Memorial plaque to Amfilohije and coexistence: Former Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral receives a monument in Podgorica

Montenegro should soon receive another memorial featuring the image of the former Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral. Amphilochia.

The agenda of the session of the Capital City Assembly, scheduled for Monday (November 24), includes a proposal to erect a memorial plaque dedicated to "fraternal harmony, coexistence and interfaith harmony of the Orthodox and Islamic communities", which will depict the meeting between the former head of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the people of Podgorica. Halita Đečević on St. Mark's Day (May 8) 1992.

The late Đečević's family lives in a house built on the foundations of the medieval monastery of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark. The Đečevićs guarded the monastery's relics and once gave them to the church. The St. Mark's Day procession ends at their house, a custom that was revived in 1992 at Amfilohije's initiative.

While the Metropolitanate welcomes the proposal to erect a memorial, the head of the Islamic Community Rifat Fejzic He says that a series of other gestures would "sincerely confirm interfaith respect and appreciation."

It is certain that the memorial plaque will be erected because almost all parties in Podgorica's government will vote for it - the Europe Now Movement (PES), the Democrats, the Movement for Podgorica (PzPG), but also, according to unofficial information from "Vijesti", the New Serbian Democracy (NSD).

The unveiling of the plaque is planned by the Memorial Monuments Program for 2025, which was adopted in March, and the formal submitter of the proposal for the installation of the monument, which will also feature Amfilohije's image, is the Mayor of Podgorica. Saša Mujović (PES). The deadline for raising the plaque is December (this year).

Mujović's proposal states that the plaque will feature a photograph of Đečević and Amfilohije from 1992, as well as the inscription "Harmony is the spiritual wealth of Podgorica", in Cyrillic and Latin script. It was stated that erecting the plaque would foster the cultural and historical tradition of Podgorica, and that it would contribute to strengthening interfaith cooperation.

Amfilohije headed the Metropolitanate from 1990 until his death in 2020.

The opposition is mostly silent.

Most of the Podgorica authorities confirmed to "Vijesti" that they will vote in favor of erecting the memorial.

President of the Democratic Party of Podgorica councilors' club in the Podgorica parliament, Mitar Paunović He said they would "unequivocally support" the proposal.

"Back in March, we supported the Memorial Erection Program, which envisages the erection of a memorial plaque that will not only preserve the memory, but also remind us that Podgorica is a city where differences are not tolerated, but rather respected, understood and preserved," he told the editorial team.

Paunović explains that the plaque will be placed "near the old Podgorica house of the Đečević family, at a site believed to house the remains of the 13th-century Monastery of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, the former seat of the Zeta Bishopric," stating that the monastery was demolished during the Ottoman period, and that the last visible trace of that building - the southern gate - was demolished in the 1950s.

"Despite the demolition of the walls, the memory of the sanctuary has not been erased. The memory was restored in 1992 by the late Metropolitan Amfilohije and the late Halit Đečević, a descendant of the house that for decades guarded the place where the monastery once stood. That was when a historical scene was created that entered the memory of our city: the embrace of the Montenegrin Metropolitan and Halit Đečević, with words that resonate as strongly today as they did then: 'Vladimir, we have been waiting for your arrival for 50 years'," said Paunović, adding that the plaque will not only mark an event, but "a monument to the idea that humanity, peace and mutual respect are the deepest foundations of our city."

PES confirmed that they would vote to raise the flag, pointing out that they also voted for the plan in March.

PzPG councillor Dragutin Vučinić, told “Vijesti” that any proposal that contributes to “bringing closer and building better and higher-quality relations between traditional confessions and citizens” will have their support.

"The best proof of this is the Muslims and Orthodox Christians of Staro Podgorica who, on the day of the St. Mark's Day procession, sit together and drink a glass of brandy, which is served to their fellow citizens by the honorable Đečević family," he said.

The ruling Democratic People's Party did not respond to "Vijesti's" questions.

Most of the inquiries sent to opposition political actors also remained unanswered.

The Party of European Progress told the newspaper that they would make a statement on the issue of the plaque on the day it is on the agenda, while the Preokret councilor Mirza Krnić he announced that his party would abstain.

"Our position is principled and means that only those features for which there is an unquestionable consensus should be voted on. Harmony between people of different faiths and beliefs is more than necessary. Especially in these times, it must be comprehensive. We must not fall into previous mistakes when reconciliation and harmony were proclaimed only as that which is achieved between two communities, while all others are thus 'outvoted' or marginalized in one way or another," he underlined, adding that they will abstain from Mujović's proposal until they have "the comprehensiveness of everyone in the community, and previously agree on a position that is close to or completely consensual."

The Democratic Party of Socialists, the Civic Movement URA, and the European Union did not respond to "Vijesti's" questions.

Fejzić: Stronger gestures are needed for appreciation

The Metropolitanate told the editorial staff that they support Mujović's initiative, but that they are not fully familiar with the idea itself.

Amfilohije, among other things, was often criticized for calling members of the Islamic faith - "false people with a false faith", and their teachings - "spiritual death". He said these words in 2014, at the Ilinden Assembly at the Ružica Church in Sinjajevina, when he spoke about the so-called. investigation of the 18th century pilgrims.

"Many still complain today about how the bishop dared to do that." Danilo (Petrović Njegoš"It is true that it is terrible to kill people, however, the spiritual death that these false people, with false faith, sow around them is even more terrible. That is why, thanks to that sacrifice, Bishop Danilo saved Montenegro. If that had not happened, there would be no Orthodox church in Montenegro today, and that should be kept in mind," he said on that occasion.

Responding to the question of how they view Mujović's initiative in light of Amfilohije's aforementioned statements about "false people with a false faith", the Metropolitanate said that these words do not reflect his judgment of all people of the Islamic faith, and that they referred to "troublemakers, traitors and criminals and those who supported them, who abused religion, and therefore burned children in Momišići, demolished the Cetinje Monastery and did everything to harm the Montenegrins of the time."

"Metropolitan Amfilohije consistently and with firm Christian conviction adhered to the teaching that all people are God's creatures and that we are all His sons and daughters. It is possible to believe all of this and act accordingly without renouncing one's faith and still believing that it is correct and salutary. After all, his relationship with the late Halita and the Đečević family, with several local Islamic dignitaries, and his participation in a series of interfaith meetings, standing in defense of the Islamic place of worship - speak volumes about his attitude towards people of the Islamic faith," they said, adding that "the manipulation of these words of his, as well as many others, is dishonorable and does not represent a judgment on Metropolitan Amfilohije, but rather speaks more about those who falsely interpret them and parrot their lies."

On the other hand, the Islamic Community told the newspaper that they knew nothing about the mayor's initiative, and that it was a matter for the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Đečević family.

"When it comes to the initiative to erect a memorial in the context of the 1992 meeting, I believe that any effort aimed at affirming interfaith harmony deserves attention. However, such proposals must be considered with full historical responsibility, so as not to simplify an extremely complex and sensitive period," Fejzić said.

He explains that the time to which the proposal refers "was marked by war in the region, trauma, the departure of entire families and a feeling of insecurity among a large number of Muslims in Montenegro."

"Historical facts also record situations in which individuals responsible for serious war crimes found refuge in institutional religious structures that were sympathetic to them then - and, unfortunately, still are today. All of this requires careful and comprehensive consideration," Fejzić points out.

He adds that, in this context, Đečević's personal gesture is a "positive example", but that "one individual act, no matter how noble, cannot be the basis for presenting the overall historical environment as harmonious, if the reality of that time was significantly different and more difficult".

"In the end, it is the act of a dignitary on the one hand, and an ordinary man on the other. The relationship between the king, for example, is fascinating." Nicholas and the then mufti in Montenegro Murteza Karađuzović", which speak of mutual appreciation and respect from both sides," he says.

Fejzić believes that there are a number of "far stronger and more substantial gestures" that would sincerely confirm interfaith respect and appreciation.

"Among them are, for example: the removal of features from the Clock Tower, which was imposed on Islamic architecture by force and against the will of the Islamic community, solving the issue of the hammam, whose authenticity was undermined by building over and architectural interventions that erased its cultural identity, the valorization and revival of Islamic buildings in Depedogen, which would preserve and present the multi-layered cultural heritage of Podgorica...", says Reis, emphasizing that these are "concrete steps that would show that today, in our time, we are actively building interfaith harmony based on respect for facts, cultural heritage and real needs of all communities". Also, he adds, the Islamic community will always support everything that leads to peace, respect and mutual understanding. "But we also believe that it is we, today's generation, who are responsible for showing our commitment to interfaith harmony with our actions now and here — because it is built in real time, with concrete actions and a sincere will to make everyone feel respected," Fejzić told "Vijesta".

Amphilochius gets a monument in Kolašin, plans also in Berane

A monument to the former metropolitan was erected in late October in Kolašin, next to the Church of Saint Dimitrije.

This feature is an initiative of the former president of that municipality, Vladimir Martinović, and was brought to light by Amfilohije's successor, Joanikije.

Also, in September last year, the Government gave the Municipality of Berane approval to erect a monument to Amfilohije, and ministers from the Bosniak Party and the Albanian Forum coalition left the executive session when the decision was made.

Proposed erection of a monument to Jovanović and Pekić

According to the 2025 Memorial Monuments Program, this year the former editor of "Dan" Duško Jovanović and writer Borislav Pekić should also receive memorials, while Kostadin Radov Radulović - Sula Radov has already received a monument.

It is also planned to erect a memorial plaque dedicated to the participants of the NOR 1941-1945, the victims of Golo Otok and the victims of the Informbiro from the Živković brotherhood in Ubli, and this proposal is on the agenda of the session scheduled for Monday.

The plan is also to name the streets after revolutionary Konstantin Koča Popović, Aristotle, Ottoman travel writer Evlija Çeleblija, Montenegrin ruler and bishop Sava Petrović Njegoš...

Joanikije decorated the Đečevićs

Three years ago, Joanikije awarded the family of Halit Đečević with an episcopal commendation.

As announced on that occasion by the Metropolitanate, the decoration was awarded to the Đečevićs "for centuries of memory and generational effort in preserving Christian holy sites on their property, on the site of the former monastery in Podgorica."