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Monday, November 29, 2004
Monday, November 22, 2004
The Life Story of Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovic - New Chrysostom
He was born on December 23rd (old calendar) or January 5th in 1881 in a small village Lelic, not far from Valjevo. He was baptized in Celije Monastery, which was functioning as the main village church and also a school at that time. His parents Dragomir & Katarina, farmers, had nine children. Nikolaj was their first child. When he had finished theology school, he received scholarship at famous Roman-Catholic University in Bern, in Switzerland. After graduation, he prepared a doctorate on the topic of "The Belief in Christ’s Resurrection as the main dogma of the Apostolic Church". With the topic “Berkeley Philosophy,” he received his second doctor's degree in philosophy at the Oxford University.
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When he returned to Serbia, he became a monk in a monastery at Rakovica, near Belgrade, on December 20th 1909, and he got his monastic name Nikolaj. After some time, he went to Russia (in Petersburg) and finished Clerical Academy.
At the beginning of the World War I, in 1915, he was sent, under the government of Nikola Pasic, to England and the U.S.A. to suppress the propaganda against the Serbs and to propagate the just fight of the Serbs.
“What am I going to tell them?,” he asked for the instructions? After a long silence, Mr. Pasic answered, "You will know when the time comes"!
During the next four years (1915-1919), Nikolaj was in, in churches, schools, universities, hotel rooms, and other places of England and the U.S.A., trying to explain the just fight of Serbian people, for freedom and against the Austrians.
At the end of the World War I, while he was still in England, he was elected for a bishop at Zica on March 25th in 1919. In 1920 he was relocated to Ohrid Bishopric. At this time, there were many intensive diplomatic activities of the state and the church, so that he was a member of numerous delegations sent to Greece, Turkey, St. Gora, the U.S.A. and England. He was a great missionary and activist of Evangelism. Under very complicated circumstances, he was traveling and teaching people just as famous St. Sava had done before. He rebuilt the churches and monasteries destroyed in war. He formed the orphanages for the poor abandoned children. In order to defend his people from an aggressive sect-propaganda, he supported the newly formed Congregation of Orthodox Christian Peoples, whose leader he was between the two wars.
In the year 1934, Bishop Nikolaj came back on the throne of Zica parish. He started the reconstruction of the Zica Monastery and recovered the old Nemanjic glory. He also reconstructed many other monasteries, among which several monasteries on Ovcar - Kablar cliffs, which are called The Serbian Saint Mountain.
As soon as the Germans occupied the country, police and military forces came to Zica, and Bishop Nikolaj was isolated and arrested on July 12th 1941. He was imprisoned in monastery Ljubostinja until December 3rd 1942 and after that he was sent to Vojlovac, near Pancevo, together with the previous Zica Bishop Vasilije Kostic and his nephew Jovan Velimirovic. In 1943, Germans also put patriarch Gavrilo there. At the end of the summer period in 1944, they were both taken to the disreputable camp Dahau in Germany. They were the only two clergymen in Europe who were the prisoners in that camp in a Nazi country. With a great help of Dimitrije Ljotic, they were both released. When the war ended, they were in Slovenia with their Serbs.
For some time they were wondering through the countries of Western Europe, and than patriarch Gavrilo returned to Serbia and took over a duty of the leader of the Serbian Church. Bishop Nikolaj had a very difficult path and got to feel all the bitterness of emigration.
He didn't want to return to his beloved Serbia during the post-war government of Communists. He thought that he could help his people better from abroad. "When a house burns - put out the fire from the outside," he used to say.
All the time, he was helping his people, churches, monasteries, monks and clergy from the U.S.A. He gave to his people all that he had. He was gathering Serbs from all around the world, taught them that only if they stay close to each other, become attached to their church and faithful to their religious customs, they can save their good name and their roots in the world. He died and went to God on March 18th 1956, in Russian monastery of St. Tihon in Pennsylvania (U.S.A.) and was buried in Serbian monastery St. Sava in Libertyville. In 1991 his remains were replaced in Serbia in monastery Lelic
.
When he returned to Serbia, he became a monk in a monastery at Rakovica, near Belgrade, on December 20th 1909, and he got his monastic name Nikolaj. After some time, he went to Russia (in Petersburg) and finished Clerical Academy.
At the beginning of the World War I, in 1915, he was sent, under the government of Nikola Pasic, to England and the U.S.A. to suppress the propaganda against the Serbs and to propagate the just fight of the Serbs.
“What am I going to tell them?,” he asked for the instructions? After a long silence, Mr. Pasic answered, "You will know when the time comes"!
During the next four years (1915-1919), Nikolaj was in, in churches, schools, universities, hotel rooms, and other places of England and the U.S.A., trying to explain the just fight of Serbian people, for freedom and against the Austrians.
At the end of the World War I, while he was still in England, he was elected for a bishop at Zica on March 25th in 1919. In 1920 he was relocated to Ohrid Bishopric. At this time, there were many intensive diplomatic activities of the state and the church, so that he was a member of numerous delegations sent to Greece, Turkey, St. Gora, the U.S.A. and England. He was a great missionary and activist of Evangelism. Under very complicated circumstances, he was traveling and teaching people just as famous St. Sava had done before. He rebuilt the churches and monasteries destroyed in war. He formed the orphanages for the poor abandoned children. In order to defend his people from an aggressive sect-propaganda, he supported the newly formed Congregation of Orthodox Christian Peoples, whose leader he was between the two wars.
In the year 1934, Bishop Nikolaj came back on the throne of Zica parish. He started the reconstruction of the Zica Monastery and recovered the old Nemanjic glory. He also reconstructed many other monasteries, among which several monasteries on Ovcar - Kablar cliffs, which are called The Serbian Saint Mountain.
As soon as the Germans occupied the country, police and military forces came to Zica, and Bishop Nikolaj was isolated and arrested on July 12th 1941. He was imprisoned in monastery Ljubostinja until December 3rd 1942 and after that he was sent to Vojlovac, near Pancevo, together with the previous Zica Bishop Vasilije Kostic and his nephew Jovan Velimirovic. In 1943, Germans also put patriarch Gavrilo there. At the end of the summer period in 1944, they were both taken to the disreputable camp Dahau in Germany. They were the only two clergymen in Europe who were the prisoners in that camp in a Nazi country. With a great help of Dimitrije Ljotic, they were both released. When the war ended, they were in Slovenia with their Serbs.
For some time they were wondering through the countries of Western Europe, and than patriarch Gavrilo returned to Serbia and took over a duty of the leader of the Serbian Church. Bishop Nikolaj had a very difficult path and got to feel all the bitterness of emigration.
He didn't want to return to his beloved Serbia during the post-war government of Communists. He thought that he could help his people better from abroad. "When a house burns - put out the fire from the outside," he used to say.
All the time, he was helping his people, churches, monasteries, monks and clergy from the U.S.A. He gave to his people all that he had. He was gathering Serbs from all around the world, taught them that only if they stay close to each other, become attached to their church and faithful to their religious customs, they can save their good name and their roots in the world. He died and went to God on March 18th 1956, in Russian monastery of St. Tihon in Pennsylvania (U.S.A.) and was buried in Serbian monastery St. Sava in Libertyville. In 1991 his remains were replaced in Serbia in monastery Lelic
General Dragomir, Draza Mihajlovic,murdered bu comunists 1945, honored posthumously by the President of United States with 1st degree Legion of Merit. http://www.srpska-mreza.com/Felman/snf-speech.html
GENERAL DRAGOMIR MIHAJLOVIC AND HURTING THE FEELINGS OF CROATIAN NATION
Few days ago, match between serbian and croatian basketball team was played. Of course, how can we play a stupid basketball mach with no inicidents. Well...we need to think of something. And we do it..with no problem. Serbian basketball player Milan Gurovic was held at the border for, having a tatoo of general Dragomir Mihajlovic on his right sholder. That offenced croatian nation, and he was banned to enter Croatia. Isn`t that funny? The explanation was that, General Dragomir Mihajlovic was "colaborator with the German ocupator" and that Croatian people does not feel comfortable looking at his tatoo during one 90 minutes rivalry.
Two days ago, 3 serbian students were hold in custody, for making a documenary in Zagreb, taking few shots in Zagreb central square with the picture of the same person. They are in triled, and in prison at this moment, and for next 15 days.
Well..it is all nice...but before understanding why, i regard, that we should say something about this man.
General Dragomir, Draza Mihajlovic, was one of the most important figures in Royal Yugoslav Army before world war two. He studied military academy in Paris, together with well known french general and politician Charles Degaulle, who was his great friend from college days.
During the world war 2, General Mihajlovic and his squad were the only that did not capitulated and that were leading gerila war againts Germans for several years. Comunist resistance apperhended him in 1945, trialed and executed him in several days. He was presented as an colaborator with German ocupator and betrayer of Yugoslav nations...etc.etc. The trial was springed, and he had no possibility to deffend him self, beeing held in comunistic prison on hard drugs. Few years after his decapitation, posthumously, he had been gartered by the PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with the first degree LEGION OF MERIT,the highest combat award that U.S. government can give to forgein national for saving lives of 90 american pilotes during the war.It was kept as an secret for decades beacuse of the pressure of State Department That is what USA thinks about "German colaborator". "Through the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General Mihailovic and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied Victory. "(HARRY S. TRUMEN, March 29, 1948 )
In a letter, American President Richard Nixon said about General Draza: "General Draza Mihailovich was a patriot, a brave soldier and a gallant ally of the United States and every nation that went to war in the early forties to destroy the tyrannies that sought to enslave our world.
Hundreds of American pilots owe their lives to General Mihailovich and his forces and, the American people will never forget that debt.
As long as there are patriots in any nation, the name of General Mihailovich will be remembered and revered." I believe that the spirit in which you have gathered here to honor the memory of General Mihailovich, the faithful allied commander and the first anti-Nazis leader in Europe, is shared by the great majority of Americans.
The ultimate tragedy of Draza Mihailovic cannot erase the memory of his heroic and often lonely struggle against the twin tyrannies that afflicted his people, Nazism and Communism. He knew that totalitarianism, whatever name it might take, is the death of freedom. He thus became a symbol of resistance to all those across the world who have had to fight a similar heroic and lonely struggle against totalitarianism. Mihailovich belonged to Yugoslavia; his spirit now belongs to all those who are willing to fight for freedom.
I wish that it could be said that this great hero was the last victim of confused and senseless policies of western governments in dealing with Communism. The fact is that others have suffered a fate similar to his by being embraced and then abandoned by western governments in the hope that such abandonment will purchase peace or security. "
DRAZA MIHAILOVICH the Hero, as told by Major Richard L. Felman U.S.A.F., Retired in his Book: "American war vetran Major Richard Felman, author of "Mihailovich & I", wrote and published his work as an extraordinary gesture of gratitude and Appreciation for General Draza Miahailovich and his loyal Chetniks who rescued, sheltered and saved him and other American airmen from the Nazis and their fascis collaborators - Croatian Ustashas and Muslim fundamentalists- during the bloody World War II in occupied Yugoslavia.
In his book he praises not only the paramount role of General Mihailovich and the courage of the Chetnik fighters, but also the hospitality of the Serbian people and their passionate quest for freedom.
Major Felman's book is a testament not only to the Resistance Movement under the banner of Draza, but of the undeniable truth of the great contribution of the Serbian people to the Allied Forces and their victory over Nazism and Fascism.
A special place is given to the Allied pilots (Americans in particular) who survived the Nazi attcks after parachuting into the contryside of Serbia and their mentors- Draza's Chetniks. Major Felman emphasizes the fact that this rescue mission greatly endangered Draza's soldiers and Serbian civilinan population- especially the peasants- as Nazi reprisals were imminent. Some 500 American pilots found safety and fredom, as they were transfered in the second half of 1944 into Allied bases in newly freed territories in neighbouring Italy.
There, they shared their experiences and told their stories of bravery, rescue, and Serbian peoples' enormous suffering under the Nazi- Facist occupation, to their supiriors and comrades alike. ronically, by this hour the very same Allied Forces had already betrayed Draza and his Chetniks as well as the freedom loving Serbian people. "
I would realy wish to see your coments on this topic. If there is something that you do not think that is right...say it....I am here to found the true answer to every question you have, am i not ?
Two days ago, 3 serbian students were hold in custody, for making a documenary in Zagreb, taking few shots in Zagreb central square with the picture of the same person. They are in triled, and in prison at this moment, and for next 15 days.
Well..it is all nice...but before understanding why, i regard, that we should say something about this man.
General Dragomir, Draza Mihajlovic, was one of the most important figures in Royal Yugoslav Army before world war two. He studied military academy in Paris, together with well known french general and politician Charles Degaulle, who was his great friend from college days.
During the world war 2, General Mihajlovic and his squad were the only that did not capitulated and that were leading gerila war againts Germans for several years. Comunist resistance apperhended him in 1945, trialed and executed him in several days. He was presented as an colaborator with German ocupator and betrayer of Yugoslav nations...etc.etc. The trial was springed, and he had no possibility to deffend him self, beeing held in comunistic prison on hard drugs. Few years after his decapitation, posthumously, he had been gartered by the PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with the first degree LEGION OF MERIT,the highest combat award that U.S. government can give to forgein national for saving lives of 90 american pilotes during the war.It was kept as an secret for decades beacuse of the pressure of State Department That is what USA thinks about "German colaborator". "Through the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General Mihailovic and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied Victory. "(HARRY S. TRUMEN, March 29, 1948 )
In a letter, American President Richard Nixon said about General Draza: "General Draza Mihailovich was a patriot, a brave soldier and a gallant ally of the United States and every nation that went to war in the early forties to destroy the tyrannies that sought to enslave our world.
Hundreds of American pilots owe their lives to General Mihailovich and his forces and, the American people will never forget that debt.
As long as there are patriots in any nation, the name of General Mihailovich will be remembered and revered." I believe that the spirit in which you have gathered here to honor the memory of General Mihailovich, the faithful allied commander and the first anti-Nazis leader in Europe, is shared by the great majority of Americans.
The ultimate tragedy of Draza Mihailovic cannot erase the memory of his heroic and often lonely struggle against the twin tyrannies that afflicted his people, Nazism and Communism. He knew that totalitarianism, whatever name it might take, is the death of freedom. He thus became a symbol of resistance to all those across the world who have had to fight a similar heroic and lonely struggle against totalitarianism. Mihailovich belonged to Yugoslavia; his spirit now belongs to all those who are willing to fight for freedom.
I wish that it could be said that this great hero was the last victim of confused and senseless policies of western governments in dealing with Communism. The fact is that others have suffered a fate similar to his by being embraced and then abandoned by western governments in the hope that such abandonment will purchase peace or security. "
DRAZA MIHAILOVICH the Hero, as told by Major Richard L. Felman U.S.A.F., Retired in his Book: "American war vetran Major Richard Felman, author of "Mihailovich & I", wrote and published his work as an extraordinary gesture of gratitude and Appreciation for General Draza Miahailovich and his loyal Chetniks who rescued, sheltered and saved him and other American airmen from the Nazis and their fascis collaborators - Croatian Ustashas and Muslim fundamentalists- during the bloody World War II in occupied Yugoslavia.
In his book he praises not only the paramount role of General Mihailovich and the courage of the Chetnik fighters, but also the hospitality of the Serbian people and their passionate quest for freedom.
Major Felman's book is a testament not only to the Resistance Movement under the banner of Draza, but of the undeniable truth of the great contribution of the Serbian people to the Allied Forces and their victory over Nazism and Fascism.
A special place is given to the Allied pilots (Americans in particular) who survived the Nazi attcks after parachuting into the contryside of Serbia and their mentors- Draza's Chetniks. Major Felman emphasizes the fact that this rescue mission greatly endangered Draza's soldiers and Serbian civilinan population- especially the peasants- as Nazi reprisals were imminent. Some 500 American pilots found safety and fredom, as they were transfered in the second half of 1944 into Allied bases in newly freed territories in neighbouring Italy.
There, they shared their experiences and told their stories of bravery, rescue, and Serbian peoples' enormous suffering under the Nazi- Facist occupation, to their supiriors and comrades alike. ronically, by this hour the very same Allied Forces had already betrayed Draza and his Chetniks as well as the freedom loving Serbian people. "
I would realy wish to see your coments on this topic. If there is something that you do not think that is right...say it....I am here to found the true answer to every question you have, am i not ?
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Monday, November 08, 2004
Serbia…. the place you should definitely avoid
There are so many reasons why you, as someone who never traveled around the Balkans should avoid this small and funny state with no name. In case you do not know (as I don’t) Serbia and Montenegro is one small stupid country that has no: Coat of arms, national anthem and flag. Not to talk about some more serious things…like constitution or even some normal laws that you can see there….where you come from.
In case you decided to come here…well there are so many interesting things that you can see. Things that are unique, masterworks of Native Serbian arts, architecture and Serbian culture in general.
I will not talk too much…I’ll just leave you to see how do we live here…and what and IF we have anything to offer you on your European voyage.
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At some point you will think that you are not on the planet of Earth, and YES, you are right. You are in planet of Serbia…where laws and roles of physics, culture, arts and so many other laws…. DO NOT EXIST.
Therefore enjoy your stay in Serbia, get drunk and feel like at home. (that applies only for people that can stand 2.5 to 3.0 % of alcohol in their blood.)
Welcome to my home…just enjoy and do not laugh…. because this is not funny at all…you, my dear friends should cry…knowing that nation, like great Serbian nation, that in generally thinks that it is no.1 in the world, smartest and strongest live like this.
I will present you several pictures of Serbian masterworks as soon as I Can. And trust me…you will fully understand why am I talking about my homeland in such satirical tone.
In case you decided to come here…well there are so many interesting things that you can see. Things that are unique, masterworks of Native Serbian arts, architecture and Serbian culture in general.
I will not talk too much…I’ll just leave you to see how do we live here…and what and IF we have anything to offer you on your European voyage.
.
At some point you will think that you are not on the planet of Earth, and YES, you are right. You are in planet of Serbia…where laws and roles of physics, culture, arts and so many other laws…. DO NOT EXIST.
Therefore enjoy your stay in Serbia, get drunk and feel like at home. (that applies only for people that can stand 2.5 to 3.0 % of alcohol in their blood.)
Welcome to my home…just enjoy and do not laugh…. because this is not funny at all…you, my dear friends should cry…knowing that nation, like great Serbian nation, that in generally thinks that it is no.1 in the world, smartest and strongest live like this.
I will present you several pictures of Serbian masterworks as soon as I Can. And trust me…you will fully understand why am I talking about my homeland in such satirical tone.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
story about a song
Several years ago, famous serbian stage manager broadcasted his movie " The time of gipsyes" (dom za vesanje). With him, the comopser became well know just thanks to this very sonf that I will write about.
In may 1941. few days after the "ustaha" government in has been established, local police forces started with incarceration of well known local Serbs and Jews. They assembled them all together by the river Miljacka in Sarajevo, in early morning on the day of Saint George.
People thoat that they are going to be sent to Germany to work in some camp.
If only......
Some of them realized what is going on and tried to escape...but there was no way.
That is the day when one song has been created by those men gathered there, in early morning, before the sun rise...on the right riverside of Miljacka.
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Spring wings down to my sholder,
may flowers start to blow
everyone will see the flowers,
everyone except me.
To whoom my dear lady,
will smell like the may flowers,
I do not now,
But i will not smell her any more
Day breaks, i should pray to the God
It is Saint Georges day
And I am not with the one i love...
In may 1941. few days after the "ustaha" government in has been established, local police forces started with incarceration of well known local Serbs and Jews. They assembled them all together by the river Miljacka in Sarajevo, in early morning on the day of Saint George.
People thoat that they are going to be sent to Germany to work in some camp.
If only......
Some of them realized what is going on and tried to escape...but there was no way.
That is the day when one song has been created by those men gathered there, in early morning, before the sun rise...on the right riverside of Miljacka.
.
Spring wings down to my sholder,
may flowers start to blow
everyone will see the flowers,
everyone except me.
To whoom my dear lady,
will smell like the may flowers,
I do not now,
But i will not smell her any more
Day breaks, i should pray to the God
It is Saint Georges day
And I am not with the one i love...
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Shame And Blame In The Face Of Christian Europe
The Speech of Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro
Your Holiness, Your Grace, dear brothers and sisters,Our wise episkopos spoke wisely sometime in the month of June. We are fighting, said he, a new Kosovo battle but this time we have no venerable Knez (the closest English equivalent of this title is Prince) and no Holy Cross. The venerable Knez was replaced by irreligion. Irreligion, as known to people from times immemorial, lacks in faith. The Holy Cross has been substituted for a "target", the suicidal sign of the God Shiva, which I had found in the deserted Patrijarsijska street leading towards the Patriarchate of Pec last June. It has also been replaced by an Albanian flag that is now, for the first time since the Battle of Kosovo, flown from the house nearest to the Patriarchate.
This was obviously meant to happen, justifiable probably by some historical logic, or some deeper moral code, but also based on the ways mysterious even to God. Everything that has been going on in Kosovo since 1941 lead to this which is happening today and that has not happened in 600 years. This year's Vidovdan (the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, 28 June) has undoubtedly been the most dreadful of all such holidays for entire Serbian nation both in Kosovo and Metohija and outside of it.
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On the eve of the Vidovdan liturgy, which we served behind the altars of our ancient archbishopric and patriarchal temples in the Partiarchate of Pec and with the blessing of His Holiness, we laid to rest the bodies of Mileva Vujosevic, aged 50, shot dead with a bullet, her brains, in which I stepped on entering her house, strewn and Marica Maric, a retarded girl, who was raped in her poor abode in Belo Polje. We found her on a broken couch, dead, disfigured. These two we buried just before Vidovan and, as we served the Vidovdan Liturgy in the Patriarchate of Pec, we could not help feeling that this was really the most horrific Vidovdan over the past 600 year which affected all the Serbs and had a special effect on the Serbian national entity in Kosovo. We felt that the vladika (the equivalent of prince bishop Rade's words "Kosovo is a huge court-house with Sodom raging in its midst" really came to be the words of a prophet.
Today Kosovo is, if that is of any consolation to us, really a "huge court-house". It is the court in which our people are being tried, the court where Shqiptars are being tried, the court where Europe and the civilized world are also being tried. Today's verdict, being passed on the world, was written in a gospel before Christ's Golgotha and its continuation, I have a felling, happens to coincide with what is going on in Kosovo and Metohija at present. What is happening here today concerns not only us but is also relevant to the entire modern world, the Christian civilization and is pertinent to the man at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. When speaking with European and American dignitaries during their visits to the Patriarchate I have repeatedly said, which may have been found objectionable by some, that what has been occurring is foremost a disgrace and a shame of my people, one segment of my people that is. This I have repeated and I repeat it again. It is also a disgrace on the part of the Albanians, one honourable nation who is also a God's people deserving of its place under the sun, the time and space in which to bear the fruit of their labour. What one fraction of this people has been doing in the name of all is a disgrace and a shame on the face of the entire nation. The things taking place in Kosovo today as well as those which happened during the bombardment are, as I kept repeating and am repeating it now, disgraceful and the Christian Europe should feel ashamed The Christian Europe and American civilization brought upon themselves the blame which they ought to be ashamed of. It is a disgrace that the 20th century is coming to its close by bombs being dropped on a sinful and, as His Holiness sometimes points out in His prayers, sinful all around but not without a reason, nevertheless Europe's ancient, Christian and honourable nation. This is how Europe is commemorating the 2000 years of Christianity and this is how it is entering the third millennium. This is also something most tragic and absurd that every sensible person ought to stop over and think about, regardless of what nation or religion he/she belongs to.
A part of this disgrace and shame has been presented, in word and picture, in the book called "Crucified Kosovo". The original list numbered over fifty temples but in the meantime additional twenty temples and monasteries, razed to the ground within the last fortnight, have been added to it. The latest report announced that the Monastery of Zociste, in the vicinity of Velika Hoca, has been levelled with the ground - an ancient medieval monastery, place famous for its healing properties, of importance not only for Orthodox Serbs but all inhabitants living around the monastery. Over the past years more Muslims and Shqiptars than Serbs frequented the Monastery of the Holy Physicians, especially in times of evil and deadly disease, the heinousness, which in many ways is accountable for the state, we now find ourselves in. Today the monastery with its temple and the buildings surrounding it are completely razed to the ground. The same destiny befell, and there is evidence of this, the Monastery of St King Milutin, in Musutiste. Now that his name is mentioned I must reveal before God what I heard has been happening in Kosovo. During bombardment a chief of the police came to a priest to inform him on an impending destruction of a mosque. The priest responded: " I beg you in God's name, don't destroy the mosque because if you do you will also destroy our temple." The policeman turned his head, went away and the mosque was pulled down. So how can anyone be certain that those, who "awaited their five minutes", will spare anyone's temple. Be assured, and we who have been in Kosovo and Metohija over the past few months can testify it to be true, that had it not been for the presence of the international forces in Kosovo at this very moment the Patriarchate of Pec, as well as Decani and Gracanica, too, would have been reduced to rubble and turned into ashes. There would be no Serb left in the area. The situation is as it stands now. This booklet is a small insert, which tells about the situation we are in.
That which has been left of the temples, holy places and people is to be found in reservations today and I am certain that even the Indian reservations are in a much better state than those in Serbia, including the enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija. The Patriarchate of Pec is a reservation of a kind, all in bunkers, under the search lights, protected by tenks. In spite of everything there were missiles launched the other day, as you have heard, but fortunatelly did not fall on the temple or the konak (residential quarters). Instead, they landed somewhere in between the two. Decani is also in a reservation as is Gracanica and all other places where our people live. Gora'devca, to mention some, is the only village on the Metohija side which remained. The reservations mentioned are temporarily secured, with a sword of Damocles hanging above them as it were. A deep, existential fear has entered them as did hundreds of people, out of some 30,000 from Pristina, who are now waiting to leave this hell. We have a list with the names of some 200 kidnapped and murdered people only in the Pec area but the number is not conclusive. There sure are tens of murdered people that are still unaccounted for, not the mention the kidnapped from this region alone. There must be over 400 abducted persons which are believed to be killed. Recently, a hole has been discovered in the vicinity of Istok and in it 40 corpses were found, among which was the body of Father Stefan from Budisavac Monastery. Father Hariton is still unaccounted for, and has been for quite some time. And, for as long as Kosovo is in such a reservation Serbia, together with its leaders and the entire population, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia itself, will also be in one. Theirs will have a cul-de-sac. The circle around Serbian people is getting increasingly smaller, with all diplomatic and political connections and humanitarian links being severed, not to mention personal ties with the international community. Those who, at this time, should be taking the people out of this situation they are in for the first time in their history are shunned by the entire world which does not wish to speak to them; the fact obvious to anyone who has the eyes and the ears. Whether those who do not want or do not wish to communicate are in the right or not is another issue. But chosing the target conscieslly or unconscieslly as their symbol, the symbol for something much more profound, by which these people have opted out for the road to suicide, should this situation in our country continue, is a historical and also a tragic fact. This means that the people have lost, on a deeper level, their sense of dignity, the sense for the future and the possibility for their survival and a come-back to the company of mature nations of the world. Each person may carry within themselves a suicidal drive which is everybody's torment and a joint sorrow. But turning their illness, their suicidal tendencies into a living style and a way of thinking and acting on behalf of an entire nation and expecting them to accept it, equalls the failure in understanding of the human nature. One thing, obvious from all that has been happening in Kosovo, is certain and must be said. There seems to be public, or maybe secret, plan and aspiration on the part of the international community to turn Kosovo into some kind of international protecorate.I do not believe I will live long enough, God's willing, to see Kosovo without the presence of the international forces which usually, after having stayed in another's land, another's country, another's home for too long, turn into an occupying force. At present Kosovo is a protectorate. In a long run it will become a NATO pact protectorate but also, by the looks of it, it is being prepared to become an indepenedent state which, one day, will be incorporated into a Greater Albania. Whether this is the plan of the European community I cannot fathom. Anyway, all that is taking place in Kosovo and Metohija at this moment points out in that direction.
Also, whether the people will gather strenght to establish unbiased and genuine relationship with the international community, to find new ways out of this misery, the Kosovo straits, depends on God and God's intentions but also on us all. Let this booklet about the crusified Kosovo be an incentive for us and our joint responsibility, before God, before history and before the modern world, that will help restore our dignity and enable our come-back, with due respect of all human rights, to our ancient lands, our ancient hearths.
May God grant and let it happen.Thank you.
Your Holiness, Your Grace, dear brothers and sisters,Our wise episkopos spoke wisely sometime in the month of June. We are fighting, said he, a new Kosovo battle but this time we have no venerable Knez (the closest English equivalent of this title is Prince) and no Holy Cross. The venerable Knez was replaced by irreligion. Irreligion, as known to people from times immemorial, lacks in faith. The Holy Cross has been substituted for a "target", the suicidal sign of the God Shiva, which I had found in the deserted Patrijarsijska street leading towards the Patriarchate of Pec last June. It has also been replaced by an Albanian flag that is now, for the first time since the Battle of Kosovo, flown from the house nearest to the Patriarchate.
This was obviously meant to happen, justifiable probably by some historical logic, or some deeper moral code, but also based on the ways mysterious even to God. Everything that has been going on in Kosovo since 1941 lead to this which is happening today and that has not happened in 600 years. This year's Vidovdan (the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, 28 June) has undoubtedly been the most dreadful of all such holidays for entire Serbian nation both in Kosovo and Metohija and outside of it.
.
On the eve of the Vidovdan liturgy, which we served behind the altars of our ancient archbishopric and patriarchal temples in the Partiarchate of Pec and with the blessing of His Holiness, we laid to rest the bodies of Mileva Vujosevic, aged 50, shot dead with a bullet, her brains, in which I stepped on entering her house, strewn and Marica Maric, a retarded girl, who was raped in her poor abode in Belo Polje. We found her on a broken couch, dead, disfigured. These two we buried just before Vidovan and, as we served the Vidovdan Liturgy in the Patriarchate of Pec, we could not help feeling that this was really the most horrific Vidovdan over the past 600 year which affected all the Serbs and had a special effect on the Serbian national entity in Kosovo. We felt that the vladika (the equivalent of prince bishop Rade's words "Kosovo is a huge court-house with Sodom raging in its midst" really came to be the words of a prophet.
Today Kosovo is, if that is of any consolation to us, really a "huge court-house". It is the court in which our people are being tried, the court where Shqiptars are being tried, the court where Europe and the civilized world are also being tried. Today's verdict, being passed on the world, was written in a gospel before Christ's Golgotha and its continuation, I have a felling, happens to coincide with what is going on in Kosovo and Metohija at present. What is happening here today concerns not only us but is also relevant to the entire modern world, the Christian civilization and is pertinent to the man at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. When speaking with European and American dignitaries during their visits to the Patriarchate I have repeatedly said, which may have been found objectionable by some, that what has been occurring is foremost a disgrace and a shame of my people, one segment of my people that is. This I have repeated and I repeat it again. It is also a disgrace on the part of the Albanians, one honourable nation who is also a God's people deserving of its place under the sun, the time and space in which to bear the fruit of their labour. What one fraction of this people has been doing in the name of all is a disgrace and a shame on the face of the entire nation. The things taking place in Kosovo today as well as those which happened during the bombardment are, as I kept repeating and am repeating it now, disgraceful and the Christian Europe should feel ashamed The Christian Europe and American civilization brought upon themselves the blame which they ought to be ashamed of. It is a disgrace that the 20th century is coming to its close by bombs being dropped on a sinful and, as His Holiness sometimes points out in His prayers, sinful all around but not without a reason, nevertheless Europe's ancient, Christian and honourable nation. This is how Europe is commemorating the 2000 years of Christianity and this is how it is entering the third millennium. This is also something most tragic and absurd that every sensible person ought to stop over and think about, regardless of what nation or religion he/she belongs to.
A part of this disgrace and shame has been presented, in word and picture, in the book called "Crucified Kosovo". The original list numbered over fifty temples but in the meantime additional twenty temples and monasteries, razed to the ground within the last fortnight, have been added to it. The latest report announced that the Monastery of Zociste, in the vicinity of Velika Hoca, has been levelled with the ground - an ancient medieval monastery, place famous for its healing properties, of importance not only for Orthodox Serbs but all inhabitants living around the monastery. Over the past years more Muslims and Shqiptars than Serbs frequented the Monastery of the Holy Physicians, especially in times of evil and deadly disease, the heinousness, which in many ways is accountable for the state, we now find ourselves in. Today the monastery with its temple and the buildings surrounding it are completely razed to the ground. The same destiny befell, and there is evidence of this, the Monastery of St King Milutin, in Musutiste. Now that his name is mentioned I must reveal before God what I heard has been happening in Kosovo. During bombardment a chief of the police came to a priest to inform him on an impending destruction of a mosque. The priest responded: " I beg you in God's name, don't destroy the mosque because if you do you will also destroy our temple." The policeman turned his head, went away and the mosque was pulled down. So how can anyone be certain that those, who "awaited their five minutes", will spare anyone's temple. Be assured, and we who have been in Kosovo and Metohija over the past few months can testify it to be true, that had it not been for the presence of the international forces in Kosovo at this very moment the Patriarchate of Pec, as well as Decani and Gracanica, too, would have been reduced to rubble and turned into ashes. There would be no Serb left in the area. The situation is as it stands now. This booklet is a small insert, which tells about the situation we are in.
That which has been left of the temples, holy places and people is to be found in reservations today and I am certain that even the Indian reservations are in a much better state than those in Serbia, including the enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija. The Patriarchate of Pec is a reservation of a kind, all in bunkers, under the search lights, protected by tenks. In spite of everything there were missiles launched the other day, as you have heard, but fortunatelly did not fall on the temple or the konak (residential quarters). Instead, they landed somewhere in between the two. Decani is also in a reservation as is Gracanica and all other places where our people live. Gora'devca, to mention some, is the only village on the Metohija side which remained. The reservations mentioned are temporarily secured, with a sword of Damocles hanging above them as it were. A deep, existential fear has entered them as did hundreds of people, out of some 30,000 from Pristina, who are now waiting to leave this hell. We have a list with the names of some 200 kidnapped and murdered people only in the Pec area but the number is not conclusive. There sure are tens of murdered people that are still unaccounted for, not the mention the kidnapped from this region alone. There must be over 400 abducted persons which are believed to be killed. Recently, a hole has been discovered in the vicinity of Istok and in it 40 corpses were found, among which was the body of Father Stefan from Budisavac Monastery. Father Hariton is still unaccounted for, and has been for quite some time. And, for as long as Kosovo is in such a reservation Serbia, together with its leaders and the entire population, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia itself, will also be in one. Theirs will have a cul-de-sac. The circle around Serbian people is getting increasingly smaller, with all diplomatic and political connections and humanitarian links being severed, not to mention personal ties with the international community. Those who, at this time, should be taking the people out of this situation they are in for the first time in their history are shunned by the entire world which does not wish to speak to them; the fact obvious to anyone who has the eyes and the ears. Whether those who do not want or do not wish to communicate are in the right or not is another issue. But chosing the target conscieslly or unconscieslly as their symbol, the symbol for something much more profound, by which these people have opted out for the road to suicide, should this situation in our country continue, is a historical and also a tragic fact. This means that the people have lost, on a deeper level, their sense of dignity, the sense for the future and the possibility for their survival and a come-back to the company of mature nations of the world. Each person may carry within themselves a suicidal drive which is everybody's torment and a joint sorrow. But turning their illness, their suicidal tendencies into a living style and a way of thinking and acting on behalf of an entire nation and expecting them to accept it, equalls the failure in understanding of the human nature. One thing, obvious from all that has been happening in Kosovo, is certain and must be said. There seems to be public, or maybe secret, plan and aspiration on the part of the international community to turn Kosovo into some kind of international protecorate.I do not believe I will live long enough, God's willing, to see Kosovo without the presence of the international forces which usually, after having stayed in another's land, another's country, another's home for too long, turn into an occupying force. At present Kosovo is a protectorate. In a long run it will become a NATO pact protectorate but also, by the looks of it, it is being prepared to become an indepenedent state which, one day, will be incorporated into a Greater Albania. Whether this is the plan of the European community I cannot fathom. Anyway, all that is taking place in Kosovo and Metohija at this moment points out in that direction.
Also, whether the people will gather strenght to establish unbiased and genuine relationship with the international community, to find new ways out of this misery, the Kosovo straits, depends on God and God's intentions but also on us all. Let this booklet about the crusified Kosovo be an incentive for us and our joint responsibility, before God, before history and before the modern world, that will help restore our dignity and enable our come-back, with due respect of all human rights, to our ancient lands, our ancient hearths.
May God grant and let it happen.Thank you.
Friday, October 29, 2004
ΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΒΑΛΚΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΓΩΝΙΑ
Tα Βαλκάνια είναι μια παράξενη γωνία της γης όπου γίνονται πράγματα που δεν μπορείτε να δείτε πουθενά αλλού σε ολοκλήρο τον κόσμο. Σε αυτή τη σελίδα θα μπορέσετε να δείτε, αν γνωρίζετε ελληνικά τι έγινε και τι ακόμα γίνεται στα Βαλκάνια. Πως εμείς ενώ είμαστε Βαλκάνιοι εδώ που το αίμα βράζει, στην λεγόμενη και ως μπαρουτοαποθήκη της Ευρώπης, λαοί με πολλά μίση και διαφορές αλλά κατά βάσή από την ίδια ρίζα θέλουμε να υπάρχουμε στο κοινό ευρωπαικό σπίτι της Ένωσης.
.
Βαλκάνια που όπως τραγουδά ο Νίκος Παπάζογλου:
Όλο ίδια και τα ίδια
του μυαλού μου ροκανίδια
βρε δεν είναι εδώ το Σούλι
εδώ είναι του Ρασούλη
.
Βαλκάνια που όπως τραγουδά ο Νίκος Παπάζογλου:
Όλο ίδια και τα ίδια
του μυαλού μου ροκανίδια
βρε δεν είναι εδώ το Σούλι
εδώ είναι του Ρασούλη
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Mostar....town that used to represent unity of three nations of Bosnia. Between the croats and muslims, there was the bridge that used to conect them. Since the war in 1992 started , and since there was no thing except the bridge that connected them, they destroyed it as well. It stand there for more than 400 years, and someone thinking that he is smart and brave shot it and it just fell down to the bottom of the river. In 2004. the bridge got rebuilt. For how long is it going to stand this time?
Whose song is this?
Balcans, in case you don`t know is specific area where you can find mixed together so many diversityies and much, much more uniformity. Well it is more one same thing, just ilustrated in different, specific way that each nation at the Balcans does with pursuance to be different from other.
Music is one of those things. There is one, same song (melody) that is interpreted, believe it or not in: Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia....all of them clame that that song belongs exclusively to them.
One summer night in Constantinople (Istanbul) few people from the balcan countryes gothered together in one restaurant sitting, having dinner, drikning wine and having nice and polite conversation. All on a sudden, singer starts to sing this one....unique song in turkish language and all of them started to sing it in their own languaga. So the discusion started. All of them clamed that the song is acctualy theirs. But noone realy was shure, knowing the Balcans that they are right. They just didn`t wont to give up on their feelings, so that nice summer night on Bosphoros ended with huge quarell.
One of the people sitting at the table done research, traveling around Balcans with intention to solve out this mistery that suddenly came up.
So she tried....but she newer find an answer? Why? Because all of them clamed that song belongs just to them and to noone else. If you were to meniton in Albania that song is serbian...they would kill you...same in Serbia. In Greece if you say that this song is turkish....they wont to kill you aswell.
Well...my dear balcan people....the truth is that this song doesn`t belongs to you at all. Long time ago under the preshure of spanish inquisition spahish jews well known as sefards escaped from Spain and setteled at Balcans...
That is where song came from...very simple and truly.
Music is one of those things. There is one, same song (melody) that is interpreted, believe it or not in: Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia....all of them clame that that song belongs exclusively to them.
One summer night in Constantinople (Istanbul) few people from the balcan countryes gothered together in one restaurant sitting, having dinner, drikning wine and having nice and polite conversation. All on a sudden, singer starts to sing this one....unique song in turkish language and all of them started to sing it in their own languaga. So the discusion started. All of them clamed that the song is acctualy theirs. But noone realy was shure, knowing the Balcans that they are right. They just didn`t wont to give up on their feelings, so that nice summer night on Bosphoros ended with huge quarell.
One of the people sitting at the table done research, traveling around Balcans with intention to solve out this mistery that suddenly came up.
So she tried....but she newer find an answer? Why? Because all of them clamed that song belongs just to them and to noone else. If you were to meniton in Albania that song is serbian...they would kill you...same in Serbia. In Greece if you say that this song is turkish....they wont to kill you aswell.
Well...my dear balcan people....the truth is that this song doesn`t belongs to you at all. Long time ago under the preshure of spanish inquisition spahish jews well known as sefards escaped from Spain and setteled at Balcans...
That is where song came from...very simple and truly.
Monday, October 25, 2004
JASENOVAC...still bleeding wound
Ano Domini 1941. in nazi quasi state of Croatia allmost one milion of serbs,jews, roma and others that didn`t fit in profile of new...ethnical cleand and clerical rymo-chatolic croatia had to vanish.
Even before the war started in Croatia has been talking about how to solv :"serbian issue". No one realy expected that someone is ready to do something like killing people, but as we can se today, it has been done with great concisness and with concoction.
ONE MILION OF MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN fritted out from the face of the earth and their voices are still crying for thruth.
I have no intention to to give umbrage to anyone for things that happened."We must forgive, but we must never forget" were the words of Serbian parriarch in late `80`s.
In order not to talk a lot about this I recommend to you just to see next web page and see what happened there.
Nothing else to say, except: God forgive them because they don`t know what they did!
www.jasenovac.org
Even before the war started in Croatia has been talking about how to solv :"serbian issue". No one realy expected that someone is ready to do something like killing people, but as we can se today, it has been done with great concisness and with concoction.
ONE MILION OF MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN fritted out from the face of the earth and their voices are still crying for thruth.
I have no intention to to give umbrage to anyone for things that happened."We must forgive, but we must never forget" were the words of Serbian parriarch in late `80`s.
In order not to talk a lot about this I recommend to you just to see next web page and see what happened there.
Nothing else to say, except: God forgive them because they don`t know what they did!
www.jasenovac.org
Mixed salad of the Balcans
Now at this momment i do really understand the french word for mixed salad-"macedonie".
Well believe or not Macedonia is mixed salad it selfe. In that small and weird mountine country you can find living together: Macedonians, albanians, serb, bulgarians,greeks, turks, roma and God knows what other nation.
That small area....under the same sky. Imagine all those nations sitting at one table and talking about good old days when their emperors and kings ruled that area. Greeks do clame that they have full right to own Macedonia, in the name of great kings of antient world: Philip and his son Alexander the Great, that did concored almost entire cultural world of the east under the very same "macedonian sun".
Bulgarians clame that they have full right to possess Macedonia because of their king Simeon that enlarged Bulgaria and placed his capital in Ohrid.
Serbs though, talk about good old times of their emperor Dushan, and how he expanded his empire on entire Macedonia and Greece, and thatfor Macedoina belongs to them.
Albanians clame that Macedonia belongs to them....because they live in it.
Turks...the same...remembering good old times of their Sultans ruled that small area.
They all listen each other very carefuly, but still thinking somewhere deep in their minds that actually THEY should own it!
And what about macedonians? Who are they? People around them souch as greeks, serbs, bulgarians, albanians clame that they are mix of all of them that created new nation, macedonians.
So why not?! Were we serbs from the beggining? Or greeks from the beggining? Or Bulgarians?
Ehtnogenesys is something that is taking part in front of our eyes. Now and here, in Macedonia....We should care more about that and specialize it.
Well believe or not Macedonia is mixed salad it selfe. In that small and weird mountine country you can find living together: Macedonians, albanians, serb, bulgarians,greeks, turks, roma and God knows what other nation.
That small area....under the same sky. Imagine all those nations sitting at one table and talking about good old days when their emperors and kings ruled that area. Greeks do clame that they have full right to own Macedonia, in the name of great kings of antient world: Philip and his son Alexander the Great, that did concored almost entire cultural world of the east under the very same "macedonian sun".
Bulgarians clame that they have full right to possess Macedonia because of their king Simeon that enlarged Bulgaria and placed his capital in Ohrid.
Serbs though, talk about good old times of their emperor Dushan, and how he expanded his empire on entire Macedonia and Greece, and thatfor Macedoina belongs to them.
Albanians clame that Macedonia belongs to them....because they live in it.
Turks...the same...remembering good old times of their Sultans ruled that small area.
They all listen each other very carefuly, but still thinking somewhere deep in their minds that actually THEY should own it!
And what about macedonians? Who are they? People around them souch as greeks, serbs, bulgarians, albanians clame that they are mix of all of them that created new nation, macedonians.
So why not?! Were we serbs from the beggining? Or greeks from the beggining? Or Bulgarians?
Ehtnogenesys is something that is taking part in front of our eyes. Now and here, in Macedonia....We should care more about that and specialize it.
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