Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
June 8, 2006

HONORARY TITLE OF ARCHBISHOP OF CETINJE CONFIRMED FOR METROPOLITAN OF MONTENEGRO AND THE LITTORAL AND EXARCH OF THE HOLY THRONE OF PEC
FORMAL OPENING OF EXHIBITION OF ICONS AND FRESCOES AT THE ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND CONSERVATION
FORMAL WELCOME OF THE HAND OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR IN MOSCOW

HONORARY TITLE OF ARCHBISHOP OF CETINJE CONFIRMED FOR METROPOLITAN OF MONTENEGRO AND THE LITTORAL AND EXARCH OF THE HOLY THRONE OF PEC

The title of the archbishops of Cetinje, earlier of Zeta, and at the same time metropolitans of Montenegro and the Littoral is of a honorary and liturgical character.

The first Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral with the honorary title of Archbishop was Romil I from 1530 during the time of the Turkish occupation. His successor as Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, and also Archbishop of Cetinje, was Vasilije from 1532 (Bishop Sava of Sumadija, “Srpski Jerarsi od 9 do 20 veka” (Serbian Hierarchs from the 9th to the 20th Century), 1996)

It is well-known that Petar II Petrovic Njegos and Mitrofan Ban also signed as archbishops. The honorary and liturgical title Archbishop of Cetinje was confirmed for Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and the most recent Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church for the sake of its historical continuity, just as the title Exarch of the Holy Throne of Pec was confirmed in recent years, in keeping with the title borne by the metropolitans of Montenegro and the Littoral from Vasilije Petrovic – Njegos (1750-1766) to Mitrofan Ban (1885-1920) after the fall of the Pec Patriarchate under Turkish rule.

COMMUNIQUE SERVICE OF
THE METROPOLITANATE OF MONTENEGRO
AND THE LITTORAL

FORMAL OPENING OF EXHIBITION OF ICONS AND FRESCOES AT THE ACADEMY FOR ARTS AND CONSERVATION

Last night in the overflowing studio of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Academy for Arts and Conservation His Grace Bishop Ignatije of Branicevo opened the end of academic year annual exhibition of icon and fresco works painted by students of the Academy.

In the beginning dean Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Radomir Popovic, thanked the Lord for all the good things that have come from the students and professors of this Academy. The dean thanked all those present for coming to see for themselves the diligent work at this church institution of higher learning during the course of the past school year.

In his remarks Bishop Ignatije, who was formerly dean of the Academy, emphasized that the icon, unlike secular art, depicts the real and historical man with all his tragic characteristics, who will be resurrected in community with God. “Saints frequently remind us of figures from fairy tales but this does not reflect their internal life”. In closing the Bishop emphasized that professors together with their students must reach the pinnacle and depict on icons the resurrected man who truly lived in history.

The dean also thanked Mr. Milan Radulovic, the Serbian minister for religions, who came to the opening of the exhibition and asked him to say a few words to the gathered guests. Minister Radulovic emphasized that Serbia is very poor in churches and monasteries, although it has not been so throughout history and in the tradition of the Serbian people. However, in the last few years much is being built in all dioceses and consequently the students and the Academy itself are faced with a great task – the painting of all churches and iconostases, as well as the restoration of the devastated, destroyed or abandoned monastery churches, their frescoes and iconostases. Minister Radulovic emphasized the need to include the Academy within the University of Belgrade because the cadres being educated at this church institution of higher learning will be the nucleus of a future Serbian Orthodox Church Institute for the Protection of Monuments.

The chanting of the choir under the direction of Mr. Predrag Miodrag enhanced this important event and finally the dean expressed the wish that all present look at and experience the icons and frescoes and to truly be among the saints.

FORMAL WELCOME OF THE HAND OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR IN MOSCOW

The holy right hand of St. John the Baptist which was transferred yesterday from Cetinje Monastery to Moscow for a forty day long tour through Orthodox Russia arrived last night at 6:00 p.m. in Moscow’s church of Christ the Savor, Hieromonk Petar (Dragojlovic) in Moscow informed Radio Svetigora.

Then, during the great vigil in the church, His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Kyr Amfilohije, passing through two rows of about two hundred priests of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, presented one of the greatest holy relicts of the Christian ecumene to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All-Russia at the western entrance to the church of Christ the Savior.

Entering the church accompanied by the church and state delegation which accompanied the holy shrine from Cetinje, Patriarch Alexy placed the hand of the greatest man born of woman in a central place in the church, in a specially prepared bed protected by bullet-proof glass and decorated with an icon of St. John and flowers. In his remarks the Russian Patriarch especially thanked Metropolitan Amfilohije and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral for the arrival of the hand of St. John in Russia. The Patriarch emphasized that the arrival of the Holy Hand is a great blessing and an enormous joy for all the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church, emphasizing that it call us all to repentance and life according to the Gospels.

Upon the conclusion of the service at approximately 7:30 p.m. the Russian Patriarch again bowed before the Holy Hand, together with fifty bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church and about two hundred priests. The church of Christ the Savior was too small last night to receive all the faithful, a large number of whom remained in the courtyard. In the words of Father Peter, in Moscow it is estimated that in just under an hour and a half several thousand Muscovites venerated the Hand of St. John.

Today His Holiness Patriarch Alexy with the concelebration of Archbishop Amfilohije of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, fifty bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and about two hundred priests from Russia, Montenegro and Serbia will serve Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Christ the Savior on the occasion of the arrival of the Holy Hand in Moscow.

Source: Svetigora Press - R.V.

[Serbian Translation Services]