Church with sepulcher for Russians who fell in Yugoslavia in 1990s may appear in Montenegro

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Igor Goykovich
13/9/2012
Moscow Times

Archimandrite Hrisostom of the Rezevici monastery in Montenegro has proposed building a church in the city of Cuprija with a sepulcher for the remains of Russian volunteers killed in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

“So far, it’s just an idea. It belongs to Belgrade architect Dragan Antonijevic,” the cleric told the Voice of Russia. “We suggested building it in Cuprija, a home to the holy bones of the St. Lazarus. The first local bishopric was founded in Horeum Margi under Roman rule. Its bishop took part in the First Ecumenical Council.

We are planning to build a sepulcher in the lower part of the church, where the remains of those, who fulfilled Christ’s commandment “there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend”, will be put to rest. In the times of the Soviet Union, soldiers came to Bosnia and to Kovoso to help their Serb brothers.

When many Serbs were fleeing to America, Canada and Australia, people came here, who were not obliged to suffer for their Slavic brothers.”

It’s unclear how construction is going to be financed. We asked Father Hrisostom if any funds had been promised.

“At present, there is no money, but we hope for God’s help,” he said. “Everything begins with prayer.”

Asked how much time it may take to build the church, the archimandrite explained that “this will depend on lots of things”. “But everything should be done with prayer and love. His Reverence Holy Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic once said: ‘You build churches but do not pray to God.’ It means that construction must be accompanied by prayer”.

“There is no reason why this project should not be supported. It is necessary to choose a proper place and buy land, and then we may begin to perform our sacred duty to our Russian brothers,” the cleric said.

At the end of the interview, Father Hrisostom wished the Voice of Russia listeners “repentance, —- and hope” and asked them to pray for Serbian Orthodox priests in Montenegro, whom the National Security Agency in Podgorica has denied permission to legalize their status in the country, thus depriving them of an opportunity to conduct liturgies in Serbian Orthodox churches in Montenegro.

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