Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
December 9, 2005

SERBIAN PATRIARCH RECEIVES TREATMENT AT MILITARY-MEDICAL ACADEMY IN BELGRADE
PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING THE DELEGATION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES VISITING BRUSSELS AND GERMANY

SERBIAN PATRIARCH RECEIVES TREATMENT AT MILITARY-MEDICAL ACADEMY IN BELGRADE

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle has been admitted to the Military-Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade yesterday for medical treatment. The concillium of physicians has issued a public statement as follows:

“On December 8, 2005 His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle was admitted to the Military-Medical Academy after sustaining an injury to his right hip during a fall two days ago in his offices. Upon admittance a clinical diagnosis determined a fracture in the right pubic bone which does not require surgery. The general condition of the Patriarch is good and his recovery is in progress.

“Concillium of physicians of the Military-Medical Academy”

His Holiness received a visit today by members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of Bishops prays fervently to the Lord for the rapid recovery and return to health of the Serbian Patriarch, Kyr Pavle.

PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING THE DELEGATION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES VISITING BRUSSELS AND GERMANY

A press conference was held today in the Palace Hotel in Belgrade regarding the visit of a delegation of Christian churches from Serbia and Montenegro to Brussels and Germany during the period from December 11-16, 2005. Speakers at the conference included His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa, Monsignor Stanislav Hocevar, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade, and Dr. Bernard Lamers, the director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation for Serbia and Montenegro, the organizer of the visit.

In his introductory remarks Dr. Lamers explained that the Konrad Adenauer Foundation is organizing this visit by a delegation of Christian churches from Serbia and Montenegro to the highest officials of the European Union and German political institutions within the framework of enhancing cooperation among the churches and promoting Christian values in contemporary European society. The delegation includes Serbian Orthodox Church bishops Irinej of Backa, Jovan of Sumadija, Justin of Timok and Teodosije of Lipljan; Archbishop Stanislav Hocevar, and Dr. Andrija Kopilovic, the prorector of the Cathechal-Theological Institute in Subotica, of the Roman Catholic Church; and Mr. Arpad Dolinski, bishop of the Lutheran-Evangelic Church. In Brussels the delegation will meet with Dr. Wilfried Martens, the president of the European People’s Party; Dr. Reinhard Priebe, Director for Western Balkans at the Directorate General on External Relations of the European Commission; Mr. Vassilis Maragos of the European Commission; Ambassador Michael Veninger; Jan Figel, the European commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism; Roksanda Nincic, the Serbia-Montenegro ambassador to the European Union; hierarchs of the Orthodox Churches in Belgium; Roman Catholic Bishop Josef Homeier, the chair of the Commission of the European Union Bishops’ Conference; and Rev. Rudiger Noll, the director of the Conference of European Churches. From there they will go on to Germany, where they will first meet in Berlin with Dr. Michael Scheffer, the political director of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Bishop Wolfgang Huber, Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church of Germany; Gerda Haselfeld, deputy speaker of the Bundestag; Dr. Hermann Kis, deputy in the Bundestag; former prime minister Bernhard Vogel, and Ognjen Pribicevic, Serbia-Montenegro ambassador to Germany. After Berlin, the delegation will travel to Hannover, where they will visit St. Sava Church and be hosted by His Grace Bishop Konstantin. In Hannover the delegation will also hold meetings with Roman Catholic Bishop Gerhard Feige, Bishop Rolf Kope of the Evangelic Church of Germany; and Jurgen Gansauer, president of the State Parliament of Lower Saxony, and with Cardinal Karl Lehmann in Frankfurt.

Commenting on the importance of this visit, Bishop Irinej of Backa emphasized that the Christian churches in Serbia and Montenegro act together on many important issues, and among the visible proof of this is also this joint delegation which will represent them in Brussels and Germany. From the itinerary it is apparent that the nature of the visit is twofold: further nurturing of cooperation and mutual exchange of opinion with top officials in Germany and Brussels. With this visit we wish to demonstrate what is not commonly known to the general European public and that is the quality of relations among the churches in Serbia and Montenegro, in which respect our country does not lag behind the countries of the European Union. In this way we jointly demonstrate our readiness to manifest the high quality of relations among the Christian churches and religious communities in Serbia and Montenegro. Respecting each other we are drawing increasingly nearer the day when we will achieve full unity in the Holy Mysteries. The very concept of tolerance, as far as the quality of our mutual relations is concerned, is behind us. The concept of tolerance can also be defined as unintentional action, whereas our ideal is sincere love following the model of Jesus Christ. We need to work on building this evangelical path but not on a temporary basis but permanently. It is in this spirit that we need to continue dialogue among the churches. Bishop Irinej emphasized that the Serbian Orthodox Church has nurtured good relations with the Bishops’ Conference of Germany and with the Evangelical Church in Germany. He also mentioned the regular meetings and dialogue between the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Bishops’ Conference of Germany. He emphasized the openness of Cardinal Jozef Homeier for dialogue and his Christian concern for Serbia. Additionally, the Diocese of Central Europe regularly organizes meetings with representatives of the Bishops’ Conference and Evangelical Church in Germany.

In conclusion Bishop Irinej emphasized that it is important that discussions regarding specific issues, such as accession to the European Union and resolution of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, are conducted without prejudicing political decisions. The church can help in resolving many issues, such as the preservation of human dignity of the individual, freedoms, the right to property and the possibility for realizing basic human rights. The bishop cited the words of Dr. Lamers that the church through its philanthropic practice can help in resolving an entire complex of social problems. Finally, Bishop Irinej thanked the Konrad Adenauer Foundation for its work in Serbia and Montenegro, which thanks largely to Dr. Lamers is Christian in its inspiration and sets this organization apart from others and makes it unique.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Stanislav Hocevar of Belgrade confirmed Bishop Irinej’s presentation and emphasized that the most important thing is that representatives of Christian churches from Serbia and Montenegro are going and presenting their experiences and knowledge to Europe together and not individually. We are bringing church specifics, which we can bequeath the West, and everything that the West offers us on the cultural, spiritual and church, plan, we can accept. The forthcoming meeting will contribute to our offering Europe something new, so that a united Europe can become even more secure and more creative.

[Serbian Translation Services]