November 17, 2006

KiM Info Newsletter 17-11-06

Petition - Free Acrhbishop Jovan of Ochrid

the only Christian cleric in Europe imprisoned for his faith

GIVE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PETITION:

U.S. Senate, Congress, U.S. State Dept., White House, E.U., Rep. of Macedonia 

P E T I T I O N

We, the below signed Orthodox Christians, citizens of the United States of  America, and of many countries of the western world, direct this petition,  at the same time as a voice of plea, and of common sense too, and in  accordance with the still unsolved situation of His Beatitude Archbishop  Jovan, who, beside all the positive laws of the free world, is still in  prison, as a victim of misunderstanding and lack of good will of the  authorities of the Republic of FYRO Macedonia.

One of the basic foundation on which all the democratic principles of a  free world rest, is the freedom of religious confession. We, as Orthodox  Christians, and also the Christians of other confessions who feel the  grace of all civil rights and the freedom of religious confession,  in America, and the rest of the western countries, cannot  reconcile the fact that the biggest and the only "guilt" of the imprisoned  Archbishop Jovan is that he, in a peaceful and decent way, menacing  nobody, in unity with ecumenical Church, wishes to complete the mission of the Ohrid Archbishopric in the Republic of FYRO Macedonia.

The lone fact that today in Europe, at the beginning of the twenty-first  century, a Christian dignitary of a church, is staying in prison, and in  accordance with all the positive laws of the modern world, menacing nobody  and nothing, throws an enormous flaw on all of the phrases of civil and  religious freedoms, coming from the Republic of FYRO Macedonia. It is difficult  to understand how the authorities of the Republic of FYRO Macedonia imagine the  entry in the European Union, and in the increasing family of advanced  countries, while at the same time, expressed in mild words, they are  proceeding according to feudal principles when interpreting and putting  their laws into effect.

The prison sentence, with which Archbishop Jovan has been punished, is  nothing else but yet indelible heritage of the communist regime, which the  authorities in the Republic of FYRO Macedonia proceed in their thoughts and  unfortunately in their deeds.

As citizens of a free world, we direct the voice of our protest against  the unprecedented breaking of civil, human and religious rights over  Archbishop of Ohrid Jovan, and over all other people upon whom his mission  is spread, at the same time pleading all the major factors who are  responsible for proceeding democratic principles in the free world, by the  voice of COMMON SENSE, PEACE and GOOD WILL, to do everything in their  power so that Archbishop Jovan is free in the shortest period of time.  We are forwarding this petition to all governmental agencies in USA(State Department, Senate, Congress, White House), also West Europe as well as to government of Republic of Macedonia.  We kindly ask you for your prayers as well and as an expression of good will, to please sign this petition in support of the cause to release our beloved Archbishop Jovan from prison in Republic of FYRO Macedonia.

GIVE YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PETITION:

http://www.petitiononline.com/3001sd/petition.html

APPEAL FROM USA ON BEHALF OF IMPRISONED ARCHBISHOP JOVAN


IC/XC
NI/KA
The Archbishop Jovan Fund USA
Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, President
2618 West Bannock Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
USA
Telephone 208-345-6147 Email: father@serfes.org
Fax: 208-345-6147

Fax: +389-2311-2561

3 November 2006

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevksi
Bul. Illinen bb
1000 Skopje
Republic of Macedonia FYROM

Dear Mr. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevksi,

Humbly I greet you with the peace and love of our Lord God, and I pray all is well with you!

I am at this hour addressing you Mr. Prime Minister, and to the Good citizens of your beloved Macedonia FYROM.

I place before you this request and to all the good citizens of your beloved Macedonia (FYROM) on behalf of myself and many, many other concerned Americans that you reconsider the second sentence imposed on His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid, Metropolitan of Skopje, and release him immediately.

I write this appeal not only as President of  the Archbishop Jovan Fund USA, but also as a simple Orthodox Christian who grows increasingly concerned at the unfortunate message sent out to all the world when Christians persecute other Christians over disputes involving territorial jurisdictions.

Archbishop Jovan has now been imprisoned for well over 87 days as of  3 November 2006; the situation reflects badly upon the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian Government, and the Macedonian nation, and indeed, upon Christianity itself. Christians, perhaps more than any other people, should insist on religious freedom and should honor each individual’s human rights. At the present time, there is a rising tide of non-Christians who have erroneously embraced a distorted view of Christianity and see Christians as their enemy. It is therefore especially critical now for all Christians

2

to stand together in support of one another and to show them to be people who can settle disputes with grace, dignity, with God’s love, and without violence.

Please refrain from further accusations against the Venerable and Respected Archbishop Jovan who continues his imprisonment as a consequence of the disputed accusations already made against him. For his sake and for the sake of your own standing in the eyes of the world, I beseech you to release him and to seek a more appropriate way to settle the issues and questions that have led to his imprisonment. It is unseemly for a pastor to be treated as a criminal because he attempted to minister to his flock as best he understood the need to do.

It is also a violation of many persons’ human rights to deprive them of their choice of worship within the Serbian Orthodox Church under the Patriarchate of His Holiness, Patriarch Pavel, even if these persons are citizens of Macedonia, or some other nation which has a national church of its own. God respects all nations but He does not draw national borders; He sees each individual soul regardless of nationality and He holds accountable the intention within each individual heart.

Please heed this humble appeal I make to you on behalf of all concerned Christians: restore to the honorable Archbishop Jovan his freedom to serve God in accord with his conscience and his vows. If he is at fault in any aspect of his pastoral practice, leave it to his superiors within the Serbian Orthodox Church to correct and discipline him. This is not a matter that should be dealt with by police action and imprisonment. Restore to him his cassock, his cross, his panagia, and his Holy Gospel. Let him go about serving God’s people in the knowledge that God Himself will ultimately judge his performance of these duties. Do not further deprive him of partaking in the Sacrament of the Holy Mystery of the Lord’s Supper, for this is truly what sustains the very life of a Christian. At the same time allow that desire to visit him and meet with him.

We well know in the West that the physical health of Archbishop Jovan is not good, and we hope he would receive all necessary medical attention.

At the same hour it would as well be very honorable that the Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan has the right to exist as a free, practicing, religion within Macedonia.

Your Government has asserted its desire that all its citizens be free; it has claimed to adhere to international standards of human rights and religious freedom. Now show the world that Macedonia stands by these principles in actual practice and do what is most honorable in regards to Archbishop Jovan.

On my next visit to your beautiful country of Macedonia I earnestly hope that you and I may meet and talk.

3

May God bless Macedonia and guide its Government in accordance with His Wisdom and its Church with His loving Hand! May God grant His Peace to all nations.

Humbly in Christ our Lord,

+Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
President of the Archbishop Jovan Fund USA
& Parish Priest of
Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church
USA

+Archpriest Victor Potapov
First Vice President
St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church
Washington, D.C.
USA

+Hieromonk Damascene
Second Vice President
St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood
Serbian Orthodox Church
USA

Father Pasius, Monk
Secretary-Treasure
St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood
Serbian Orthodox Church
USA

V.Rev. N.S.

Respecting the religious freedoms of all citizens – one of the conditions for the Republic of Macedonia to integrate in the Euro-Atlantic institutions

November 2, 2006 @ 9:39 am

Recently, the deputy of the assistant secretary in the American Bureau for European and Euro-Asian questions, Rosemary di Carlo, was staying in a working visit in Republic of Macedonia.

She pointed out unambiguously that the obligations which Republic of Macedonia should fulfill so as to become a candidate for membership in NATO are the following: judicial reforms, fight against corruption, fight against human trafficking, and respecting the religious freedoms and rights of all citizens.

This information has been broadcast by all Macedonian media (for example, A1 TV, News, 25. 10. 2006; Dnevnik, 27. 10. 2006…).

The weekly Macedonian magazine with the biggest circulation”Fokus”, in its newest issue (number 591), has published its attitude about the incoming obligation of Republic of Macedonia:

“One of the conditions for entering NATO, was the guarantee for religious freedoms. The whole farce in the organization of MOC and Macedonian politics connected with the image and work of bishop Jovan is contained in this poor information…


Macedonian judiciary gave him a prison sentence on the base of his neighbors’ conviction that the building’s entrance smelled like incense instead of sauerkraut, which is interpreted as sowing religious and racial hatred. Meanwhile MOC was “enlightened” and announced defrosting of the dialogue with SOC since the way to autocephaly lead through Belgrade, and which is identical to what Jovan had claimed, for which in the public harangue he has been proclaimed a traitor.

As it comes to the state, it still refuses to register his religious organization, despite the pressure made by the deadlines. Thus the state has been caught in its trap and built the newest case against Macedonia. Now, if we want in NATO, we have to recognize Jovan. And, normally, we are all playing fools. We do not comment on the “condition” that Rosemary di Carlo has announced again. We do not comment on the decision made by MOC, neither. We hope that this shame will be forgotten…”

Problems cannot be solved by postponing them endlessly. On the contrary, they multiply.

It is a fact that in the Republic of Macedonia there are citizens, who belong to Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, and whose religious freedoms are fully taken away. Is it possible that the state forces those citizens to belong to the favourized religious community - MOC, to which they do not wish to belong!

Due to the insistence by the bishops of MOC, after many releases by the Principal Court Veles, Archbishop kyr kyr Jovan is in the prison “Idrizovo”. The reforms in the judiciary, the interruption of the political trials and imprisonments of Archbishop kyr kyr Jovan, and the registering of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, are in fact acts compatible with the European Convention for respecting human rights and freedoms, whose signer is Republic of Macedonia. Such efforts effectively, not only declaratively, will accelerate the integration of our country in the desired Euro-Atlantic institutions, thus putting it in the line of countries which cherishes the values of a civilization.

Source: www.poa-info.org

“Macedonian orthodox church” stirs religious hatred

Filed under: General — October 13, 2006 @ 1:18 pm

The statements made by the bishop of MOC, Agatangel are dangerous as for the state, so for MOC, since they stir religious hatred, declared the judge Valentin Zafirov.

It is being confirmed that Archbishop Jovan and the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric do not stir and spread religious hatred, but MOC does.

“Macedonian orthodox church” (MOC), residing in doctrinaire and liturgical disunity with the local orthodox churches, has caused religious hatred and intolerance on a large scale with its statements and acts many times before. At a request by MOC, Archbishop Jovan is in prison today, and the state forbids registration of a religious group, represented by those citizens who do not wish to belong to MOC!

At a request by MOC, with no court warrant and time limit for moving their residences, Archbishop Jovan and the monks of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, which is in doctrinaire and liturgical unity with the local orthodox churches, were expelled. At a written request by a bishop of MOC, a church belonging to the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric in the village Nizepole was demolished. Finally, after the charges brought in the Macedonian courts against Archbishop Jovan, today Republic of Macedonia is famous for being a lone country in Europe, depriving its own citizens of religious freedom, and for putting in prison a religious person, a Prelate of a local orthodox Church-Archbishop Jovan, who is a political prisoner for many.
(more…)

Professor Yuri Maximov, during his visit to R. Macedonia, testifies: The Clergy and the faithful people of Russia pray for the release of Archbishop Jovan

Filed under: General — October 6, 2006 @ 3:28 am

I have an impression that the entire Orthodox youth in Macedonia has left the MOc.

I saw that the Ohrid Archbishopric does not present a peril to the Macedonian state.

Using the language of the world, MOc makes the best marketing propaganda for the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

Recently Professor Yuri Maximov from Moscow stayed for a few-day visit in R. Macedonia, in a visit to the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

As it was previously published on our Internet page, Mr. Yuri Maximov is a lecturer on the Moscow Spiritual Academy (on Religious Studies) and at the Orthodox University “Saint Tikhon’ (on Islamology). He is a participant of the Synodial group of the Patriarchate of Mosocow, which is responsible for preparing an official concept for the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the other religions.

He came to R. Macedonia so that he would get informed about the imprisonment of His Beatitude, the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr kyr Jovan, and learn about the conditions in which the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric operates.

In continuation we publish the positions stated by professor Yuri Maximov, during his stay in R. Macedonia, for the internet presentation of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

The previous Macedonian government, under the pressure of the schismatic bishops of the MOC, through politically manipulated court proceedings, incarcerated Archbishop Jovan in the prison “Idrizovo”. How do you, as an Orthodox Christian, look upon this behavior of the state towards Archbishop Jovan and the Church whose head he is?

I received the information of the re-imprisonment of His Beatitude, Archbishop Jovan with a great grief in the heart. No reasoning man can behave calmly in the face of such injustice. As many Orthodox Christians in Russia, I too, pray for the release of Archbishop Jovan. The persecutions managed by the MOc against the Ohrid Archbishopric are the biggest mistake the schismatics could have made. All know that the Apostles, as disciples of Christ, did not oppress anyone, but they themselves were oppressed. The Apostle Paul, who also suffered illicit arrests, had written “emulate me, just as I emulate Christ”. After the arrest of Archbishop Jovan, it is clear who in Macedonia emulates Apostle Paul and who is the true disciple of Christ, and who emulates His persecutors.
(more…)

Through political trials and imprisonments of Archbishop kyr kyr Jovan and not registering the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, religious freedoms in Republic of Macedonia are broken unambiguously

Filed under: General — September 29, 2006 @ 5:12 pm

A New Number of the American Periodical “The Orthodox Word”

Recently (February 2006), during a visit of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric hieromonk Damascene (Christensen) from St. Herman of Alaska monastery, California, USA was staying in the Republic of Macedonia.

Among monastic activities, hieromonk Damascene is known to the public by his exclusively remarkable book about father Seraphim Rose, with its title “His Life and Works”. The book is translated in many languages, among which are: Russian, Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian.

The St Herman of Alaska monastery prints the famous magazine “The Orthodox Word”, which presents the report by hieromonk Damascene on his visit of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, in its newest number.
(more…)

KIM Info-service ARCHIVE
2004 Archives: | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
2005 Archives: | January | February | March | April | May | June | July| August September | October | November | December
2006 Archives: | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November

More News Available on our:
Kosovo Daily News list (KDN)
KDN Archive

Earlier Newsletters can be found at: http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html 
Photo Galleries of the March pogrom are available at: http://www.kosovo.net/pogrom.html

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.

Disclaimer:
The views expressed by the authors of newspaper articles or other texts which are not official communiqués or news reports by the KIM Info-Service are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Translations from local media, reflect personal opinions of individual authors, or opinions of organizations that released the text(s). Please contact the copyright holders for reprinting rights and objections. KIM Info-service is not responsible for accuracy of translated texts, except in case of its own statements and news.

This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material.

Additional information on the Church and the life of the Kosovo Serb Community may be found at: http://www.kosovo.net

If you want to unsubscribe go to the page: http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html

Copyright 2006, KIM Info-Service

Our mailing lists: in English in Serbian