SERBIAN BISHOP BARS

AMERICAN VICE-PRESIDENT

 

A RELEASE from the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raz and Prizren states: “The American Vice President Joseph Biden is planning to visit Monastery Deèani on May 21, 2009, as reported by the US Embassy in Priština.  His Grace Artemije, Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Ras and Prizren, has decided not to give his permission for this visit to take place.  The American Vice President comes to visit Kosovo as an independent state and so confirm the forcible separation of a part of the territory of the sovereign state of Serbia and handing it over to Albanian terrorists, who have committed with impunity numberless crimes against the Serbian people, Serbian property and Serbian religious and cultural heritage.  By doing so, does Joseph Biden wish to confirm also that Monastery Deèani in Kosovo-Metohija is an American base like Bondsteel?  Unfortunately, under its present administration Monastery Deèani has become known for activities detrimental to Serbian interests which have, in a sense, transformed it into a bastion of anti-Serbian activities in Kosovo-Metohija, as is confirmed by this visit.  In order to put an end to, and refute, activities such as these on the part of Monastery Deèani, Bishop Artemije has adopted the decision mentioned above.”  The release was published on 20th May, n.s.

 

 

BISHOP CONSTANTINE TO BE RE-INTERRED

 

AT A REGULAR SESSION of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad - Moscow Patriarchate (ROCA-MP), held on 5th - 7th May, His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland reported on a matter delegated to him: “the transfer of the remains of Bishop Konstantin of blessed memory, who died and was buried in the now-defunct Blanco, TX, monastery. It was decided to instruct Bishop Peter to arrange for his remains to be reburied in a Greek monastery some 30 miles from Blanco” (quoted from the ROCA-MP website report).  In the early 1980’s Bishop Constantine was for three or four years the ROCA Bishop in Britain, and, although, being old and infirm, he was subsequently persuaded to protest our reception of the Sacred Relics of St Edward, he served the first Divine Liturgy for our community at Brookwood on the Saturday of the Laudation of the Most Holy Mother of God in 1982.  After leaving London, he retired to the Blanco Monastery, which has since been closed.  It is comforting to hear that his remains will now find an appropriate resting-place.