GREETINGS AND BLESSINGS TO THE FAITHFUL IN UK & REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

DOSITEJ, BISHOP OF GREAT BRITAIN-SCANDINAVIAN DIOCESE

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world (Jn.16.33)

As I have not personally, for a long time now, had the opportunity to visit you, my dear diocesans; I am approaching you in this manner at the time of the Corona virus pandemic.

The pandemic has had a particularly hard impact on you in the United Kingdom such that your government has recently imposed new isolation measures in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

The consequences of the virus affect every person and every family and particularly impacted are those who have lost their loved ones. The pain of such losses is heightened with not being allowed to organise traditional funerals in order to bid the most dignified farewells to their loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest condolences to those families.

Many have unfortunately been left without jobs and may be suffering hardship, whilst others are endeavouring with hard work to keep their employment so that they can provide their families with their basic needs. Others who may follow the sometimes disturbed political occurrences in the world may fear instability and civil disorder. Many are fighting with anxiety because of isolation and inability to meet with friends and family.

The prayers of our Church and my thoughts are with you all, with the desire that you resist temptation and place your faith in Him who can help you. And he is Christ.

That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (1. Cor. 2.5)

I warmly recommend that you visit your churches and to take there your rays of prayer for us to be sustained in health and good spiritual disposition. It’s particularly important to meet at Holy Liturgies which are a pledge to our eternal life; clearly when the laws allow and in the manner prescribed by the powers that be.

When you are prohibited from going to a Holy Liturgy, then redouble your personal prayers at home as you would in a church. I ask you to take care of your personal health as the unique gift that God has given you, and care for the health of those closest to you, as you do your own.

Upon us is the season of great Church celebrations and family saint days. Celebrate your “Slavas”, this year with your families and of course with incense, a candle and a blessed Slava bread. Throughout our history our people have had hard times but we have always maintained our “Slavas” and the “Slavas” have helped to maintain us.

It’s necessary that in these times when personal visits are impossible that you contact those closest to you by phone or letter and especially the elderly for whom isolation is the greatest burden. A kind word of consolation and prudence which you offer them follow Gospel commandment which says

Bear ye one another’s burdens; and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ (Gal. 6.2)

For all spiritual advice and discussion and other such needs please refer to your parish priests who are your guides through prayer and your representatives before God and they will make time and effort to be of service as they do in the service of God.

God bless you, and grant you faith, hope and love. 

Bishop Dositej, The monastery of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin

5 November 2020  

On this day are commemorated two events connected with the Precious Cross of Christ: the first, the finding of the Cross on Golgotha and the second the returning of the Cross to Jerusalem from Persia. Staying in the Holy Land, the holy Empress Helena decided to took for the Precious Cross of the Lord. An old Jew called Judah was the only person who knew the whereabouts of the Cross, and, under pressure from the Empress, he revealed that the Cross was buried under the Temple of Venus that the Emperor Hadrian had built on Golgotha. The Empress ordered that this idolatrous temple be pulled down, and then, digging deep below it, she found three crosses. 

The Holy Prophet Elijah is one of the greatest of the prophets and the first dedicated to virginity in the Old Testament. He was born in Tishba of Gilead into the Levite tribe 900 years before the Incarnation of the Word of God. 

St Epiphanius of Cyprus gives the following account about the birth of the Prophet Elijah: "When Elijah was born, his father Sobach saw in a vision angels of God around him. They swaddled him with fire and fed him with flames." The name Elijah (the Lord's strength) given to the infant defined his whole life. From the years of his youth he dedicated himself to the One God, settled in the wilderness and spent his whole life in strict fasting, meditation and prayer. Called to prophetic service, which put him in conflict with the Israelite king Ahab, the prophet became a fiery zealot of true faith and piety.

The Nativity of the Holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John: The Gospel (Luke. 1: 5) relates that the righteous parents of St John the Baptist, the Priest Zachariah and Elizabeth (September 5), lived in the ancient city of Hebron. They reached old age without having children, since Elizabeth was barren. Once, St Zachariah was serving in the Temple at Jerusalem and saw the Archangel Gabriel, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. He predicted that St Zachariah would father a son, who would announce the Savior, the Messiah, awaited by the Old Testament Church. Zachariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him. He had doubts that in old age it was possible to have a son, and he asked for a sign. It was given to him, and it was also a chastisement for his unbelief. Zachariah was struck speechless until the time of the fulfillment of the archangel's words. 

The Holy Nobleborn Prince of Serbia Lazar (Lazarus) lived during the XIV Century – at a time when the Turks, having conquered neighbouring lands, prepared an invasion of Serbia.

Saint Lazar was raised at the court of king Dushan. He was appointed governor of one of the Serbian districts. In the year 1371 he was chosen king of all Serbia and he toiled much at strengthening the condition of the country. He pacified neighbouring princes, which had wronged or plundered Serbian settlements. And he was concerned for the Christian enlightenment of the nation, he built churches, supported the monasteries and charitable establishments. In 1380 the saint established the monastery at Ravanitza. Saint Lazar petitioned the Constantinople Patriarch for an agreement of recognition of the Archbishop of Serbia by the Patriarch. During the course of the 10 years of his rule, Serbia was at peace.

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2020 

+IRINEJ

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Paschal greeting:

Christ is Risen!

This is the day of Resurrection; let us be illumined by the feast!
Let us embrace each other joyously! Let us say even to those
who hate us: Let us forgive all by the Resurrection;
and so let us cry: Christ is risen from the dead,
trampling down death by death,
and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
[The Stichera of Pascha from Matins]

Here we are, dear brothers and sisters and dear spiritual children, in the festivity and joy of the great Feast Day: Pascha. Today is the Feast Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice and celebrate! Pascha is our greatest feast day, the feast of the victory of Life over death, God over Satan, Man, in Christ Jesus, over sin. Christ is risen from the dead! Let us say it to all and make glad all and everyone, even those who hate Him, the Resurrected God Man, and us, His inheritance here on earth, and those who do not believe and still doubt that He is the Redeemer and Savior of the world.