The Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro demands that the detained priests headed by Bishop Joaniki be released and called on all political leaders to refrain from any party and political abuses of the Church.
The announcement states that the clergy, in agreement with Metropolitan Amfilohi and Bishop Ioanniki, decided that, due to health measures, only the prayer service would be held in the temple, without the prayer walk.
"However, because of the people, who were in such large numbers that not all of them could fit into the church, but poured around the temple and into the streets, they started spontaneously in the traditional way, to which - neither before God nor before people - there was no alternative", he states. in the announcement.
They add that the Day of St. Basil of Ostrog, the Miracle Worker, is "a great assembly day of the people in all of Montenegro - for centuries."
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"On that day in all previous years, multi-day festivities were held in the city of Nikšić, which gathered a large number of citizens. In particular, there was always a mass (perhaps like nowhere else in Orthodoxy) prayer procession, which, on that day, in the streets of Nikšić, was led by the clergy since 1996. And this year, according to habit and custom - on that very day, the people gathered spontaneously, first in the Ostrog monastery, and then in Nikšić, with the blessing of Saint Vasilij, without the invitation of the bishop and the clergy".
In the announcement of the Episcopal Council, it is stated that although the previous decision and assessment of the clergy was to hold the prayer in the monastery, that "the people in huge numbers asked for something else".
"The clergy stayed with the people precisely because of the concern that the people would not remain on the street, left to themselves and to possible abuses. It was a dignified, peaceful and spiritual act. Without overtones of anything secular and political. And then, after the prayer religious ceremony was over - the police stepped in. In the manner of its previous actions, double standards - throughout the duration of the epidemiological crisis - the government and its police put themselves at the service of political and ideological persecution of the Church last night. In an inappropriate, unfounded and illegal way - in the dead of night, they were also detained detained bishop Ioannikije and priests. The rights of the Church are threatened by this behavior of state authorities, so it is not the culprit - but the victim. Those rights of the Church are not threatened by orders and health measures, which the Church certainly respects, but by their selective application. This is the illegal action of the authorities state authorities".
They point out that they are not against the application of orders and measures, "but against selectivity in their application".
"Amazed by this action of the Police Administration, we demand that the detained priests, headed by the bishop, be released immediately. It is clear to everyone that their detention creates an atmosphere of persecution and that the state demonstrates bare force, inciting civil conflicts, violating the dignity of a free citizen and a man of faith. We at this moment, like all the people, we have no other thoughts or wishes than that all those detained should be released. Only in this way will it be possible to return the life of people and faithful people to normal flows and establish a dialogue with the authorities. We invite all the believing people and all the offended to such a vandal act of the state government - let's pray to God. Council, for the multiplication of love, for reconciliation and preservation of peace between brothers, for healing from all viruses, especially from this virus of hatred of God and brotherhood, as well as for the release of those unjustly detained. It will be it is also our congregational prayer to the Lord for the end of the coronavirus epidemic as well as the virus of lawlessness and injustice".
The Episcopal Council, as they stated, "warns and calls on all political leaders to refrain from any partisan and political abuses of the Church."
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