Serbian hierarch: Montenegrin power reverts to fascist methods
Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović). Photo: mitropolija.com
The Head of the Montenegrin-Littoral Metropolis of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović), believes that the current authorities of the country use fascist methods in relation to the Church and Her faithful, the website of the Metropolis reports.
In his opinion, “President Milo Djukanovic sacrifices Montenegro and its existence for power and money. This has never happened before ... Everything is subordinated to the interests of a group of people in power: Montenegro, its being, its history, its past and its future are identified with them.”
Vladyka noted that he feels sorry for Mr. Djukanovic because they “came to power together, one in the spiritual and the other in the secular chair”: “But he is no longer the person I know. I am sorry that the abilities he received from God he uses for the sake of his own interests and to the misfortunes of Montenegro. One cannot respect what he does.”
The Metropolitan emphasized that the persecutors of the Church in Montenegro "defend their own power and their wealth with the help of hatred and discord."
“It's just unbelievable what this hatred is like, which is essentially hatred between brothers and works in favor of the devil, for it does not work for people. It is strange that there are people with such fratricidal hatred ... They build the future of Montenegro on this hatred,” the hierarch complained.
The SOC hierarch also said that during the last meeting, he advised Djukanovic to be baptized, “but not just to be baptized, because it is not good to be baptized only nominally. It is necessary to make a spiritual change and not to sacrifice Montenegro and its being for the sake of power and money.”
Reflecting on the persecution of the Church in Montenegro, as well as the fate of Kosovo and Metohija, Vladyka noted that “there is no return to fascist methods anywhere in Europe” except Montenegro.
At the same time, speaking about the requirement of the authorities to return the monasteries and shrines of the Church to the ownership of the state, Met. Amfilohije believes that this requirement “has nothing to do with normal and common sense”, and “no one did this, even Hitler”.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that, according to Metropolitan Amfilohije, the Montenegrin authorities are trading their faith for a mess of pottage.
Read also
Shevchuk tells Budanov of UGCC’s “state-building role”
The head of the Uniates told the head of the Presidential Office that his Church was ready to partner with the state and presented him with a book on the work of special services in the Church.
Authorities decline to disclose Ukraine’s population size
The State Statistics Service acknowledged that it has up-to-date population estimates for the country, but has decided not to make them public.
Lithuanian govt vows to protect Orthodox Church from Russian intelligence
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has called for curbing the influence of Russian intelligence services on the Church, while an adviser to President Nausėda warned against labeling the entire structure a security threat.
During Ramadan, Patriarch Theodoros hosts Islamic iftar at his residence
Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria hosted a meal for Muslim workers breaking their fast in the courtyard of the Patriarchate and thanked a sheikh for his “brotherhood.”
Lawsuit filed against Patriarch of Constantinople
A Turkish official has accused Patriarch Bartholomew and dozens of clergy of “illegal activity” and violating the Treaty of Lausanne.
OCU cleric buried with Church Slavonic funeral shroud
In the Ternopil Eparchy of the OCU, a cleric was buried under a funeral shroud bearing inscriptions in Church Slavonic.