Martyr
and Victory-Bearer, brought that day to Moscow by monks from
the monastery of Koutloumousiou on Mt. Athos in Greece.
 The holy relics of St. George were placed in a wooden chapel
dedicated to the Icon of the Theotokos located in front of the
church of Christ the Savior. The Russian Orthodox Church has
asked that the holy relics be transferred to Moscow in the year
of the 60th anniversary of the great victory against fascism
because St. George was the patron saint and protector of Russian
soldiers.
The holy relics of St. George will be in Moscow until September
28.
Source:
www.meparh.ru
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