‘We pray for all people and that Jasenovac never happens again to anyone, anywhere’ – Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia
Pic – http://www.spc.rs/
OCP News Service – 15/9/21
Belgrade- Serbia: On the occasion of the 80 years since the creation of the Jasenovac camp system (the most monstrous death factory in Europe), Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia received three eminent personalities, namely President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, Bishop Jovan of Slavonia and Dr. Dejan Ristic, the Director of the Museum of the genocide.
On the occasion President Vucic stated that ” It is 80 years since the creation of the most monstrous death factory in Europe, the Jasenovac camp system. Serbia and Republika Srpska are working together to strengthen the culture of memory. We are doing everything not to forget the victims of Jasenovac and we are looking for ways in which the state can help the Serbian Orthodox Church in the entire process, as well as on other important issues. Today we finally reached an agreement and I am conveying the confirmation to Mr. Milorad Dodik to participate together in the construction of the center which should be an all-Serbian sanctuary in the saddest place in Donja Gradina, in Republika Srpska, to build a large memorial center and to remind of all other crimes committed against our people, and in territories that are not under the control of the Serbian people”.
The Patriarch stated that “The memory of the past is the memory of the future, of what we were created for. He who has no memory of why God created us – and I will say the word theologically: he created us to participate in all that is His, to be like Him – who does not have that kind of remembrance and prayerful address to God in that key, he cannot respect yourself, he cannot recognize the other and hence we meet rivers of hatred on every side of the world. Remembrance, memory, recollection- that is prayer. This is what the Jasenovac monastery does with its nuns, but at the same time that this memory never turns into resentment, but that through prayerful memory we heal our wounds and at the same time through prayer addressing God always and always, praying for all people, we pray that it will never happen again to anyone”.
Source:
OCP News Service
