An evening dedicated to Metropolitan Amfilohi and Bishop Athanasius was held last night in the Nikšić Theater, which officially marked the beginning of the traditional cultural and spiritual event "St. Basil's Days", which has been organized since 1996.
As part of the evening, the promotion of the collection of papers "Faith and Thought in the Whirlwind of Time" was held, dedicated to two late archbishops - Metropolitan Amfilohi and Bishop Athanasius. On 824 pages, the collection includes 36 works by authors from eight countries, in Serbian, Russian, English, Greek and French.
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A significant part of the papers is from the meeting that was held in honor of the two archbishops in 2018 at the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade. The collection was prepared by the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, Matica srpska - Society of Members in Montenegro and the Orthodox Theological Faculty "St. Vasilije Ostroški" of the University of East Sarajevo.
The works are classified into seven thematic units, and in them the theological, philosophical, social and cultural contribution of Metropolitan Amfilohi and Bishop Athanasius, as well as topics from the fields in which this contribution was most significant: biblical studies, history, philology, liturgy, patrology... .
The collection contains the most comprehensive bibliographies of the works of the two archbishops so far, as well as a photo album with pictures from their lives, but for the first time, some aspects of their thoughts and works are analyzed and critically evaluated in an academic way, such as their understanding of the Holy Scriptures, their approach To the Holy Fathers, a contribution to the theology of the Old Testament canon, liturgy, canon law, philosophical thought as experiential metaphysics...
Archpriests Stavrophori Dr. Boris Brajović and Dr. Darko Đogo and prof. Dr. Dušan Krcunović, while "Days of St. Basil" was opened by Bishop Metodije of Budimlja-Nikšić.
"Even today, when we speak and think of our blessed fathers, Metropolitan Amfilohi and Bishop Athanasius, we think of the unity, of the whole, of the fullness of their relationship, brotherhood and friendship. The strength and power of that relationship and faith embodied through works and this work that is presented today we offer the altar of their congregational and triune relationship with Christ. We think of equality in diversity, of sameness in value, in quality in commitment to God and always only God and regardless of everything. God, the one and only, in whom they meet as Peter and Paul in an eternal and unbreakable embrace," said Bishop Methodije.
According to his words, with the departure of the two archbishops, their relationship remained as a song and a smile, and that "sacred relationship enriched each of them and made them stronger for the measure of the other's love, and thus multiplied the faith and the power of faith and dignity that satisfied 5.000 people and countless more times infinite love".
"And they did not choose each other because of their weakness .. who seeks a friend and associate who is poorer in the gifts of love. They did not choose someone better than themselves. And Athanasius chose someone better than himself, Amphilochius, and Amphilochius chose Athanasius better than himself, knowing that everyone's first Christ is , the beloved son who is according to the father's will...Their relationship believing, because they trusted each other believing God, in God brotherly and embraced. So they were born one after another, so they lived with each other, so they left one and the other to their own father," said the Bishop of Budimljansko-Nikšić.
As he pointed out, "it remains for us to be proud of the honorable wreath of Orthodoxy with which our fathers adorned us and learn from them exemplary love for God, brother, child, people and thank the gentlemen that we had such parents, shepherds and prayer men who laid down their perfect love and your life to the foundations of our holy church".
"Dear brothers and sisters, we are learning to love. We had someone to look up to. Learning to love is our first and only calling," said Methodius.
In the foyer of the Theater, the photo exhibition "Two Souls" organized by the hieromonk Teofil from Durvo was opened.
Tonight, in cooperation with Matica, the Serbian Association of Members in Montenegro, a phototype of the magazine "Umetnost" from 1971, dedicated to "the defense of the chapel on Lovćen", will be promoted, at which Prof. Đorđe Trifunović, Prof. Dr. Drago Perović, will speak. while the lyrics will be spoken by Ranko Mićanović.
The film about Saint Vasilij Ostroška, directed by Ban Ilic, produced by TV Hram, will be promoted on May 9. In addition to the director, the abbot of the Ostrog monastery, proto-saint Sergije Rekić, and theologian Miloš Nenezić, M.Sc., will talk about the film.
The monodrama "Words about the Saint", based on the work of St. Bishop Nikolaj Žički, performed by actor Nebojša Dugalić, is on the program on May 10, while a day later Milosav Tešić will be presented with the "Izviiskra Njegoševa" literary award, which is awarded by the Diocese of Budamlje-Niššić and the fashion house "Mona". The second winner of the award, Matija Bećković, will be presented with the award during the Lučidan festivities in Podgorica.
All programs will be held in the Nikšić Theater starting at 20 p.m. This year's event, as was said at the press conference, is special for two reasons - the first is the celebration of the jubilee, 350 years since the death of St. Vasilija, and others that the "Days of St. Vasilija" are organized for the first time together by the Church Municipality and the Municipality of Nikšić, with the support of the local Tourist Organization (TO).
The event will end with a large national procession on the day when Vasilije, who was declared a saint due to his healing powers, passed away on May 12, which will be led by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfirije, with more than 20 bishops.
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