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August 30,
2003
ERP KIM Newsletter
30-08-03
AMIDST GROWING
TENSIONS LIFE IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA GOES ON...
CONTENTS:
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August 30
International day of the
missing persons |
 DORMITION
OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD CELEBRATED IN KOSOVO
In his homily following holy liturgy, Bishop
Artemije called on the people to repentance "which must be long and
steadfast for we have wandered very far from God." Bishop Artemije prayed
to the Lord Jesus Christ that love and peace may fill the hearts of all
men in Kosovo and Metohija, and that attacks on innocent civilians finally
stop.
GUN-FIRE AROUND SOKOLICA MONASTERY DURING FEASTDAY
CELEBRATION
Abbess Makaria said that during
the Holy feast of the Dormition of Mother of God, (August 28), gun fire
could be heard from the neighboring Albanian villages surrounding her
Monastery. Serb Orthodox pilgrims from Mitrovica and Zvecan region who
gathered for prayer in Sokolica Monastery were alarmed by this quite
obvious provocation which was intended to spread fear among Serb
congregation during the celebration.
SERBS DEMAND ESCORT FOR SCHOOL BUS
UNMIK chief
Hari Holkeri was given a letter demanding that he provide escort for
school buses and a return of the check points near Kosovo schools in which
the education program is in the Serbian language.
INCIDENT
IS OBVIOUS SET-UP - UCK ROAMS AROUND CAGLAVICA VILLAGE
In the unfinished house
of Momcilo Trajkovic, the president of the Serbian Parliament Committee
for Kosovo and Metohija, 300 m from the Serb village of Caglavica unknown
attackers were preparing an ambush - On Friday morning, at around 0800
hours, three persons dressed in black uniforms with the UCK emblem, armed
with pistols, passed by the Caglavica management school, stated Predrag
Mitrovic to KIM radio, who at that time was at work in the this school
building.
MACEDONIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT ON
EXPLOSIONS
The statement says
three consecutive explosions took place late on Thursday in Skopje’s
central area between 22:10 and 22:20 hours. The Ministry of Interior is
pursuing a thorough investigation aimed at tracking down the perpetrators
of this crime.
PERPETRATORS OF GORAZDEVAC MASSACRE STILL NOT ARRESTED - DAY 17...
More News Available on
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Archive
This newsletter is available on our ERP
KIM Web-site:
http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html
AMIDST GROWING TENSIONS IN VOLATILE UN-ADMINISTERED PROVINCE ORTHODOX
CHURCH CELEBRATED DORMITION OF THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
In his homily following
holy liturgy, Bishop Artemije called on the people to repentance "which
must be long and steadfast for we have wandered very far from God." Bishop
Artemije prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ that love and peace may fill the
hearts of all men in Kosovo and Metohija, and that attacks on innocent
civilians finally stop.
TOP
ERP
KIM Info Service
Gracanica, August 28 (August 15 Church Calendar), 2003
On Thursday the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrated the Dormition of the
Most Holy Mother of God (Velika Gospojina), one of the great religious
feasts dedicated to the Mother of God.
Bishop
Artemije of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija served holy archierchal
liturgy at Gracanica Monastery, which celebrates this religious holiday as
its monastery patron saint's day, with the assistance of clergy and monks.
In his
homily following holy liturgy, Bishop Artemije called on the people to
repentance "which must be long and steadfast for we have wandered very far
from God." Bishop Artemije prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ that love and
peace may fill the hearts of all men in Kosovo and Metohija, and that
attacks on innocent civilians finally stop. The feast day celebration
continued in the monastery courtyard with the cutting of the feast day
bread.
The
Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God was commemorated throughout
Kosovo and Metohija. In Visoki Decani Monastery holy liturgy was attended
by Serb returnees to Belo Polje near Pec who arrived in the monastery with
a KFOR escort. In the evening a traditional prayer service (moleban) to
the Holy King Stefan was held with prayers to strengthen the faithful
Orthodox people in Kosovo and Metohija, and especially returnees who are
attempting to resume their lives on the ruins of their former homes.
The
feast day was also celebrated in the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in
Djakovica, where five Serb little old ladies have been living in complete
isolation for four full years as the only Serb residents of this Metohija
town. Holy Liturgy, which was served by the monks of Decani Monastery and
Holy Archangels Monastery in Prizren, was also attended by the sisters of
the Pec Patriarchate Monastery. The service was held with the usual strong
military protection of Italian KFOR troops.
TOP
THE
DORMITION [THE FALLING ASLEEP - THE ASSUMPTION] OF THE MOST-HOLY
BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD
The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai, commanded by His Fifth Commandment:
"Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His
own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the
Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the
Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" (St. John 19:26).
After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" (St. John 19:27).
And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last. John had a
home on Zion in Jerusalem in which the Theotokos settled and
remained there to live out the end of her days on earth. By her
prayers, gentle counsels, meekness and patience, she greatly
assisted the apostles of her Son. Primarily, she spent her entire
time in Jerusalem often visiting those places which reminded her of
the great events and of the great works of her Son. She especially
visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives. Of her distant
journeys, her visit to St. Ignatius the Theophorus [God-bearer] in
Antioch is mentioned, as well as her visit to Lazarus (whom our Lord
resurrected on the fourth day), the Bishop of Cyprus, her visit to
the Holy Mountain [Athos] which she blessed and her stay in Ephesus
with St. John the Evangelist [The Theologian] during the time of the
great persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. In her old age, she
often prayed to the Lord and her God on the Mount of Olives, the
site of His Ascension, that He take her from this world as soon as
possible. On one occasion, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and
revealed to her that within three days she will find repose. The
angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried at the time of her
funeral procession. She returned to her home with great joy,
desiring in her heart once more to see in this life, all of the
apostles of Christ. The Lord fulfilled her wish and all of the
apostles, borne by angels in the clouds, gathered at the same time
at the home of John on Zion. With great rejoicing, she saw the holy
apostles, encouraged them, counseled them and comforted them.
Following that, she peacefully gave up her soul to God without any
pain or physical illness. The apostles took the coffin with her body
from which an aromatic fragrance emitted and, in the company of many
Christians, bore it to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulchre of
[her parents], Saints Joachim and Anna. By God's Providence, they
were concealed from the evil Jews by a cloud. Anthony, a Jewish
priest, grabbed the coffin with his hands with the intention of
overturning it but, at that moment, an angel of God severed both his
hands. He then cried out to the apostles for help and was healed
since declaring his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle
Thomas was absent, again according to God's Providence, in order
that a new and all-glorious mystery of the Holy Theotokos would
again be revealed. On the third day, Thomas arrived and desired to
venerate [kiss] the body of the Holy All-pure one. But when the
apostles opened the sepulchre, they found only the winding sheet and
the body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos appeared
to the apostles surrounded by a myriad of angels and said to them:
"Rejoice, I will be with you always". It is not exactly known how
old the Theotokos was at the time of her Falling Asleep but the
overwhelming opinion is that she was over sixty years of age.
Lives of
Saints and Great Featdays - PROLOGUE OF OCHRID |
TOP
GUN FIRE
AROUND THE MONASTERY OF THE VIRGIN MARY - SOKOLICA
Abbess Makaria said that
during the Holy feast of the Dormition of Mother of God, (August 28), gun
fire could be heard from the neighboring Albanian villages surrounding her
Monastery. Serb Orthodox pilgrims from Mitrovica and Zvecan region who
gathered for prayer in Sokolica Monastery were alarmed by this quite
obvious provocation which was intended to spread fear among Serb
congregation during the celebration.
TOP
ERPKIM INFO-SERVICE
AugustN 29, 2003
His Grace Bishop Artemije visited today the Monastery of the Most Holy
Mother of God - Sokolica - in vicinity of Mitrovica and was informed by
Abbess Makaria that during the Holy feast of the Dormition of Mother of
God, one day before (August 28), gun fire could be heard from the
neighboring Albanian villages surrounding the Monastery. Serb Orthodox
pilgrims from Mitrovica and Zvecan region who gathered for prayer in
Sokolica Monastery were alarmed by this quite obvious provocation which
was intended to spread fear among Serb congregation during the
celebration.
The shooting was also heard
by soldiers of the French KFOR but there was no reaction to this
provocation.
"This is one more evidence
that ethnic Albanian villages are full of illegal weapons. If KFOR
continues tolerating such open display of hostility around Serb Christian
holy sites and villages the security situation might even more
deteriorate", said Bishop Artemije in his statement for the ERP KIM
Info-Service, appealing to French KFOR to reinforce protection of the
Sokolica Convent.
The Sokolica Monastery is
located only several kilometers away from the bridge near Banjska which
was mined by Albanian National Army terrorists earlier this year.
Sokolica Monastery
Web-page:
/esokolica.html
TOP
SERBS
DEMAND ESCORT FOR SCHOOL BUS
UNMIK chief Hari Holkeri was given a letter demanding that he provide
escort for school buses and a return of the check points near Kosovo
schools in which the education program is in the Serbian language.
TOP
RTS Novi
Sad
August 29, 2003
Kosovska Mitrovica – On Friday, UNMIK chief Hari Holkeri was given a
letter demanding that he provide escort for school buses and a return of
the check points near Kosovo schools in which the education program is in
the Serbian language. This statement came from Predrag Stojcetovic, the
head of the Mitrovica regional department for education, which is part of
the education ministry.
If the UNMIK chief does not come forward and comply with this demand, then
the education program in certain schools would be brought under question,
stated Stojcetovic and added that, in spite the suggestion that the new
school year in Kosovo will not start because of the deteriorated security
situation, the school program will go according to plan which means that
the new school year will start on September first, with a one minute
silence as a sign of respect for Pantelie Dakic and Ivan Jovovic who both
died in the Gorazdevac terrorist attack which took place on the 15th of
August of this year.
TOP
INCIDENT
IS OBVIOUS SET-UP
In
the unfinished house of Momcilo Trajkovic, the president of the Serbian
Parliament Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, 300 m from the Serb village
of Caglavica unknown attackers were preparing an ambush
TOP
DANAS,
Belgrade Daily
Gracanica, 29 Aug
"The
incident is an obvious set-up. While I was on vacation, I often visited my
house, which has a roof on it but is still not finished. They have
obviously noticed that," stated Momcilo Trajkovic, the president of the
Serbian Parliament Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, coordinator of the
movement for Kosovo and Metohija, and the leader of the Serbian resistance
movement, in light of the news that after his brother Tomica Trajkovic
reported suspicious movement around Momcilo’s house near Caglavica, Kosovo
police discovered an automatic rifle and two full magazines which were
left by the unknown perpetrators.
According to Trajkovic his house is located 300 meters from Caglavica,
whose citizens are frightened by this incident. "My brother was on his way
to his fruit garden to gather some plums, when he noticed an unknown
person. He returned to the village and reported the incident to the
police, who during investigation of the scene discovered a rifle and two
full magazines. I expect an investigation. So far no one has told us
anything," stated Trajkovic and reminded "so far he has still not received
any information from the in-charge institutions on the investigation of
the incident when he was wounded in his apartment in Prishtina back in
1999." The Gracanica Kosovo Police station was not able to give any
information on this case.
TOP
UCK Roams
Around Caglavica Village
On Friday
morning, at around 0800 hours, three persons dressed in black uniforms
with the UCK emblem, armed with pistols, passed by the Caglavica
management school, stated Predrag Mitrovic to KIM radio, who at that time
was at work in the this school building.
Gracanica, 29 Aug (KIM Radio) – On Friday morning, at around 0800 hours,
three persons dressed in black uniforms with the UCK emblem, armed with
pistols, passed by the Caglavica management school, stated Predrag
Mitrovic to KIM radio, who at that time was at work in the this school
building.
"While I was at my work place three armed persons in black uniforms passed
me by and told me "Good Morning" in Serbian! Then with out stopping they
distanced themselves through the fields in the direction of the village of
Ugljare, where on the road a red car of the type "Askona" was waiting for
them," stated Mitrovic.
The case has been reported to the Kosovo police service, which on Friday
morning conducted an investigation in to this incident. So far there has
been no official announcements.
INTERIOR
MINISTRY'S STATEMENT ON LATE THURSDAY'S EXPLOSIONS IN SKOPJE
The statement says three
consecutive explosions took place late on Thursday in Skopje’s central
area between 22:10 and 22:20 hours. The Ministry of Interior is pursuing a
thorough investigation aimed at tracking down the perpetrators of this
crime.
TOP
MAKFAX, Macedonia
Skopje, August 29, 2003
The
Macedonian Ministry of the Interior released a statement pertaining to
late Thursday’s detonations in Skopje. The statement says three
consecutive explosions took place late on Thursday in Skopje’s central
area between 22:10 and 22:20 hours. The Ministry of Interior is pursuing a
thorough investigation aimed at tracking down the perpetrators of this
crime.
The first attack took place at 22:10 hrs. Two grenades were fired at
District Court Skopje 2. The explosion broke the windows on the 3rd floor
of the courthouse. Furthermore, the explosive device caused a
30-centimeter-wide hole on the 3rd floor of the courthouse.
Based on preliminary findings, a Mercedes automobile with no registration
plates was spotted near the courthouse. Once the grenades were hurled, the
automobile was driven off with high speed toward ‘Goce Delcev’ boulevard,
downtown Skopje.
An explosive device was hurled at the underground parking lot of the
government. The explosive device caused 70-centimeter-wide and
10-centimeter-deep crater. The explosion caused neither injuries nor
material damage.
Third explosion took place at 22:20 hours near the Ilinden Barracks. A
missile was fired from a hand mortar. The missile struck just outside the
Barracks. The Interior Ministry and anti-terrorism units, along with
representatives of the ARM and the Ministry of Defense, are conducting a
thorough investigation to track down the perpetrators of these acts.
TOP
ERP KIM
Info-Service is the official Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox
Diocese of Raska and Prizren and works with the blessing of His Grace
Bishop Artemije.
Our Information Service is distributing news on Kosovo related issues. The
main focus of the Info-Service is the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church
and the Serbian community in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. ERP KIM
Info Service works in cooperation with
www.serbian-translation.com as well as the
Kosovo
Daily News (KDN) News List
Disclaimer:
The views expressed by the authors of newspaper articles or other texts
which are not official communiqués or news reports by the Diocese are
their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Serbian
Orthodox Church
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