Minister of Faith and Diaspora prepares a reception for members of the Assembly of the SOC

26/5/2011

Minister of Faith and Diaspora Mr. Srdjan Sreckovic prepared yesterday, on the occasion of the session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, a reception for His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch and the members of the Assembly.

Minister Sreckovic pointed out that with this reception “once again our will is manifested that our state and the Church, which are autonomous and work independantly, but at the same time, are the significant factors of the society in the 21st century, together contribute in preserving our national identity, culture, tradition and especially faith”. ” I believe that in times of the overall globalization and integration in which also the state of Serbia wants to participate, preserving our national identity is one of the greatest state interests”, Sreckovic said. He stressed that State and the Church are separated, but contribute together to processes which are in interest of the state of Serbian and the Serbian people.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej pointed out that there was a custom that during the session of the Assembly, the President of the Republic or Minister of Faith prepared a reception for members of the Assembly, which was the confirmation that the Church was one of the pillars of the state. ” To us, as the Church, it is highly important to help the mission of the state, as the state helps also the mission of the Church, because wea are the two most important pillars in life and history of the nation. We all want to contribute that our people and the state go their own way, in the best way”, said Patriarch Irinej. Serbian Patriarch emphasized that the State and the Church should help the people, as well as the people help the state and the Church. He stressed that the Church respects the sovereignty of the state and its mission. The State and the Church are, as the Patriarch pointed out, two bodies which were justly separated, but they represent unity of the Church and the people.

Minister Sreckovic prepared a lunch for members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in which he emphasized that he believed that the work of the Assembly of the SOC would result wise and important decisions for the Serbian people and the Church in the homeland and abroad. He said that this year’s session was the first since the unification of ministries of faith and diaspora.

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