Archpriest Stavrophore Mihail Gazivoda, on his hundredth birthday, is still characterized by enthusiasm, a bright spirit and a perceptive mind.
When the "Vijesti" reporter visited him at his house in Cetinje, he said that his deep faith in a superhuman being sustained him in the most difficult moments of his life.
"What does Njegoš say 'everything that comes, I am subordinate to him, nothing is unknown to me'." If I've done something good, I'll be rewarded, if I've been bad, I'll be punished," says this centenarian.
Mihailo was born on September 20, 1914, he was ordained a priest at the age of 25, and, as he says, he dedicated his entire life to preaching God's ten commandments and defying injustice.
During his 75 years of service, Gazivoda witnessed many changes in the church and church life, but he emphasizes that religion can and should keep up with the times, but strictly preserve its dogmatic teachings.
Gazivoda, guided by the epistle "go with the spirit of the times", still says that you should deviate from the times that are going against you. The archpriest is not a supporter of fashion, especially when it comes to jeeps and expensive cars that some priests drive.
"When I started as a young priest, there was no car even for medicine. And even today, if you gave me a hundred of the most modern cars, I would thank you. It does the church no good. The Church has lost its strength, but it is held by the authority of God, held by great saints. But every time carries its own burden", says Gazivoda.
He says "that all people should live in peace, that hatchets should be buried, thousands and thousands of meters deep".
In honor of Gazivoda's lifetime, a liturgy was held in the Cetinje monastery on Sunday, in which he also served.
The church needs reform
Gazivoda believes that the church has never had a harder time than in the last 50 years.
"Everyone renounced the Christian church, it is a severe war invalid, and it will not come out easily from such a state. Major reforms should be introduced," says Gazivoda. In response to the question of what Cetinje looks like today, the city where he spent his life, Gazivoda showed that he still has a sense of humor at the age of XNUMX, saying "there are no changes in Cetinje, only money changes here".
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