Statement of Holy Assembly of Bishops

Communique from the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Communique from the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade April 26 - May 5, 2010

The regular Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church was held at the Patriarchate in Belgrade, under the presidency of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, from April 26 - May 5, 2010. All the diocesan hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church participated in the work of the Assembly.

Extraordinary communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at its regular session at the Patriarchate in Belgrade, expresses its deep concern and protest against the latest threat to freedom and basic human rights of the Serbian people and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija, expressed through illegal and uncivilized termination of the mobile and fixed  telephony in the central parts of Kosovo and other parts of the southern Serbian province. The Albanian police, namely, destroyed the telephone relays in the Serbian villages and areas inhabited by Serbs and their neighbors non-Albanians. We are also deeply worried about the endangering lifes and hindering the free movement and work of Serb the returnees in villages, such as Zac near Kline and other places in Metohija where displaced Serbs return to their centuries-old homes and they gather again around their sanctuaries.

The Holy Assembly appeals to the authorities of the Republic of Serbia the international community present in Kosovo and Metohija, governments of the civilized Europe and America, as well as the United Nations of the world,  to stop this and any other violence against the already suffering and innocent people in the living area of the Balkans and Europe, the cradle of civilization and the source of the spiritual and material culture of humanity.

Extraordinary communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

On its afternoon session of April 29 of this year, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church unanimously adopted recommendations of the competent diocesan bishops and entered into dyptichs of the saints of the Orthodox Church names of the blessed repose of archimandrite Justin Popovic, geront of the monastery Celije near Valjevo (1894-1979), from now  Venerable Justin of Celije, and Simeon Popovic , prior of the monastery Dajbabe near Podgorica (1854-1941), from now Venerable Simeon of Dajbabe.

Liturgical memory of Venerable Justin will be celebrated on June 1, according to the Julian calendar (June 14, according to the Gregorian calendar), a memory of Venerable Simeon will be celebrated on March 19 according to the Julian calendar (April 1, after the Gregorian calendar).

Bishop of Nis Irinej elected for a new Patriarch of Serbia

Today at the Election Assembly of bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church the new Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

In the early morning hours His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral , locum tenens of the Patriarchate throne, served the Holy Hierarchal liturgy at the Cathedral church. His Eminence served with the concelebration of Bishops: Lukijan of Osijek Polje and Baranja, Jovan of Shumadia, Irinej of Australia and New Zealand,  Vicar Bishop of Teodosije of Lipljan and Antonije of Moravica.

Text of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church for North and South America established

The Holy Assembly of Bishops, at the session of May 21, 2009 under ABno. 79/ord. 148, brought this decision:

To finally approve the established text of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church for the North and South America, which is to be effective on a day of bringing this decision, or May 21/8 2009.

With this decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops the Transient regulations for management ceased to apply between the Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada and the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica.