Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro

Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Joanikije and Patriarch Porfirije. Photo: Serbian Orthodox Church.

Abazovic, whose MPs voted today in the Assembly of Cetinje for a ban on the enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije or relocation from the Cetinje monastery to another city, claims that he is not in conflict with them.

According to "Novosti", the President thanked for this gesture and in the coming days, he will make a decision on whether he will appear at the solemn ceremony, taking into account, above all, the interests of the Serbian people and the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro.

He explained that he asked for that, and not to interfere in the election of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral.
Joanikije told the Podgorica portal IN4S that the election of the metropolitan is in the exclusive competence of the Holy Synod of Bishops, whose session is in progress.

According to the statement, the topic of conversation was the Basic Agreement between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Government of Montenegro. The meeting was also attended by Metropolitan Chrysostom of Dabar-Bosnia, Bishop Jovan of umadija and Bishop Joanikije of the eparchy of Budimlja-Niki.

He stated that the people won the elections, and that the clergy contributed to that victory to some extent. "It is clear to every normal person why we do not do that. If we would not allow the government to determine when we will be ordained to the rank of priest, then we should not interfere in government personnel decisions," Bishop Joanikije told today's Politika.

Bishop Joanikije of Budimlja-Niksic. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Bishop Joanikije of Niksic and seven other priests were placed in custody for 72 hours on Tuesday for violating the ban on public gatherings after they and Metropolitan Amfilohije led a procession in the town to celebrate St Vasilije's Day on Tuesday with thousands of believers.

He stated that the position of the Episcopal Council, the clergy, the faithful and the citizens who participate in the liturgies in that country is to go all the way till the goal is achieved, and that is - the "victory of Christ".

"This law de facto and de jure forms the legal framework for the nationalization of the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the territory of Montenegro", Pilsel said in Ljubljana at a lecture entitled "Relations between the state and churches/religious communities in the Western Balkans", he held in the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies - IFIMES.

According to the newspaper, eight are the most important: Ostrog, Moraca, Savina, Djurdjevi stupovi, Miholjska prevlaka, the Monastery of St. Peter Cetinje, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and the monasteries on Lake Skadar.