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| 03-03-08 His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN sends letter of support to His Holiness, Patriarch PAVLE of Serbia
On Monday, March 3, 2008, Archimandrite Zacchaeus, Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate delivered a letter of support from His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America addressed to His Holiness, Patriarch PAVLE of Serbia to the Moscow Representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace, Bishop ANTONY of Moravich. His Grace graciously agreed to pass on the letter of support to Patriarch PAVLE.
Text of the letter as follows:
February 28, 2008
His Holiness PAVLE
Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovtsi and Serbian Patriarch
Kralja Petra br. 5
Belgrade 11000
Serbia
Your Holiness, Dear Brother and Concelebrant:
At this difficult time in the history of the Serbian people, I greet Your Holiness with fraternal love.
The prayers of the Hierarchs, Clergy, Monastics, and faithful Laity of the Orthodox Church in America are accompanying the Serbian people, both in their homeland and abroad. The political processes and decisions which have led to the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo and to recognition of this declaration by some governments have opened a new chapter of suffering and strife.
Many innocent people – both Serbian and Albanian – have suffered during the past years. In the midst of the violent conflicts You, Your Holiness, have always given witness to the peace and love of Christ. You have always raised Your voice in defense of those who suffer, whether they are Serbs or Albanians, Christians or Muslims.
In Kosovo, the churches and monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church offer eloquent testimony to the centuries-long history of the Serbian people in Kosovo. We are aware of the tragedy which has befallen many of these churches and monasteries. The future safety of the remaining holy churches and monasteries is threatened. The Orthodox Church in America stands at your side, in deep solidarity, at this time of threat for the members of the Serbian Orthodox community and for the holy places of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo.
We rejoice that our Holy Churches are united in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, that the Eucharistic communion unites us with Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and with one another. We are one in the Body of Christ. When “one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers….”
With love in the Lord,
Your brother and concelebrant,
+HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington and New York
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Primate of the Orthodox Church in America
News | 03-03-08 His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN sends letter of support to His Holiness, Patriarch PAVLE of Serbia
