Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
May 25, 2006

PATRIARCH PAVLE AND HOLY ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS IN THE PEC PATRIARCHATE

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle, together with the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy on the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in the Pec Patriarchate, the spiritual seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

“This was another in a series of confirmations that the Serbian Orthodox Church is concerned about the fate of her people and Serbian holy shrines that are suffering in Kosovo and Metohija.” The homily included a gentle word of encouragement and paternal concern for all the persecuted and suffering people in Kosovo and Metohija. At the end, an appeal was sent to all relevant institutions to enable the return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes, and ensure than a peaceful and dignified life.

“THE RESTORATION OF NOVO BRDO”

On Tuesday, May 23, 2006, as part of the Dr. Radoslav Grujic public forum, Professor Dr. Predrag Ristic gave a lecture on “The Restoration of Novo Brdo” during which he spoke about the possibility of restoring the medieval Serbian fortress. Dr. Ristic’s plan dates back to 1990.

The plan is very simple and achievable. It consists of turning one tower at a time into a hostel, so that each year students from throughout Serbia could come and help in restoring life to this ancient Serbian cultural and economic center. Dr. Ristic used a video presentation to show the entire plan and explain his architectural effort. The ground floor would consist of a clothing room, storage room and reception area. The second and third floors would consist of rooms with bathrooms and common rooms with an observatory on top.

Every present agreed that the plan was acceptable but whether it will be implemented depends on other factors. The first step was this presentation, which Dr. Ristic will also present to the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Monuments at the end of June 2006.

CHOIR OF THE STANISLAV BINICKI MILITARY ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE CHANTS DURING HOLY LITURGY

On the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Holy Liturgy was served in the church of the Holy Archangel Gabriel in Belgrade. On that occasion the choir of the Stanislav Binicki Military Artistic Ensemble chanted the responses. It is the first time in its one hundred year history that the choir chanted during Holy Liturgy. The conductor was Mr. Milan Milijanovic, professor of St. Sava Seminary.

The choir will also be chanting responses during Holy Liturgy on May 28, 2006 in the church of St. Vasilije Ostroski in Bezanijska Kosa, and on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord-Spasovdan, the patronal feast of the city of Belgrade, in the church of the Ascension of the Lord.

THE MAJORITY IS NOT THE MEASURE OF TRUTH

On the occasion of the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the monastery dedicated to these saints in Recine near Kolasin.

“The first song of the morning service begins with the words ‘God is the Lord, and He appeared to us’. These words contain everything on which our human life rests. Thus all of God’s creation by its nature announces the appearance of God, through it the Creator is revealed and appears in this world,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije in his homily to the gathered faithful in the monastery of Cirilovac.

“The holy brothers Cyril and Methodius enlightened us, they made us Christians, they gave us the alphabet and script, they gave us Cyrillic but most of all they gave us living faith. And as long as the Slavic peoples are faithful to Him who is always faithful, they will know which path to follow. Those who stray from this path, which leads into life, lose their orientation on earth, no matter how many of them there are. God has remained faithful to those who remained faithful to Him. God’s holy seed has never disappeared from the earth, not even today. The majority has never been the measure of truth,” said the Metropolitan.

“One man who is with God is stronger and more powerful than thousands and millions of those who have strayed from God’s path. Even today the story of the old chosen people of God is being repeated. There are far more of those who hold this world and the passions of this world more dear and there are far fewer of those who remained and still remain faithful. Everything that is happening is happening because of us, to test our faith in the living God,” said Metropolitan Amfilohije during the course of Holy Divine Liturgy in Cirilovac Monastery near Kolasin.

Source: Svetigora Press - S.Z./ S.K.

EXHIBITION ON HOLY DESPOT STEFAN LAZAREVIC OPENS IN VIENNA

On Saturday, May 20, an exhibition entitled “Holy Despot Stefan Lazarevic” formally opened in the auditorium of the church of St. Sava in Vienna.

This important cultural event was organized by the Serbian Orthodox parish of St. Sava in Vienna as part of its well-known cultural public forum “Slovo ljubve”. The event was named after the famous poetic epistle “Slovo ljubve” (A Homage to Love) written by the “very good, and dear, and sweet gentleman despot” as Stefan is described on the monument raised in the spot where he died in Crkvine.

The exhibition was prepared by the Belgrade City Library by creators Olga Krasic-Marjanovic and Ljiljana Zecev. Large format photographs depict frescoes and many old manuscripts preserved in the Patriarchate Library and the Serbian Orthodox Church Museum. Items on display include a copy of “Slovo ljubve” found in 1978 in the Krusedol collection of manuscripts. Three items were displayed two years ago in the New York Metropolitan Museum’s huge exhibition on Byzantium: the hat of the Belgrade metropolitan, the famous Law on Mines of the Holy Despot Stefan and Jefimija’s praise of Prince Lazar.

Choirs “Hristos Voskrese” and “Angel Vopijase” provided liturgical music at the opening, with singing by religious school pupils Jelena and Jovana Pantic, and Igor Gligorov. Father Petar Pantic welcomed the guests, and the exhibition creators, Olga Krasic-Marjanovic and Ljiljana Zecev from Belgrade, spoke about the significance of the Holy Despot Stefan Lazarevic and his time. Among the guests were Consul Kosta Simonovic and Serbia-Montenegro Embassy advisor for culture and media Goran Bradic, who conveyed the greetings of Ambassador Dragan Velikic.

Marko Radosavljevic’s very interesting film “Najkrasnije mesto od davnina” (The most beautiful place from ancient times) was also shown, which uses computer reconstruction to shown what Belgrade looked like in the 15th century. Further enhancing the exhibition was the presentation of the book “Srednjo-vekovna Srbija” (Medieval Serbia) by Nebojsa Djuranovic, lent for this occasion by the publisher Prometej.

On Sunday, May 21, after Holy Liturgy, the same program of the previous night was repeated.

At this important exhibition Serbs in Vienna will learn many important things about Manasija Monastery, built six hundred years ago, as well as about the renowned Resavska School, which was active during the time of the Holy Despot Stefan Lazarevic. We must never forget that the Holy Despot Stefan stood out equally in waging war, art, speech, as well as in charity and religious devotion. Through his personal good works he strove for the Kingdom of Heaven; little wonder then that upon his passing “poor and rich wept, everything that drew breath on Serbian land on the day his soul parted”. It is recorded that when this occurred, at noon on July 19, 1427, all the skies above Belgrade grew dark and the rain poured down as never before.

The exhibition will be open until St. Vitus Day.

Text and photo: Miodrag Mecanovic

[Serbian Translation Services]