Funeral

The funeral of the Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, Amfilohije, emphasized the theatrical dimension that, admittedly, such events have in themselves. Every funeral is also a theatrical act: from pagan cremation to monotheistic rituals, it has always been like that. And as such, as an exemplary performance, that theater, like any real theater, who knows how to watch, of course, says a lot about us. Who is he talking to? To everyone - from the present audience to those who, for one reason or another, do not participate in all this.

Serbian President Vučić also tried to be the star of the funeral. But, instead of the funeral, he was a "star" in the daily TV Vijesti. It turned out that in this theater - after all, he was an episodic actor.

After the funeral, the impression of a certain ostracization was imposed.

The applause that was heard at the funeral confused many, it seemed "inappropriate". For several decades, it has become an accompanying ritual of the funerals of great actors. Actors, as they like to say, live for that theatrical applause, and it makes sense to send them off with just that kind of sound. By the way, the first truly great actor Fabijan Šovagović, speaking at the funeral of actor Uglješa Kojadinović, in 1982, if I'm not mistaken, invited the audience to applaud... The man who was at that funeral told me that it was the only applause he will always remember. Well, now, does what suits the actors suit the dignitaries of the church? Or is it primarily about the audience, which no longer differentiates between reality celebrities and people from the real format.

Again, truth be told, this extravaganza had two ends... The metropolitan himself did not run away from this type of impression, from this method: fiddling, inappropriate "jokes", socializing with the political and warmongering half-world... In his "Christian reconquest" in Montenegro, he largely relied on this kind of awareness and its associated superficiality, conservatism, traditionalism...

Not long after the funeral, we received a proposal for a new, so-called "apostolic" governments.

The gravity of the funeral spirit is at work. It's a pity that the representative could not refrain from this kind of metaphor. Quite simply, apart from the overshadowing effect on believers, the effect is not naive. Someone will think - if he sees ministers as apostles, how does he see himself? One should be careful with New Testament rhetoric. From that, it suddenly slips into dangerous kitsch, messianic syndrome or some other ego trip.

It seems that the mandate holder measures everything by the church yardstick, as if his government goes before the Synod and not before the Assembly.

"We are all Grandpa's children," says the future Minister of Culture, Education, Science and Sports, visibly excited. If the government needs to have a commissioner for biblical references that would be great too. Or that the Government's office for religious ecstasy be formed promptly. And exorcism? Why not, Montenegrins have needed that for a long time... The late metropolitan often spoke about Montenegrins in exactly such terms. The minister's address to the public was choked with biblical images and metaphors, where the seas opened and shepherds led the people, so there is no doubt that science will flourish in Montenegro. Even if you appreciate the occasion and the emotional charge of the moment, there remains a doubt (ah, that doubt) whether the flowers of faith are the ideal decoration for any science.

Doubtful combination: education, science and culture are very different in their essence, however much they belong to the same, spiritual sphere. And only sports. In such a combination, culture and science usually end up as servants of education, which, for example, was the case in all ideologically repressive societies. A lack of understanding of such "little things" makes the difference between a functioning government and a political fiasco.

But maybe the president and a good part of the government are still under the impression of the grandiose funeral of the spiritual father. And when they get out of the corot valer, too serious things await them. And may I be cursed, which, as the metropolitan explained beautifully, and that many times, as a godless person, belongs to me, but I still think that, for an expert government, knowledge should be more important than faith...