We have received an icon as a gift in such days when we are all making great efforts to survive in this town, not by our own strength, but by the power of God and the hope of the Mother of God – the Bishop of Raska and Prizren Teodosije praised the new gift presented to the Church of St. Demetrius in North Mitrovica.
It is the icon modeled after the most famous of Atos’ icons – Panagia Portaitissa. The gift by a Ukranian patron – Konstantin Shavel was blessed by Bishop Viktor from the Ukranian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate and the Abbot of the Hilandar monastery, Metodije.
The three of them visited North Mitrovica today and led a liturgy. A large number of believers from the north of Kosovo, accompanied by Serbian priests and nuns welcomed the prestigious guests.
The great Christian holiday, the Feast of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God was celebrated yesterday throughout Kosovo by a large number of Orthodox believers, continuing in the same spirit today at the city’s church in North Mitrovica.
„We need to mutually pray for each other, and the Lord said: I am present wherever two or three people are gathered in my name. To pray for each other, to pray that these wonderful moments happen as much as possible, as often as possible, to visit each other, to lead together and socialize, by dwelling in Christ, we confirm that we are one church, that we are one God’s church and one body of Christ,“ said Bishop Teodosije.
Orthodox churches in different countries were mentioned in prayer.
The Bishop recalled the current difficult position to which the Ukraine Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate found itself after Constaninopol Patriarchate announced last week the beginning of autocephaly process in that country.
Bishop Viktor recalled the 100th anniversary of the persecution of the Orthodox Church by the communists, following the October Revolution.
„The Holy Fathers teach us that the best time for the church is the time of prosecution. Why do such temptations occur within the church? I honestly think that this is because we Christians forget about our obligations which rest on us as Orthodox Christians,” stated Bishop Viktor.
The Bishop also expressed hope that the Ukrainian country will have the „continuous protection of God in these tempting times“ and asked Serbian people to pray for Orthodox believers in Ukraine.
He donated part of the relic of the great Orthodox saint to the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, as well as a panagia with the image of the Virgin Mary to Bishop Teodosije.
The Diocese of Raska and Prizren awarded the patrons of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Konstantin Shavel and Rados Petrovic. They received copies of monographs of Kosovo’s churches and monasteries, as did Bishop Metodije. Bishop Viktor was presented with a painting of the St. Demetrius Church.
The local Srpska Lista leadership from the north of Kosovo were not seen today to welcome the VIP orthodox delegation.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
