Flowers are a church holiday that precedes Easter in time, and by its theme represents an introduction and announcement for the greatest Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. At Cvijeta, we celebrate the Lord's entry into Jerusalem - an event that confirms numerous Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, and which is also significant because it marks the beginning of the events related to Christ's suffering. Betrayal, trial and crucifixion of God, in front of people. These are the key themes of church theology and gospel revelation, so this entry into Jerusalem, this movement towards the Holy City, moves our spiritual forces, - emotions, thoughts, desires - so that we also participate in them. To experience the love and anxiety of the disciples at the last supper with the Teacher; to feel the bitterness and fear of betrayal; unbelief before the death of Him who is Immortal; pain and sadness over His grave... and that, every time, both individually and as a community of people, we recognize and decide where we belong. Are we with Christ, or against Him, or are we at a distance, safe, indifferent to everything?
This year, that movement, that movement towards Jerusalem - into which Jesus enters accompanied by the customary waving of palm trees, willows or flowers (after which the holiday is named: Flowers, Vrbica, Palm Sunday) - here in Montenegro acquires a creative dimension, which gathers young people outside the liturgical form, and yet in the context of the Sanctuary, and on the way to it. The Orthodox Church in Montenegro (the Metropolitanate of Montenegro-Primorska and the Diocese of Budamiljansko-Nikšić) together with the Athletic Club "Nikšić" and the Nikšić city administration, is organizing a half-marathon on Sunday, April 09, at Cvijeta, on the track from Nikšić to Ostorg Monastery.
The first marathon race in the ancient world was run in order to announce a great victory that had taken place - and this one of ours in Nikšić-Ostroška is run in order to announce that victory (which is yet to take place). Victory of life over death.
In addition to this competition, we will get a beautiful, healthy and relaxing social event, which will bring together a lot of so-called positive energy, a lot of youth, and people who will visit the municipality of Nikšić on this occasion; in addition to the fact that on that day, Montenegro will be a promoter of the ancient maxim that mental and physical health are strongly connected and mutually conditioned, - putting this race on the days of the aforementioned church holiday, and its course in the shadow of the Ostroh shrine, reminds us that we belong to the biblical civilization, and that we function best when we harmonize our rhythm (individual and social) with the rhythm and schedule of events that have long been written into our genetic code and social consciousness.
Isn't it our first printed book - Oktoich (Church's octave)? Isn't it one of the most beautiful and oldest cultural monuments of Montenegro - Miroslav's Gospel? Didn't Njegoš write "Luča" in these days - Holy Easter Lent? Was the first building of the modern Montenegrin "government" the Cetinje monastery, and the first place for "parliamentary sessions" - a threshing floor in front of the same monastery? Did the Battle of Grahova take place on Salvation Day? Was the Code of Prince Danilo in 1855 promulgated on St. George's Day, and the Constitution of King Nikola in 1905 on St. Nicholas? Didn't Montenegro turn from a principality into a kingdom in 1910? It could be said - while we managed our rhythm according to higher events, then in our events there was something higher and higher.
Of course, today we live in a secular and civil state, and it would not be correct to demand the same attitude towards church dates, which those who created modern-day Montenegro had. Although, it seems to me, that there was more civil and secular in the confessionally determined Montenegro of Petrović, than in this one today! But that's why today there is that non-governmental sector (I don't mean only the official NGOs), which has the capacity to combine an athletic cube with a religious event, on a day when, for example, this year, Orthodox and Roman Catholics celebrate the Flowers together, and let's all together... run towards something higher and better that is above us, that is in front of us.
The author is the rector of the Cetinje seminary
Bonus video:
