"Oh, if I could see Montenegro with my eyes, a loss to settle, then it would seem to me that the bright crown of Lazarev had landed on Miloš, among the Serbs", (Njegoš, "Gorski vijenac")
These words about Lazar and Miloš are spoken by a literary character - bishop Danilo Petrović. Someone attributed them to him with that creative freedom, with which, for example, Plato brings Socrates' words to life in his writings. They did not meet directly like the ancient philosophers, but they are, in every sense, "from the same place". And here, it is not just about literary (Shakespearean) fiction, but about the artistic, knowledgeable transmission of certain beliefs (attitudes). The cult of Kosovo's heroes, Njegoš took its violence from Saint Peter of Cetinje (who sings generously about Lazarus' heroism and Vuk's treachery), and the latter from his predecessors.
As can be seen, the mention of Serbian knights and Kosovo soldiers, in the middle of Cetinje and Montenegro, was not spoken in the context of the fear of "Serbian occupation" (this is a remark addressed to some younger readers, who may have been indoctrinated by the new NATO ideology and "modern understandings" of Njegoš), but - on the contrary - in the context of the motivation to finally see the liberation of Montenegro! Obilić sets Montenegrins free! That's how Njegoš sees it.
If someone needs interpretations and serious hermeneutic discussions regarding Njegoš's alleged "genocide" or "Islamophobia", I think that is why his freedom-loving motives and inspiration are unquestionable:
"But they resurrected the mouse, and the Montenegrin name, from the Kosovo grave of Dje Obilić, over the shadows of the government" (Njegoš, again).
There are sources that testify that the historical Bishop Danilo also glorifies Kosovo's heroes, only Njegoš - as well as many other things - said it more beautifully. Easier to remember. And memory is very important. Although, we live in a time when it seems that neither Danilo nor Njegoš should be remembered. Because that memory is not in accordance with "official state policy".
We welcome this Vidovdan in Montenegro with a nice anniversary: the 170th anniversary of two great events in Montenegrin history - the printing of the "Mountain Wreath" and the establishment of the "Obilić Medal" as the highest award for our bravest ancestors. The first "Obilić Medal" was won by the hero Novica Cerović, and afterwards all our houses were proud of the number of those medals and the circumstances of how and why they were won. And "Gorski vijenac" is the Montenegrin "Iliad", with Obilić as Achilles, who fearlessly stands on the scene...
However, when you look at Montenegro today without the Cyrillic alphabet (with which the "Mountain Wreath" is written), without the tricolor of King Nikola, without the Serbian language (which students learned as their mother tongue in the schools of the Kingdom of Montenegro)... it seems as if 1700 has passed, and not 170 years. It's as if we, modern Montenegrins, should have absolutely no connection with our ancestors! Namely, it would not be difficult to understand that the direction of the foreign policy of Montenegro turned from Nikola's haste towards "Milos's grave" towards some more peaceful, moderate visions of Balkan integration. But with what words can we "praise" these internal surgical operations on the being of our state?
We welcome the one hundred and seventieth anniversary of the "Mountain Wreath" with the chilling fact that Vuk Karadžić, in his Cetinje - has lost a street with his name.
We welcome the one hundred and seventieth anniversary of the "Obilić medal" with the plan of the Cetinje city administration to delete the name - Obilić poljane!!!
Recently, the poet Matija Bećković commented that Montenegro, at the beginning of the 21st century, had only one thing left to do - change its gender! I thought that the writer was exaggerating, but now I see that the local government is also carrying out this "operation". And without anesthesia. Someone wants to forcefully create THIS "Montenegro" from ONE Montenegro (our mother) - which will be "own" and "dignified" to that extent, if it will not have a slight connection with what it once (ever) was before...
The author is the acting rector of the Cetinje Theological Seminary
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