The annual cycle of the church year ends these days (September 13-14). According to the ancient, biblical reckoning of time, the new year begins in autumn, when the earth (in the Palestinian or Mediterranean climate) gives birth abundantly, so such time measurement was entered into the church calendar.
Years that begin in January (named after the pagan deity Janus) were introduced by the Romans, and only in the new century, sporadically, did the Church add such a "new year" to the Christmas festivities. How new is this for the church's consciousness, best expressed by Njegoš's astonishment, which he expresses at the end of "Mountain Wreath", through the dialogue between bishop Danilo and abbot Stefan, where does the New Year celebration come from in the middle of winter, when it is not the time?
Indeed, it can be seen from the annual schedule of church holidays that the first "red letter" in the new summer is the Nativity of the Mother of God (Little Lady's Day - September 21), and that the year ends with the celebration of the Dormition (repose), the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Velika Gospodja - August 28).
Following such a course of events, we clearly see that, in the new year, among the great feasts of the Lord, we are first met by the birth of Christ - Christmas, and it is preceded by the first multi-day fast, during the month of December. Spring is dedicated to the preparation for Christ's Resurrection (which, both thematically and temporally, is the very center - both of the annual period and of church teaching), and summer is approaching by celebrating Easter, followed by Ascension (Saviour's Day), and then Troijindan (holiday of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles).
It is the most logical and natural sequence of things that after these great topics, related to the direct entry of God into history, among people, we should commemorate the Holy People themselves, the first disciples and apostles of Christ. And this is precisely done through the Apostolic Fast and the celebration of St. Peter's Day (Sabor of the Holy Apostles) in the month of July. And finally, the Lady's fast during August) and the feast of Lady's Day itself, which we celebrated these days, in a very spiritual way, turns us to future events and the future age.
His themes are completely ecchatological, although they take place here on earth and in this time, their end and ultimate consequences, still concern some other, higher reality. First, in the Lord's Transfiguration, we meet the personalities of Elijah and Moses, two Old Testament righteous people, whose earthly life ended very mysteriously, without a burial place, and apparently without death! Then, the way of the repose of the Virgin Mary is also heavenly, and also without a grave and without the consequences of death that we all know.
Viewed in this way, the whole year and its holiday calendar represent a beautiful lesson in religious education. In it, our time on earth and all our events are marked by wonderful truths: God comes among people; He conquers death; people rally around that victory; and finally, the people themselves become immortal.
Our country, Montenegro, is ancient and significant precisely because it continuously and solemnly preserves the memory of these universal truths. Because what is death without a grave, and precisely death without the consequences of death, if not the life of Saint Basil of Ostrog, glory and mercy to him! And that Saint did not acquire such a mark by chance, due to some unknown circumstances. Rather, he was ordained in the Patriarchate of Pec by Patriarch Pajsi as the bishop of Herzegovina, based in Ostrog; previously staying in Hilandar, as a follower of the image and work of Saint Sava (whose frescoes he painted in the interior of both small churches in Ostro) - unwaveringly and despite many adverse circumstances, he remained faithful to his spiritual life.
Such is the same Saint Peter of Cetinje, to whom God gave a terrible Cross, to be at the same time a clergyman, a military leader, and a legislator. Just like Moses in the Old Testament. That's why he doesn't have a grave, just like the mentioned Old Testament prophet, but the place of his earthly remains is the most vital and fragrant spot on Cetinje. It is not a grave - but a place of life!
And only temples and shrines in Montenegro! Just the other day, Our Lady's Day was celebrated all over Montenegro, as the monastery glory of Morača (endowment of Nemanjić), Piva (endowment of Sokolović - Herzegovinian bishops and patriarchs of Pec), Savina (endowment of the monks of Dvorš, on the site of the ancient sanctuary of Svetosava), Podmain ( the seat of the Montenegrin metropolitans), Djababa (the place of the newly proclaimed God's favorite, Simeon Popović, a native of Cetinje, active in the period between the two world wars...)...
It is not known which of the mentioned monasteries, more and more beautiful, testifies that here we have our own memory, history of ourselves, that we are neither "from yesterday", nor "from the day before yesterday"... in terms of time duration, we neither sprung up on our own, nor " fell from Mars”…in terms of our biological and social, historical origins.
If we are indeed the fruit of Byzantine culture, these shrines show that it gave birth beautifully in this climate! And if we are part of a wider and older, Judeo-Christian civilization, the lives of the two mentioned saints testify that we have two, in no way lesser before God, than Elijah and Moses!!!
Hence, when you explain the history and geography of Montenegro to a foreigner (which I often had the opportunity to do this summer), you have the impression that you are retelling the contents of the church calendar. And that calendar, as we said, has its first big celebration on Little Lady's Day. And that is the glory of the Cetinje Monastery and the Wallachian Church. And there, in Cetinje, everything begins - all over again!
The author is the acting rector of the Cetinje Theological Seminary
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
