Enthronement of Heugomen of Chilandar Archimandrite Metodije

Serbian Orthodox Church

17/5/2010

With a byzantine festiveness and devoutness, and in accordance with an ancient typicon of the Holy Mount Athos, on May 16, 2010 a new heugomen of Sacred Royal, patriarchal and monastic lavra of Chilandar on the Holy Mount Athos – Archimandrite Metodije.

Before the Holy Liturgy, a predetermined delegation of Sacred community of the Holy Mount Athos , led by a representative of the Great Lavra monastery, and representatives of monasteries Vatopedi, Zografou, Esphigmenou and Konstamonitou, enthroned a new Chilandar heugomen.

Besides the aforementioned delegation, at the Liturgy also heugomen of Xenophontos and Pantokratoros, and envoys from 16 monasteries of Mount Athos concelebrated. Heugomen Tikhon of the Studenica monastery and heugomen of the monastery of Piva hieromonk Nikofor also participated.

The homily of a new Chilandar heugomen on the ethronement had a great significance as well as the homily during modest, but formal and slava luncheon in the Chilandar dining room.

Archimandrite Metodije thanked the Greek state for the support to the monastery during suffering in the fire in 2004 and emphasized the importance of that support, both by the Greek state and by the Archaeological Institute for Mount Athos – KEDAK. He also stressed the mutual reciprocity, love and unity of the 20 monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos.

It is important to mention also a greeting of the governor of the Holy Mt. Athos who expressed welcome to all, especially to guests from Serbia. Greeting all the present from Serbia, among those there was the consul of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aristos Kasmiroglous emphasized the great importance of the help which the Serbian goverment sent to the monastery, but at the same time he stressed that it could be even greater, because it needed more resources in order to fully complete the restoration.At the end heugomen thanked the father of Holy Mount Athos, saying that he considered his acceptance as a younger brother by them as quite significant.

Archimandrite Metodije is one of the younger who became heugomenes of monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos in last couple of decades.

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