Announcement of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the latest imprisonment of Archbishop John
Belgrade, May 12th, 2012
After years of persecution, harassment, arrests and imprisonments, His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr Dr. John, pan-Orthodoxly renowned and recognized canonical Prelate of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric, was sentenced yesterday, May 11th, to two and a half years in prison under false charges of alleged fraud and embezzlement, the result of a politically motivated and staged pseudotrial of a Stalinist-type, organized upon the blatant request of the schismatic organization calling itself “The Macedonian Orthodox Church”. He was sentenced solely because of His unwavering commitment to the unity of the Church of God; because of his communion with the Serbian Patriarchate and thereby with universal Orthodoxy worldwide; and because of his persistent and confessional fight against the schismatic mentality and anti-Ecclesiastical ethnophiletism. This is a unique case in contemporary Europe – if not in the whole civilized world – of the authorities, by order, to commit an act of cruel violence and an atrocity upon the Orthodox Church and Her lawful senior representatives, most violently breaking both their own laws and international norms and conventions. Fortunately, several diplomats, representatives of the Orthodox Church, as well as representatives from organizations and institutions dedicated to the protection of human rights and religious freedom, attended the “trial”, and thus an accurate report and a clear picture of this sad and ugly scene staged in the Veles courtroom can be made to the relevant factors and the public.
The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, under whose canonical jurisdiction the autonomous Ohrid Archbishopric is, condemns with the deepest moral indignation this incomparable violence and persecution conducted under the guise of legal order, and is always with the brothers and sisters from the Ohrid Archbishopric, in prayer and evangelic love, and especially with their Shepherd, who gladly accepts and endures suffering for our forefathers’ faith as well as for the unity of Christ’s holy Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church finally calls:
- for all sister Orthodox Churches throughout the ecumene;
- for all other Christian Churches in the world;
- for the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches and other Christian organizations;
- for the spiritual leaders of major world religions;
- for the for governments and relevant public authorities of legally regulated states, primarily democratic;
- for the international institutions;
- for the institutions and organizations of human rights and religious freedom; and
- for all people of good will;
to provide spiritual, moral, legal and any other possible support to the prisoner of conscience, the Archbishop John, and to contribute to his release from prison as soon as possible.
The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Greetings in our Risen Lord,
Christ is Risen!
May the joy of our Lord’s Holy Resurrection always be with you!
As many of us already know at this time His Eminence, the Archbishop of Ohrid and the Metropolitan of Skopje has been sentenced 2 ½ years in a prison in Skopje. The Orthodox Church has truly been wounded and crucified on the Cross by this scandal that an Archbishop under the Patriarch of Serbia has been sentenced for this period of time.
Every voice and loving Christian is humbly needed at this hour for an appeal for the release of Archbishop Jovan. The health of the Archbishop is not good at this time, and doctors or any reports about his health is not known to anyone including his own diocesan bishops, priest, monks, nuns, and faithful. The prison authorities have refused any reports as to the condition of the Archbishop.
The above photo says the following: “Archbishop Jovan, they put you in a dungeon, but you are in truth.” Please note the health of the Archbishop in this photo taken before his imprisonment in December 2011.
Now take a look at the you tube of the Archbishop being brought to court on 11 May 2012, note how much weight the Archbishop has lost, since he was put in prison in December, 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68hn_iEqBvM&feature=share
This is not the first time the diocese or the Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan has been persecuted as this has been a constant situation for the last several years. Note the following you tube where one of the bishops under Archbishop Jovan named Bishop Marko and Hieromonk Irinej are being harassed for doing a funeral service at a local Orthodox cemetery, the Security Police are pushing them around and trying to stop them for performing the funeral service.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN9ATOXtuzw
Let us without a doubt join the Synod of bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in our appeal for the immediate release of Archbishop Jovan, and for the proper registration of his diocese, and as well as make further appeals to the free world for his release now today.
The addresses of relevant people to contact are:
1. U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
2. Ms. Hilary Clinton
Friends of Hillary
1900 M Street, NW
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
accountingdepartment@hillaryclinton.com
3. US Embassy in Skopje
Embassy Address:
Str. "Samoilova" Nr.21
1000 Skopje
Republic of Macedonia
Fax: +389 2 310-2499
And Ms. Marisa MacIsaac whom you met: MacIsaacM@state.gov
4. OSCE Mission to Skopje
Address:
Oktomvriska Revolucija bb
MK-1000 Skopje
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Fax: +389 2 323 4234
info-MK@osce.org
and Mr. Kristoph Herbst who is following our cases: Kristoph.Herbst@osce.org
5. Delegation of the European Union to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Address: Mito Hadzivasilev Jasmin 52v, 1000 Skopje
Telefax: (+389 2) 3248 501
E-mail: delegation-fyrmacedonia@eeas.europa.eu
6. The Conference of European Churches
CEC Office in Geneva:
PO Box 2100,
150, route de Ferney,
CH- 1211 Geneva 2
Fax: +41 22 791 62 27
7. Human Rights Watch
New York
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
Washington DC
Address: 1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Fax:+1-202-612-4333
Berlin
Neue Promenade 5 10178 Berlin, Germany
Fax. +49-30-259306-29
berlin@hrw.org
Paris
142 rue Montmartre
75002 Paris, France
Fax: +33-1-43-59-55-22
E-mail: paris@hrw.org
Brussels
Avenue des Gaulois, 7.
1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32-2-732-2009
8. Freedom House
fax 202-293-2840
info@freedomhouse.org
9. Mr. José Manuel Barroso
President of the European commission
1049 Brussels, Belgium
10. Mr. Olli Rehn, Vice President of the European Commission
European Commission
Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
Fax (+32) 2 29 809 98
Every voice will help and every Christ-loving prayer for sure shall helps as well for the release of Archbishop Jovan.
Remember if we remain silent then the Archbishop will perish. The Archbishop will die in prison!
Talk is cheap! Action is needed is absolutely necessary to support well intention words; otherwise talk is cheap. Our Lord Jesus Christ bear witness, after prayer comes the act of bearing witness. What is happening in FYROM is a persecution of a wonderful soul Christ-loving by a Stalinist era grouping of make believe Christians! This is the 21st century! What would our Lord have to say about this at this hour?
If you would like to help the Archbishop and his diocese please send your loving donation (tax deductible):
The Archbishop Jovan Fund
c/o St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Monastery
P.O. Box 70
Platina, CA 96076
USA
May our Merciful-God hear our prayers and our loving appeal for the release of Archbishop Jovan now today.
Peace to your soul!
God love and bless you!
Humbly in Christ our Lord,
+ Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
President of The Archbishop Jovan Fund USA
Who prays for you and with you!
Cell phone: 208-860-2479
I have run to the fragrance of your myrrh,
O Christ God, for I have been wounded by your love;
do not part from me, O heavenly Bridegroom.
"Wounded by Love," The Life and The Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios
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