Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
October 7, 2005

PATRIARCH PAVLE ASKS UNMIK HEAD TO PREVENT “CHANGE IN USE” OR DESTRUCTION OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR CHURCH IN PRISTINA

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle sent a letter to Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Kosovo and Metohija, asking him to prevent Kosovo and Metohija provisional authorities from destroying or “changing the use” of the Orthodox church of Christ the Savior in Pristina. The Patriarch’s letter states:

“We believe that the entire Christian and civilized world has heard the appeals of the Serbian Orthodox Church for the protection of her holy shrines in Kosovo and Metohija. Since 1999, since Kosovo and Metohija have been under the protection of UNMIK and KFOR, 150 churches and monasteries have been completely destroyed, demolished and desecrated. Since Kosovo and Metohija are governed by representatives of a large number of world countries, among them police experts, and since you, an attorney from Denmark, which is a respected and legally based European state, are personally leading their efforts, we still have good faith that the perpetrators of these crimes will soon be discovered and brought to justice. This hope on our part is based, first of all, on the facts that this vandalism has not been legalized, and that UNESCO, together with the provisional institutions of Kosovo and Metohija, has also begun a process of restoration of an admittedly small number of the Serbian Orthodox holy shrines that have been destroyed.

What we find particularly disturbing and even incredible at this time is the publicly voiced intent of certain provisional authorities of Kosovo and Metohija to change the use of the church of Christ the Savior in Pristina, or even to destroy it altogether. His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren, who was justifiably quite upset, informed us and the Holy Synod of Bishops of these developments.

Since July 1999 when the attempt was made to blow it up using strong explosives, Albanian extremists, including their representatives in the provisional institutions, have constantly targeted the only remaining Orthodox church in Pristina.
Currently provisional authorities in the Pristina Municipal Assembly are considering proposals as part of changes to the urban plan to change the use of this church of God. Officials of the Pristina Municipal Assembly are supposed to decide whether they will turn the church into a nightclub, a museum or gallery or allow it to remain what it is.

Consequently, we appeal to you, Your Excellency, to invest the authority which you undoubtedly have and to prevent this destructive intent, the achievement of which would both symbolically and practically mean that, as far as UNMIK and you personally are concerned, there is no more room for Serbs in Pristina nor in other parts of the southern Serbian province.

With the deep conviction that you will find understanding for this appeal of the Serbian Orthodox Church and for the hope of expelled Pristina Serbs that when they one day return to their illegally occupied homes, they will also find the church of God which they built to the glory of the Savior and to the pride of their city, we extend our greetings with the hope for much success in your work for the good of all residents of Kosovo and Metohija.”

The Holy Synod of Bishops also informed the highest representatives of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Serbia, as well as important international organizations of the dangers that are threatening the church of Christ the Savior in Pristina.

MESSAGE OF PATRIARCH PAVLE TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORLD PUBLIC FORUM “DIALOGUE OF CIVILIZATIONS”

His Grace Bishop Justin of Timok, the member of the Holy Synod of Bishops for interchurch and interfaith affairs, is representing the Serbian Orthodox Church at the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations”, which is being held in Rhodes from October 3-6, 2005. This important conference is being organized by the Russian Center of National Glory and the Moscow-based St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation. There are about 200 researchers and representatives from various religions from about 40 countries throughout the world taking part in the forum’s six sessions.

In a personal message sent to the participants of the forum His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle expressed the hope that the “Dialogue of Civilizations” will contribute to finding solutions to the problems of the contemporary world. “It is our hope that the eminent and respected participants of this year’s forum during the course of their dialogue will find the possibility for a valid approach to a proper solution to the greatest problems of the modern world,” Patriarch Pavle wrote, nothing that this is impossible without fraternal dialogue and mutual understanding.

Readers can find more about the “Dialogue of Civilizations” on the web site http://www.wpfdc.com/eng/

METROPOLITAN AMFILOHIJE AND BISHOP JOVAN
SERVE IN JOVAN-DOL NEAR NIKSIC

His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Bishop Jovan of Dioclea served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy on Friday, October 7, 2005 in the monastery of the Conception of St. John the Baptist, in a skete of Ostrog Monastery located in Jovan-Dol near Niksic.

In his homily Metropolitan Amfilohije said that the greatness of St. John the Baptist, conceived of Zachariah and Elisabeth, consists in the degree of receiving within himself Him who is most wise, most perfect, most powerful and most truthful.

“Every person is great according to how much of God he carries within him, and everyone is called upon to multiply the gifts that God has granted him,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije, emphasizing that upon his birth in the world, every person receives a role that he needs to fulfill during the course of his worldly, transient life by living his life in accordance with God’s plan.

“St. John the Baptist is great, the greatest born to woman, because he received within himself the highest divine powers and wisdoms. During the course of his worldly life, he did not bow his head before the body or before blood but before God the Life-Bearer. St. John bowed his head before the Lord from his conception and the Lord made His home in him. That is why St. John served God and was the voice crying in the wilderness, the prophet of repentance and the rethinking of the human mind and the human heart. He always prepared and continues to this day to prepare the paths of the Lord and to make His paths unswerving. St. John as such remains a model throughout the history of the human race of how one should be conceived, born and live in the world. He touched upon greatness and infinity and thus acquired the knowledge that his role was to grow smaller, and the role of Him for whom he came into the world was to grow. St. John the Baptist measured himself with an immeasurable measure, and in accordance with it he lived his life, longing for the heavenly bread of life. In this lies the greatness of St. John and his conception in which there is no human logic,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije, adding that St. John the Baptist was born out of fasting and prayer.

“History bears witness that he is the greatest born to woman, filled with the blessings, power and strength given by God,” concluded Bishop Amfilohije.

After Holy Liturgy the slava cake was consecrated and cut, and a short memorial service was served for the souls of Archimandrite Lazar Adzic of blessed repose, Father David Miseljic and all others who, according to Metropolitan Amfilohije, were “gathered around this holy shrine and around the Conception of St. John the Baptist”.

Source: Svetigora Press, S.C./Z.V.

WONDER-WORKING ICON OF THEOTOKOS IN CHICAGO

The wonder-working icon of the Most Holy Theotokos located in the cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael in the city of Sitka, Alaska, USA, has for the first time begun a tour of the United States. Known for the many wonders that manifested themselves who worshipped before this holy icon, it has become one of the most famous and respected holy treasures on the North American continent.

Vladimir Lukic-Borovikovski (1758-1826), who was of Serbian descent, demonstrated his talent and art by painting this miracle-working icon, painted on canvas and framed in silver and gold. The icon was fashioned using the Theotokos of Kazan as a model. It is 91.4 cm. by 44.5 cm. in size. The cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael received the icon as a gift in 1850 from the workers of a nearby factory. After a fire that did not damage the icon in the slightest, wonders began to occur. Desiring to share this unique blessing, the Russian Orthodox bishop for Alaska, Nikolaj, who is of Serbian descent, sent this wonder-working icon throughout the North American continent. From Alaska to California, Arizona, Minnesota, Kansas, the Midwest, Chicago as far as New York, this icon is visiting all Orthodox parishes.

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hristofor of Midwestern America, the wonder-working icon of the Theotokos was placed in the cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Chicago on Sunday, October 2, 2005 so that Orthodox faithful might have the opportunity to kiss and to venerate it. Accompanied by bells and prayer, the wonder-working icon of the Theotokos was brought in procession in the overflowing church, where an Atakist to the Most Holy Theotokos was then served. After the service Father Darko Spasojevic addressed the faithful. Priest Chad Hatfield, the Dean of the Theological Faculty of St. Herman in Alaska, who is escorting the icon throughout the USA, presented a brief history of the icon. At the end Deacon Damjan Bozic added, “We have heart the words during the Atakist: Your icon shines in our cathedral like a shining star, illuminating the entire earth by its light... A great blessing is among us and it is no coincidence that the Serbian Orthodox Church welcomed the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos with joy.” The cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ is celebrating the centennial of its founding.

Deacon Damjan S. Bozic
Metropolitanate of Midwestern America

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION “IKONDIALOG”

In Copenhagen from September 19 to October 2, 2005, an international exhibition of icons was held entitled “IKONDIALOG”.

In the exhibition area next to the church of Helligaandshuset (the church of the Holy Spirit) 240 icons were displayed which had been painted by 30 icon painters – from Greece, Armenia, Serbia (Vojislav Lukovic, Slobodan Kajtez and Dragan Jovanovic), Denmark and Russia.

The very idea of this unusual event for the Danes originated from the ranks of Danish icon painters, most of them Protestants. Some of the icon painters discovered the beauty of Orthodox traditional icon painting. Today many of them are perfecting ancient icon painting techniques under the guidance of Greek Orthodox monk Father Georgije from the Holy Mountain.

Visitors of this exceptional exhibition were surprised by the strength of the impression left by the icons. Many of them rarely encountered icon paintings were and were truly amazed by certain icons. During the course of the exhibition guests discovered the beautiful world of the spirit and tradition of Orthodox paining, of which some of them had some previous knowledge but had never fully experienced.

Sasa M. Vukicevic

[Serbian Translation Services]