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Please kindly share
the following with others: Urgent!
Press
Release
October 7,
2006
On behalf
of The Archbishop Jovan Fund USA
Subject: The
Catacomb Orthodox Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan FYRO
Macedonia
A report of
my most recent pilgrimage to this Archdiocese September
2006
From: Very
Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, President of the Archbishop Jovan Fund
USA
Boise,
Idaho
USA
Greetings in
Christ our Lord: Board Members of the Archbishop Jovan Fund USA,
Respected
Father Victor,
Father
Damascene,
Father
Paisius,
& All
Christ-loving Souls,
Evlogeite!
May our Gracious Lord God always bless
you! I am sending my pastoral love to all, and assurance of
prayer.
It's 60 long days now since the arrest
of Archbishop Jovan as of October 7, 2006.
As you know I was in
the Republic of Macedonia recently for two and half days, and I had not
only a previous telephone interview (one week before I left the area of
Boise) with the local Channel 5 T.V. in Skopje, but also a live interview
upon my arrival. In addition I had another interview with another local T.V.
station in regards to the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan.
These live
interviews had an impact because what I indicated during the two live TV
interviews was further discussed in the local Parliament, as well as
announcements from the local Macedonian Orthodox Church that I was in the area
and this is what was announced at several local parishes under the jurisdiction
of the MOC: "A Greek Orthodox Monk from America has arrived recently in our
country to appeal for the release of Archbishop Jovan, pay not attention to
him."
Apparently many did
pay attention to me because no one can take the love of God from us! No
one!
My interviews did
have an impact because just very recently Archbishop Jovan was moved to a safer
area of the prison. A step forward we pray! And that step would be next to
release Archbishop Jovan, as well as allow his beloved Archdiocese to exist as a
free religion, and finally return back his passport, including his cross, his
panagia, his robes and Holy Bible.
While I was in the
area of Skopje the Gracious and Good Father David and Father Borjan where
most kind to me in which I was able to visit all the local monasteries for both
monks and nuns. I also had met with both Bishop Gabriel and Bishop Joachim, who
where both very kind to me and offered thanks on behalf of Archbishop
Jovan.
Then I was able to
visit with the mother of Archbishop Jovan who truly has a serious concern for
the health of her son the Archbishop, her expressions told me
everything.
Their is no doubt
whatsoever that the monks and nuns at their local monasteries are truly having a
difficult time as far as food is concerned, and the basic needs of life. These
monasteries are homes which in every situation the living conditions
are deplorable and in spite of this factor the faithful still keep arriving
for Liturgical services.
Every faithful
member I met under the Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan where indeed pious and
Christ-loving.
What truly saddened
me was that some of the monasteries really lack the basis needs of life and that
their food supplies where low. It took me several days after I left the area to
find composure for myself.
Then again Bishop
Joachim himself has about eighty people attending Liturgical services in
his small second floor apartment, and this goes for all of the other places for
worship in the local monasteries, as those attending services are from wall to
wall.
At the same time
however I am sad to tell you a new wave of persecution has also begin
against Archbishop Jovan Archdiocese being that these pious individuals attend
these Liturgical services whether it be on a week day or a week end, the
neighbors are now complaining of the amount of people arriving for these
services in the apartments and local home monasteries, as well as for the
chanting of the services which might be to loud for their ears. Pressure is now
being put on these neighbors to make complaints to the local authorities from
those within the diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. This matter goes for
all the local house and apartment monasteries currently under the Archdiocese of
Archbishop Jovan. In the meantime those who are doing these Liturgical services
now have to do them almost as silent as possible to avoid further harassments
from the neighbors. All of this sounds like the days of the
catacombs. Therefore beloved in Christ all Liturgical services are done almost
in a low key to avoid any further complaints. Can we imagine?
Then again this past
Holy Pascha services had to be done outside being the lack of space within these
monastery homes and this happened at the home of Archbishop Jovan in 2006.
The amount of faithful attending these services was abundant and was
done in an area filled with mud amidst the grounds of a recent destroyed
consecrated Orthodox Church.
Doing the course of
my stay in Skopje, I am ever pleased to tell you that I had been able to speak
to the Venerable Archbishop Jovan by telephone who called me from prison, and he
kept indicating to me: thank you Father, thank you Father, thank you
Father! The Archbishop could hardly say anything else because his time
was limited being he called me from prison, and others where in line to use the
phone. I was very happy to had been able to speak with him. The last thing the
Archbishop said to me: May our Lord God bless you all!
Sadly enough I was
not able to visit in person Archbishop Jovan at prison because if I pressured
the matter that would not allow the Archbishop's mother or sister from visiting
him.
I must tell you that
I was very moved and impressed with both Father David and Father Borjan as they
where so kind to me and truly love the Holy Orthodox Church, and are constantly
in prayer as well as with deep concern to release their beloved Archbishop, and
to the current conditions of the monastic communities.
The two diocesan
bishops, monks, and nuns under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Jovan are
extremely pious and prayerful, as well as kind and outreaching to visitors. One
truly felt a great Christian peace in their faces and in their hearts. I was
ever pleased that I made this pilgrimage.
What is truly
remarkable was that these bishops, priest, monks and nuns lost everything which
well included their beloved monasteries which have been destroyed, and in some
cases the monasteries they had to leave with the pressure of the local
Macedonian Orthodox Church that these monasteries are not currently functioning
piously as in the past.
The
Archdiocese of the Venerable Archbishop Jovan can be considered as the Catacomb
Archdiocese, as we can truly see that even their loving prayers that are being
currently whispered are still being heard by our God, the Mother of God and all
the saints.
Never have I in all
my thirty years as a priest (I just celebrated my 30th anniversary as a priest
earlier this week) witnessed such love of God under these current
conditions of this loving Archdiocese, never have I seen that earthly things are
not important to either the bishops, priest, monks, or the nuns -all that
concerns them is their spiritual heights of prayer and love for God, and that
well includes the faithful entrusted to them on a daily
basis.
We as pious and
Orthodox Christians must not remain silent to what is taken place within the
Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan or his imprisonment. The more we forget this
Archdiocese and the Archbishop the more they continue to suffer and be deprived
of the basic means of life itself.
It would be a horror
if anything happens to Archbishop Jovan especially due to his current health
problems, as I must be truly honest at this hour; many of us would then have to
hang our heads in silence.
So let us wake up
and begin to roar like a lion for the freedom of the Archdiocese of Archbishop
Jovan to exist as a free religion, and let us even roar louder for the release
of Archbishop Jovan today!
At the same hour let
us humbly and I say this most humbly pray for Archbishop Jovan and his beloved
Archdiocese with me in tears.
Please look deep
into your hearts and consider what we can do in not only offering our prayers,
but also our support for the Archbishop Jovan Fund USA.
Note please the
attached about this fund and share it with other Christ-loving
friends.
Learn to begin to
understand the situation at hand and the truths that are before us, as no
Archbishop, and no priest are going to lie to you, or misdirect you down the
wrong path, as after all the pastoral purpose is to lead all the Kingdom of God
-Paradise.
Please humbly
consider how you can help by supporting the Archbishop Jovan Fund -open the
attached.
After my pilgrimage
to Skopje I rushed to the border of Kosovo-Metohija to meet Bishop Teodosije,
and Hieromonk Andrej on behalf of the Decani Monastery Relief
Fund.
I am home now
praying, please pray with me, and thank you!
May our Gracious-God
always bless you!
Peace to your
soul!
Humbly in Christ our
Lord,
+Very Reverend
Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
President of The
Archbishop Jovan Fund USA
Who always prays for
you!
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