The Holy Assembly of Bishops gives witness before the entire civilized world, and especially before Christians, that the Serbian People and their Serbian Orthodox Church on Kosovo and Metohija are living in total legal, which means existential, uncertainty, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church said in a statement today.
Instead of the Patriarchate of Peć, as it was announced, the regular Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) began today with a liturgy in the Memorial Church of Saint Sava in Vračar after Kosovo authorities forbade the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije from entering Kosovo yesterday.
“Preventing the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church from going to the Patriarchate of Peć is like forbidding the Pope to go to the Vatican or the Head of the Church of England to go to Canterbury Cathedral.”
The Assembly underlined that its sessions have been held in the Patriarchate of Peć since the first half of the 14th century and the time of Saint Patriarch Joanikije II. They stressed that all of them faced the complete lawlessness yesterday that the current authorities in Pristina are bringing to bear on the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox People.
As a result of this move, they gave stated that “the Serbian People and their Serbian Orthodox Church on Kosovo and Metohija are living in total legal, which means existential, uncertainty.”
They stressed that they cross many borders without problem to reach the Patriarchate of Peć.
“We Hierarchs gather once a year from all over the world, from all continents, we cross many borders without problem, except when we need to come to Kosovo and Metohija, our spiritual hearth.”
The Assembly stressed that this is happening in front of the eyes of the entire world and at a time when Kosovo expects admission to the Council of Europe: “and this is a pale reflection of what the local authorities there do on a daily basis to the Serbian people in Kosovo.”
“This lawlessness, committed before the face of the world, at a time when the authorities in Pristina hope for admission to the Council of Europe, is a pale reflection of what the local authorities there do on a daily basis to the Serbian People who have been living in their centuries-old homeland, on Kosovo and Metohija, for at least a millennium and a half, to which ancient monasteries and churches, graves, frescoes, and priceless icons bear living witness.”
Therefore, the Holy Assembly of Bishops draws the attention of all responsible international factors who have the ability to influence the authorities in Pristina to this, that by this act:
“They have grossly shown that the internationally recognized and binding provisions of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other conventions that directly guarantee the right of every man – be it the Serbian Patriarch, Hierarchs, clerics or faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church – to freedom of movement, freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the right to peaceful assembly, and other guaranteed human rights and freedoms do not apply to the Serbian Patriarch, Bishops, clergy, and faithful people of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the region of Kosovo and Metohija.”
They called upon the international authorities in Kosovo to do everything to stop this violation.
“The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije at its head, appeals to the international factors on Kosovo and Metohija to do whatever they can to end the flagrant violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Serbian People.”
Moreover, they also call upon the Orthodox and the entire Christian world and its spiritual leaders to, through prayer or by other means, advocate for the respect of our religious rights.
The Serbian Orthodox Church has never been, nor is she now, and certainly will not be in the future a political institution, they stressed, adding:
“But rather she is and remains the spiritual Mother of Orthodox Serbians, carrying out her spiritual mission without impediment in countries throughout the world. Neither in the Republic of Serbia nor in other countries does the Serbian Orthodox Church have the status of a state Church or political organization, and, therefore, political measures cannot be applied to her.”
The current authorities in Pristina have attempted to humiliate the Serbian Orthodox Church, and give rise to new fears and anxieties among the Kosovo Serbis, they also warned.
“The current authorities in Pristina have attempted, through the classical abuse of rights and the undermining of the foundations of the rule of law, to humiliate the Serbian Orthodox Church, and give rise to new fears and anxieties among the Kosovo–Metohian Serbians, in order that they might force them to abandon their holy places and homes.”
Despite everything, the SOC remains with their people, especially their believers in Kosovo:
“The Serbian Orthodox Church has everywhere, and especially on Kosovo and Metohija, borne witness, and today bears witness as well that she remains with her people without regard for the violence that has been systematically and without anyone being held accountable being carried out for decades, and especially since 1999 through today over Orthodox Serbians.”
“The Serbian Patriarch and Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church remain with their people on Kosovo and Metohija.”
Read more:
EU and Quint condemn Kosovo’s decision to ban SOC Patriarch from entry
SOC Patriarch banned from entering Kosovo; Kosovo MIA: Entry ban due to Serbia’s campaign
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
