Good morning! The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and its members get angry when Montenegrins, in order to emphasize the political nature of its activities, use its alternative name “Church of Serbia”. But didn’t the Patriarch of Serbia prove in Podgorica yesterday that SPC is deeply immersed in ethno-philetism?
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How is it not the Church of Serbia?
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. (Galatians 3:28-29)
A few years ago, I borrowed the name Church of Serbia from Vladimir Jovanovic and contributed to its popularization, using it every day. The name was slowly accepted by the people, and became common, so that in the end it was also used by the then president Djukanovic. SPC’s reaction was fierce. In the following months, the names were deleted from almost all SPC websites where this alternative name could be found. But on the website of the “canonically recognized” Orthodox Church in America, the name Church of Serbia still appears. It is also the case on the website of the Orthodox Times. This is also stated on the website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
They forgot to delete the archive at certain places, so you can find the same name on the official SPC’s website in English, as for example here, or on the website of the parish of Bedford, here. You can also find it on the website of Lazarice, SPC for Britain and Scandinavia. All these are official SPC websites.
If you have time, google “Eglise de Serbie”, “Kirche von Serbien” or in any other language, including Serbian and Russian, and you will see that it is not an uncommon name for SPC or any other local church. Church of Romania, Church of Bulgaria, Church of Russia, etc.
Everyone is allowed to call SPC by this name except Montenegrins. In his column, the radical right-wing author and priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church Gojko Djogo tried to explain the history of the term, and he was among the first to admit that this name was not invented by Milogorci (*name given to Montenegrins as supporters of former President Milo Djukanovic). He also explained why it should not be used. In the text that serves to deal with the “elders from Fanar”, as he calls the ecumenical patriarchate, and with the former Serbs, as he calls Montenegrins by nationality, priest Djogo tries to explain the inexplicable and to spin a lie into the truth.
After the hysterical nationalist campaign from all sides, this name and its purpose have become worn out, and I personally avoid using it, because it has started to be used as an insult, and to be perceived as such by the believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
However, yesterday the Serbian Patriarch, Mr. Porfirije, during his visit to Montenegro, showed that there is nothing Catholic (universal – assemblying) in his actions, and that he falsely professes the Symbol of Faith. Porfirje proved that it is a lie and a platitude that SPC in Montenegro or anywhere else can be a spiritual home for Montenegrins. He addressed only the Serbs and showed what we all already know, if we are not lying to ourselves.
Isn’t the fact that the name “Montenegro” is only found in half the name of the “Montenegro and the Littoral” eparchy, which covers only the southern half of Montenegro, not enough for you? Isn’t that enough for you to understand that the organization of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro is such that it would reduce Montenegrins to the sub-ethnicity of the great Serbian, church-going nation?
I am on a trip through Poland, and a few days ago I passed through the eastern parts of this country – the center of Orthodox Poland, as they say. Church and Orthodox “Russian” crosses are at every step. I also entered a village house, where an old woman, who speaks neither Russian nor Belarusian, asked me if I was Orthodox like her. Orthodox Poles, if you believe. There is also a Polish Orthodox Church. “Canonically recognized”. There are also Japanese, Czech, and Estonian Orthodox churches. Only Montenegrin is not canonically recognized. Why? Because Poles exist, and Montenegrins do not. The thing left to do is that someone writes it down in the Gospel.
According to the Christian faith, the church is one and indivisible. The way the apostles created it, according to the instructions of Christ. However, human deeds are perishable. Someone wrote somewhere that the church failed the test that Christ passed in the desert, when it grasped the earthly kingdom. Golden domes on the Kremlin and imposing cathedrals in Western Europe stand as an argument in support of the author’s claim. Whether founders and builders built mausoleums for themselves, or sprinkled Christ with peace, that’s another story.
However, the Church of Serbia took part in the population census, as it had done before in political games. The patriarch, who works against Montenegrin national interests, is welcomed with the highest honors by the Montenegrin president. He is also welcomed by the Prime Minister, who with him lays the foundation stone of the high school where young people will continue to learn that Montenegrins are not a nation, but a mistake. Milogorci and bastards, a project of ethnic engineering.
They both know what they are doing. The politician chases votes, and the church fences off its fiefdom so that some of its serfs would not defect.
That’s it for today. We wish you a pleasant rest of the day.
Kind regards,
Ljubomir Filipovic, CdM analyst and columnist
(The opinions and views of the authors of the columns are not necessarily those of the CdM editorial staff)
