Home page News
Metropolitan Hilarion: President of Montenegro wor…

Metropolitan Hilarion: President of Montenegro works to divide the population of the country, on religious grounds in particular

On September 5, in the historical center of Montenegro – Cetinje – Metropolitan Joanikije was installed as Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral. He had been elected by the Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in place of the late Metropolitan Amfilohije. Radical forces supported by Milo Đukanović, the President of the country, who had been known for his unrelenting opposition to the canonical Church, tried to prevent the celebration of this occasion in Cetinje. In response to the accusations of the attempt to excite unrest, Đukanović said: “We have become witnesses to profound disgrace of the Serbian Orthodox Church that has unprecedentedly shamed the long history of the state of Montenegro, as well as the history of Orthodoxy as a whole.”

Commenting on this statement at the request of the host of “The Church and the World” TV programme Yekaterina Gracheva, Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, said, “Just as Pyotr Poroshenko in his time dreamt of creating an ‘independent Ukrainian Church,’ so also Milo Đukanović is dreaming of creating an ‘independent Montenegrin Church.’ Therefore, his support is not for the canonical Church, with the majority of the population of Montenegro among its parishioners, but for a certain schismatic group consisting of a few adventurers who have clothed themselves with episcopal or clerical vestments.”

According to Metropolitan Hilarion, what actually brings shame on Montenegro is its leader who is unable to unite the people of his country, but instead is working for their division, bringing about a conflict.”

“It was indeed a shame that the Serbian Patriarch, who came to perform the enthronement of Metropolitan of Montenegro, could not reach Cetinje unhindered, because Đukanović’s followers were placed on the road to block the Patriarch’s access to the city. The Patriarch had to reach the city by helicopter. There are video-clips showing him coming down from the helicopter under the protection of the military carrying shields to cover him and the metropolitan-elect of Montenegro against snipers’ bullets. This is what indeed shames Montenegro; and it is the President of Montenegro Đukanović who is to blame for it,” concluded the DECR’s chairman.

Share:
Congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the President of Turkey on his 70th birthday

26.02.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill's condolences in connection with the murder of the monks of the Ziquala Abo Monastery in Ethiopia

24.02.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the XII Christmas Parliamentary Meetings at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation

23.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Patriarch of Constantinople is not a free man

07.01.2024

Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Rus’

06.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill had phone conversation with Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol

02.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences over deadly earthquake in northwest China

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill welcomes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the decoration of the Church of St Sava in Belgrade

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Patriarchal greetings on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Vienna and Austria

26.11.2023

Primate of Russian Church presents historic miracle-working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the faithful and celebrates Liturgy in the Kremlin Dormition Cathedral

04.11.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the participants of the World Conference of Compatriots Living Abroad

01.11.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

31.10.2023

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب