The traditional spiritual and cultural manifestation "Days of Saint Basil of Ostrog" which has been organized by the Eparchy of Budamiljansko-Nikšić and the Church Municipality of Nikšić for 20 years ended with a solemn liturgy, which was preceded by the holy bishop's liturgy, which was served in the Cathedral by Bishop Methodius of Dioclia, together with numerous clergy and monks. .
The liturgy, which has been held in Nikšić since 1996 and which, as a rule, is attended by thousands of citizens, was led by the Metropolitans of the Montenegrin-coastal Amfilohije and Sergije of the Ternopil and Kremen Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, as well as the bishops, Jovan of Slavonia from Pakrac, Joanikije of Budimlja from Nikšić, Eastern American Irinej, Arsenius of Yuriev, Cyril of South America, Methodius of Dioclia, Dimitrije of Zahum, Herzegovina, numerous archbishops, clergy and monks, carrying icons and a pillow of St. Vasilija (a relic of the Cathedral of Nikšić).
Speaking on the city square, Bishop Joanikije said that the faithful offer the most beautiful gifts to the Ostro miracle worker - faith, hope, love, truth, justice and prayer.
"This is what he bequeathed and left to us, to adorn ourselves with it, to draw closer to God with it - in love, in fellowship, mutual understanding, forgiveness, in kindness, in all virtues," said Joanikije.
The Eastern American Bishop Irinej recalled the words of Archpriest Alexander Shmeman that we must not allow ourselves to live between utopia and escape, but to live in the present with our heads proudly raised.
"The word pride is not the same as pride because the word pride in the Greek language means one who bears his pain with dignity. And that's us. That is why the goal of this gathering is exactly that - to listen without exception to the instruction of the holy Seraphim of Sarof, the Miracle Worker, to close our physical eyes, turn our heads to our hearts and to lower our minds into our hearts so that we can notice how the little one plays in the middle of our hearts flame with joy, because that flame was Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. When you see the flame in your hearts, open your physical eyes because at that moment the only valid human eye saw - and that is the eye of the heart", said Irinej.
Saint Vasilije, the glory of Nikšić's Cathedral Church built in the 19th century, is also the glory of the city, and the liturgy is considered one of the most significant events of its kind in the region.
Vasilije Ostroški was born in 1610 as Stojan Jovanović, in the village of Mrkonjići in Herzegovina. He was educated in the Zavali monastery, from where he moved to Tvrdoš, where he became a monk. He came to the Ostrog monastery after the destruction of the Tvrdoš monastery where he lived and worked as an archbishop. He became the Metropolitan of Herzegovina in 1639. He died in 1671, and because of his healing powers he was declared a saint. His relics are kept in the Vavedenj temple, in the Upper Monastery.
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