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Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
October
3, 2005
SERBIA-MONTENEGRO AMBASSADOR IN CROATIA
VISITS THE BISHOP’S RESIDENCE OF THE DIOCESE OF DALMATIA IN SIBENIK
 After the brutal attack on the seat of the Orthodox Diocese
of Dalmatia in Sibenik on September 29, 2005, His Excellency
Milan Simurdic, the Serbia-Montenegro ambassador to the Republic
of Croatia, visited the Diocese of Dalmatia and His Grace Bishop
Fotije of Dalmatia on Saturday, October 1, 2005.
On the occasion of his visit to Sibenik Mr. Simurdic also met
with Mrs. Nedeljka Klaric, the mayor of the city of Sibenik,
and Mr. Branko Peran, the director of the Sibenik-Knin Police
Department.
After meeting in the facilities of the city of Sibenik, the
Serbia-Montenegro ambassador visited the bishop’s residence of
the Diocese of Dalmatia to see for himself what had occurred
during the brutal attack on the main institution of the Serbian
Orthodox Church in Dalmatia.
In a meeting with Ambassador Simurdic, Bishop Fotije said that
an attack on the sanctity of life as well as on the building
of the Diocese of Dalmatia has no price, and that this event
needs no commentary since it speaks for itself.
Source: Diocese of Dalmatia
BELL TOWER OF THE MONASTERY OF KOM ON LAKE SKADAR CONSECRATED  On October 2, 2005, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of
Montenegro and the Littoral served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in
the monastery of Kom on Lake Skadar.
During Holy Liturgy the Metropolitan consecrated the monastery’s
bell tower and bell, and then the great cross was raised to the
top of the island elevation.
“He who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Christ.” The Holy Apostle Paul left us these words
as testimony of this experience, his test, his knowledge of God
and his opinion of the glory of God. This light and this knowledge
also shone upon the founders of this Holy family of blessed repose.
So much time has passed since the time of Stefan and Ljes and
their descendants, Ivan and Djuradj Crnojevic but nevertheless
this small place shines and emanates with inextinguishable light.
This Holy Shrine has seen and endured much but it survived for
it is ever and anew restored through the renewal of faith in
those who joined it. Today there are those who say that Father
Hrizostom and Amfilohije, who blesses the restoration of this
Holy Shine, are devastating Kom Monastery and other Holy Shrines
on Lake Skadar, and they are even in the process of preparing
complaints against the Church of God. Why? Because the Church
of God during its renewal in Montenegro could not pass over the
restoration of the Holy Shrines that were abandoned, defiled,
desecrated and turned into ruins. It is in this state that we
found the monasteries of Moracnik, Beska, Starceva Gorica, Vranjina,
the monastery of Kom, the monastery of St. Nicholas at Obod,
the monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in
Budva and Stanjevic Monastery: all in ruins, all Holy Shrines
that have been desecrated, forgotten and neglected. Could we
allow snakes and scorpions to continue to breed in the Holy Shrines
of God? Could we allow Holy Shrines to serve as barns for cattle,
to lie as ruins?” said Metropolitan Amfilohije in his homily.
He called those who claim that the Church is destroying Montenegrin
culture poorly raised, alienated from the church, uncultured,
uneducated or half educated people who had gazed upon these deserted
holy shrines for decades without being bothered that they were
being turned into barns but who are now bothered when the shrines
are being restored.
“These are people who have allowed and assisted by their Godless
soul that the priceless treasure of Montenegro irretrievably
disappears. Hundreds of thousands of books that were four hundred
to five hundred years old have rotted, and some of them are still
rotting in the churches of the Katunska region (nahija) and in
other places because they refused to permit us to gather and
preserve them. Now that the bell has rung on Kom Monastery, they
are sure to come in the near future to ask ‘Who gave you the
right to build a bell tower.’ It is our task to build, as we
have built through the centuries, and it is theirs, God forbid,
to destroy. And they can destroy but we will build again because
we know of no other way than to believe in the Living god, the
Builder, the Creator of heaven and earth, and inspired by Him
and His building to be His associates, to build without interruption.
To build ourselves and our soul, our bones, our body and all
that we have into a Holy Shrine,” emphasized Metropolitan Amfilohije.
Source: Svetigora
Press, S.Z./S.K.
BISHOP LUKIJAN OF OSIJEK POLJE AND BARANJA CONSECRATES RESTORED
CHURCH IN OSTROVO  His Grace Bishop Lukijan of Osijek Polje consecrated the restored
church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (originally built
in 1747) in the village of Ostrovo near Vinkovci on Saturday,
October 1, 2005.
This suffering church was hit by a number of rocket grenades
during wartime operations in 1991.
The restoration of the church lasted three years. The Ministry
of Culture of the Republic of Croatia approved most of the funding
and the faithful themselves also donated toward the reconstruction.
Bishop Lukijan thanked all those who contributed to the renewal
of this holy shrine. He presented hierarchal gramata to the deserving
for their effort and work in the restoration of the church, and
honored the local parish priest, Father Branislav Polimac, with
the office of protopresbyter.
Protopresbyter Predrag Azapovic
CORNERSTONE PLACED FOR NEW CHURCH IN VINKOVCI  In Vinkovci, in the same location where the Orthodox church
of the Holy Trinity stood from 1794 to 1991, when it was blown
up with grenades, His Grace Bishop Lukijan of Osijek Polje and
Baranja consecrated the cornerstone for a new church on Saturday,
October 1, 2005.
The plans for the church were prepared by Mrs. Jelica Bocka,
architect from Vukovar.
“It will not be easy to build this church of God once again
but with the help of the Government of the Republic of Croatia,
the Ministry of Sea, Tourism, Transportation and Development,
the donations of the faithful and others of good will, we will
build this church for the glory of the Triune God, the Father,
Son and the Holy Spirit,” said Bishop Lukijan. He called on the
faithful in attendance to overcome injustice and disagreement,
and to mutual reconciliation and forgiveness.
Among those in attendance at Holy Liturgy were Mrs. Bojana Ristic,
the General Consul of Serbia-Montenegro in Vukovar, and Mr. Dragan
Crnogorac, president of the Joint Council of Serbian Municipalities.
The ceremony took place without incidents or provocation with
a reinforced police security presence.
Protopresbyter Predrag Azapovic
BISHOP JOVAN OF SUMADIJA CONSECRATES NEW FRESCOES OF CHURCH
IN CUBUTKOVICI AND PARISH HALL IN MILOSEVO  His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy
on Saturday, October 1, 2005 in the church of the Holy Great-martyr
George in Cubutkovici near Lazarevac. On this occasion the new
frescoes in the church, the work of Mr. Mate Minic, an icon painter
from Belgrade, were consecrated.
The patron endower of the paintings, the new polilei and the
restoration of the iconostasis is Mr. Dobrivoje Tanasijevic from
California, a native of Cubutkovici. In addition to the frescoes
the entire interior of the church has been restored thanks to
the donations of the local residents of the village.
After Holy Liturgy a banquet luncheon was prepared. Bishop Jovan
praised and presented hierarchal gramata to the most deserving
in this God-pleasing work. He also presented Mr. Dobrivoje Tanasijevic
with the Order of St. Simeon of the first degree.
In his homily the Bishop emphasized that the building and decoration
of a holy shrine is important for our people but that the building
of the Living Church is the ultimate goal toward which this accomplishment
leads. Bishop Jovan called on all to take part in this kind of
building.
On Sunday, October 2, 2005 Bishop Jovan served Holy Hierarchal
Liturgy in the church of the Holy Prophet Jeremiah in the village
of Milosevo near Jagodina. On this occasion the Bishop elevated
the parish priest of Milosevo, Protonamesnik Svetislav Radosavljevic,
to the office of protopresbyter, and the retired parish priest
of Duboka, Presbyter Dragutin Popovic, to the office of protopresbyter-stavrophor.
After Holy Liturgy Bishop Jovan consecrated the hall in the
parish home. In his homily he emphasized the need to come to
Holy Liturgy in the Holy Shrine.
The church of the Holy Prophet Jeremiah in the village of Milosevo
was built in 1863 and restored in 1937. The interior of the church
was painted in frescoes and a new iconostasis was raised in 1993.
After Holy Liturgy a festive arts program took place.
Deacon Filip Jovanovic
[Serbian
Translation Services]
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