The Communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church
from their regular meeting held at Zica Monastery and in Belgrade, May 9-18, 2019
from their regular meeting held at Zica Monastery and in Belgrade, May 9-18, 2019
This
year’s regular meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian
Orthodox Church began on May 9, 2019 in Monastery Zica, the first
headquarters of the autocephalous Serbian Church, while the 800th
anniversary of autocephaly, full Church independence, that great gift
from God and great achievement of Saint Sava, we celebrate this year.
After the Holy conciliar Hierarchical Liturgy and the Invocation of the
Holy Spirit at the monastery church of Zica Monastery, the first
sessions, under the presidency of His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej,
were held at the monastery, May 9-10, 2019, while beginning May 11th
the Assembly continued its work at the Patriarchate in Belgrade.
Participating in the Assembly were all diocesan hierarchs of the Serbian
Orthodox Church with the exception of Bishop Luka of Western Europe.
Per
the established practice, at the beginning of the first Assembly
session the Patriarch addressed the hierarchs in attendance with
introductory remarks in which he pointed to the essential issues in the
life and mission of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the contemporary
world filled with, on the one hand, many spiritual challenges and
temptations while on the other hand it is open with possibilities for
work for the spiritual renewal of our people.
At the very
beginning of the work of the Assembly special attention was dedicated to
the liturgical celebration and spiritual-cultural commemoration of the
great jubilee, the 800th anniversary since our Church received its
autocephalous status (1219-2019), both the main celebrations for the
entire Church to be commemorated at Monastery Zica and in Belgrade in
October, as well on diocesan levels throughout. On the occasion of the
great jubilee, the 800th anniversary of the autocephaly of our Church,
in conciliar discussions regarding the manner in which the same was
received a unanimous position of all hierarchs in attendance was
pronounced of the absolute canonical character of St. Sava’s
autocephaly. It should be noted that the celebration will continue
throughout the following year, 2020, and it was decided that another
significant jubilee be prayerfully commemorated that year – the 100th
anniversary of the unification of the regional Churches into one, single
Serbian Orthodox Church and establishing its status as an autocephalous
Patriarchate.
Upon invitation of the Assembly, President of the
Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and representative of the Presidency
of Bosna and Hercegovina Milorad Dodik, visited the Patriarchate. After
the meeting, in the formal reception hall, the Assembly listened with
due attention as the two Serbian leaders presented the state and
problems of our people in Serbia and the Republic Srpska, and beyond, as
well as the efforts and the unequal battle with the ruling powers in
preserving Kosovo and Metohija within the makeup of Serbia as well as
the support and the all-inclusive help from Serbia to our people that
they might survive on the most holiest Serbian land, Kosovo and
Metohija, and, in parallel, of the brotherly cooperation from the
government organs, institutions of education and culture and all other
public bearers of responsibility in Serbia and Republic of Srpska, for
the good of our people on both sides of the Drina and for their general
good, wherever they might live.
During the course of the Assembly a
meeting was held with the Central board for the construction of the St.
Sava Memorial Church in Vracar, Belgrade, with reports of all completed
work thus far, accomplished through the great help from the state as
well as donations from the faithful, especially regarding the mosaics
added by the Russian artists, and the announcement of the consecration
of the Church next year.
As in previous years, the Assembly dealt
with issues regarding religious education as well as creating the
conditions needed for a normal functioning of the Patriarchate Library
and Museum as well as an Archive premises for the Serbian Orthodox
Church. Protopresbyter Jovan Milanovic was elected new acting rector of
the St. Arsenije of Srem Seminary in Sremski Karlovci. There was
discussion regarding the Church’s cooperation with the appropriate
Serbian authorities regarding the process of revitalization of Sremski
Karlovci and creating the conditions needed for its new – actually, old –
role of an important spiritual, cultural and educational workplace of
the Serbian people.
The date for commemorating St. Pajsije,
Patriarch of Pec, was changed: instead of 2/15 October, his
commemoration will be on 3/16 October, based on newly revealed documents
on his holy relics.
The actions of various schismatic and sectarian groups were noted with sorrow.
Reports
from the Holy Synod of Bishops and diocesan bishops were heard and
analyzed as well as the charitable organization “Philanthropy” and other
foundations and services of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the
previous year.
A re-structuring of a few dioceses was completed so
that the Diocese of Banja Luka gave up a number of its church school
congregations, parishes, to the Diocese of Bihac and Petrovac, and the
Diocese of Zvornik-Tuzla to the Diocese of Dabar-Bosna.
The
Assembly unanimously awarded the Order of St. Sava of the First Degree
to Dr. Demetrios (Trakatellis), the former Archbishop of the American
jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, for his love and
charitable works towards the dioceses of our Church in America.
Taken
into consideration was the state of our Churches in the so-called
region - that is, in the states created on the ruins of the former
Yugoslavia – and it was concluded that there exist animosity and
discrimination in regard to the presence of our Church, in more or less
everywhere – in Croatia, Bosna and Hercegovina, North Macedonia and
particularly in Montenegro, where recently an anti-European and
anti-civilized motion for law was confirmed regarding Churches and
religious communities. This draft of law specifically and deliberately
discriminates against the Dioceses of Montenegro-Coastlands and of
Budimlje and Niksic, and even the seizure of sacred churches and their
proclamation for state ownership is foreseen (!). Such resolutions
abolish the inalienable right of the citizens to freedom of religion and
conscience and represent a direct interference in internal Church
affairs. There are also attempts to violently take away our holy sites
in favor of the canonically and realistically non-existent "Montenegrin
Orthodox Church" and threated to destroy certain churches (the church on
the mountain Rumija and the baptistery on Prevlaka). Of course,
everywhere - both in Montenegro, in Croatia and elsewhere - there are
not a few honorable individuals and entire communities and organizations
advocating for the justice and freedom of all. The state of our
autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid in North Macedonia is also difficult,
where currently there is no direct persecution of Archbishop Jovan,
hierarchs, clergy, monastics and faithful, but the Sword of Damocles of
new judicial persecutions is constantly hanging over their heads. In
spite of this, our Church – as before – continues to support dialogue in
solving the problems on an authentically canonical basis with the
Church there which for decades has been in schism.
Regarding
public attitudes towards or against the mandatory vaccination of
children, the Assembly considers that the reasons for scientific
medicine should be respected as well as the parents' fear of receiving
it.
The biggest problem of the Orthodox Church today is the Church
schism in Ukraine and the failed attempt by the Patriarchate of
Constantinople in resolving the problem "knee jerk", on its own
initiative, without a dialogue with the canonical Church in Ukraine and
with the Russian Orthodox Church as a whole and without pan-Slavic
counseling. In this regard, the Assembly’s present position remains: our
Church does not recognize the newly established false-church structure
in Ukraine, led by the citizens of Denysenko and Dumenko, and is only
and exclusively in liturgical and canonical communion with the canonical
Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry,
and with all the other canonical Orthodox Churches.
For the umpteenth time the Assembly expresses its astonishment and indignation after the uncanonical intrusions of bishops and clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Eastern Serbia.
For the umpteenth time the Assembly expresses its astonishment and indignation after the uncanonical intrusions of bishops and clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church in the Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Eastern Serbia.
Relations
with the Roman Catholic Church and with the Churches of the Reformation
in Serbia, as well as with the Islamic communities in Serbia, are
traditionally good and correct, which, unfortunately, cannot be said for
relations with certain circles of the Roman Catholic Church in Croatia
and Islamic communities in Bosna and Hercegovina.
The newly
elected members of the Holy Synod of Bishops are Metropolitan Hrizostom
of Dabar-Bosna and Bishops Irinej of Backa, Jovan of Sumadija and David
of Krusevac.
Submitted by Bishop Irinej of Backa,
Spokesman for the Serbian Orthodox Church
Spokesman for the Serbian Orthodox Church