Ahead of the big protest on March 15, the Serbian Orthodox Church calls for the rejection of violence of any kind. The students have a similar message, who appeal to all religious communities to be with their people, protect the youth and help everything to pass in peace.
Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) called on "everyone who is in any way involved in the current events, that in the time of the Easter fast, that violence of any kind, regardless of who and from which side it came from, should be completely rejected."
"We hear voices about possible conflicts in our people, and that worries us very much." The Church invites everyone involved in current events to look at their own sins and show the fruits of repentance in the time of Easter fasting, the time of repentance and forgiveness," said the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Patriarch of Porphyry.
"Let's all ask ourselves together: were there a few divisions and discords in our people", stated Patriarch Porfirio and added: "Violence only multiplies violence and leads us into a vicious circle, in which we are all losers, it destroys the foundations of society and creates new divisions, deeper than the ones already inherited".
No one's interest is more important than the general good of the people and the state
The message claims that the SPC carries a spiritually proven truth and historical awareness that no one's particular interest is more important than the general good of the nation and the state and opens its doors wide, inviting all responsible social actors to a fraternal dialogue.
The message was signed by Patriarch Porfirije and members of the SPC Synod, Metropolitan Ignatije of Braničevo, Metropolitan Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzlan, Metropolitan Teodosije of Raška-Prizren and Bishop Gerasim of Upper Karlovac.
In addition, the Archdiocese of Belgrade-Karlova invited the faithful to attend the akathist service for the end of divisions and peace among the people on Thursday (March 14) at 17:30 p.m., which will be served by the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, in the Church of St. Sava in Vračar.
The students of the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FON) in the blockade invited their colleagues and citizens to join them at the evening service in the Church of St. Sava, to pray together for reason, unity and the peaceful development of all events.
Students appealed to religious communities
On the same day (March 14), students in the blockade sent a letter to the heads of religious communities in Serbia and invited them to join them and stand with their people in a protest that calls for peace, unity, solidarity and responsibility.
"Our struggle is not a struggle of discord, but a struggle for truth, justice and a safer future for all citizens," was written in a post on social media by the informal group "Students in Blockade".
The students emphasized that for centuries the clergy have preserved the values that bring people together and that is why they call on them to "like their predecessors in key moments of our history be with the people and help the voice for truth and justice to be heard clearly and with dignity."
In a letter to the bishops and priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church, heads and representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the Islamic community, the Jewish community, Protestant churches and other religious communities, the students stated that the tragedy in which 15 citizens died in the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad deeply shook them and made them aware of the need for joint action.
"Our responsibility as young people is to stand up for those who come after us, but we know that the strength of unity is what brings change", added the students in the blockade and emphasized that harmony is needed more than ever because they are trying to suppress their voice, distort their intentions and tarnish the protest.
"We are not against it - we are for a better tomorrow, for a society in which every person, regardless of their beliefs, lives with dignity and without fear," the students say.
The students explain that they are aware that faith does not belong to any political party, nor does their struggle "even though many abuse and misrepresent them".
"That's why we don't invite you to choose a side, but to do what your mission dictates - to be with your people, to protect the youth and help everything to pass in peace", concluded the students.
SPC on protests: Peace, tolerance and dialogue
The Serbian Orthodox Church continued its previous practice of calling for peace with a statement. Patriarch Porphyry has been several times so far called for a reduction in tensions.
"As always, this time I remind you that violence has never brought anyone anything good." "Violence is against all Christian principles and as such is unacceptable, especially towards our students," Porfirije wrote after a female student was beaten with a baseball bat in Novi Sad at the end of January.
There were, however, announcements of a different nature, such as the one in which it is written that "students live in parallel universes".
In the text "Parallel universe or the contribution of student protests to modern science" published on the website of the Serbian Orthodox Church, signed by the official of the Patriarchate, Dušan Stokanović, he writes that "while some students proudly carry icons and state flags, they kiss them while baptizing themselves, others at as many as three faculties - Organizational Sciences, Political Sciences and Law, silently and without protest watch that same flag being desecrated and desecrated on stage, and those who cross themselves with the most shameless insults".
Since negative public reactions followed, the SPC emphasized that the aforementioned text published on the official SPC portal is the personal opinion of Dušan Stokanović and that the text "in no way reflects an attitude" the patriarch Porphyria.
A little later, Metropolitan David of Kruševac is in the text entitled "Zduhači, Manitoši i men od Veresija", which was also published on the website Serbian Orthodox Church, described the activities of the students with the words: "They roam the streets, collect consensuses, they even have their ajvanli-pashas who train them how to become Serbian Ustashas and new evil spirits."
After the publication of this text, several metropolitans, archbishops and bishops called for students' respect and responsible expression and reporting. dissociating himself from the views of Metropolitan David.
Sources: FoNet/Vreme
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