Student protests that have gripped Serbia for months took an unexpected turn when the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) issued a statement critiquing the demonstrators, labeling them as inhabiting „parallel universes.“ The statement elicited a strong reaction in Serbia, as well as criticism from theologians, clergy, and students alike.
The SOC’s statement, authored by Dušan Stokanović, differentiated between students attending the Sveti Sava celebrations at the grandiose Temple of Sveti Sava in Belgrade and a group of students who came to the Sveti Sava celebration at the Serbian Matica with the intention of reading a poem by the president of the Serbian Matica, Dragan Stanić, from 1981, in which both the train station and the shelter are mentioned.
The statement accused the latter group of attempting to impose an „anti-Sveti Sava, anti-Christian, and anti-Serb narrative,“ urging students to „choose the universe in which they want to live.“
Theologians Respond
In a striking rebuke, a group of 18 theologians, priests, monks, and nuns published a joint statement condemning the Church’s approach, Danas daily reported.
„The text is tendentious and condescending, culminating in a poorly constructed false dilemma,“ they wrote.
„We have one thing to say about such an unworthy statement: Not in our name!“
The signatories, which included prominent figures such as parish priest of Dubrovnik Dr. Vladan Perišić and the abbot and abbess of two well-known monasteries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed solidarity with the students.
„They [the students] have been unequivocally demonstrating their choice for months: they want respect for the Constitution and the law, justice, and human rights. In other words, they stand for the universe of the original Gospel. In this, they have our full support,“ the theologians declared, challenging the author of SOC’s statement in question to „choose his own universe.“
Student Reactions
Students at the forefront of the protests responded with equal fervor. Dušan S., a protester from Niš, in a statement for Vreme criticized the SOC’s stance as „shameful.“
„Saint Sava’s Day is sacred and I think it is irresponsible of the Serbian Orthodox Church to generalize the actions of the students and to associate all the students who gathered at the Autokomanda with that smaller group of people who are very likely not students,“ he said while attending a protest in Belgrade.
Nikolina Sinđelić, another protester, echoed his sentiments:
„Although the SOC is an institution we should respect, such a statement a disgrace. Students are protecting their religion and country.”
Moreover, Sinđelić says it’s shameful that students who have been ‘defending the dignity of the state for weeks’ are being attacked by such an important religious institution.
The protests, which began after a tragic accident in Novi Sad on November 1, where 15 people died due to the collapse of a renovated railway station canopy, have grown into a nationwide movement.
Students demand accountability and systemic reform, with their demonstrations emphasizing justice, transparency, and respect for the rule of law.
Attack on Students in Novi Sad
Around three o’clock last night, several students in Novi Sad were physically attacked. One girl was seriously injured and is currently in the Clinical Center of Vojvodina. Her jaw was dislocated and she has injuries all over her body. Multiple other students sustained lighter injuries, according to media reports.
While protests continue in cities across Serbia in response to the attack on students in Novi Sad, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfirije, has made a statement. He condemned the attack, particularly focusing on the female student who was severely injured.
„I am horrified by the news that a third female student was seriously injured in the already wounded Novi Sad. I expect that those responsible for this and all other criminal acts will be punished in accordance with the law. Violence has never brought anything good to anyone,“ the statement reads.
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