12.03.2015
Exhibition “Military clergy in Serbian liberation wars (1804-1918)” opened
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Today, at the Ceremonial Hall of the Central Military Club of Serbia, an exhibition titled “Military clergy in liberation wars of Serbia (1804-1918)” was opened, organized by the Archive of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Odbrana Media Center. The ceremonial opening of the exhibition was attended by President of Serbia Tomislav NIkolic, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej and Head of the General Staff of Serbia General Ljubisa Dikovic.While opening the exhibition, Patriarch Irinej stressed that today’s gathering was an opportunity to learn something more about the role of the Church and priests in our liberation wars, which has not been the case in the past times.
- All enemies of our people and culture made the first steps to rid this people of the intelligence that also included priests, because they knew that priests represented and led the people and that, when they disappear, their teachers and spiritual leaders are gone as well – Patriarch Irinej stressed, reminding of the great struggles that the people and the Church have experienced in the past centuries.
He also conveyed his hope that those times are behind us, and that we have returned to our roots, our history and culture, which have made us into what we are now.
- The Serbian Church has always stood by its people, and progress of the people was progress of the Church, and hardships of the people were also of hardships the Church, which is testified by our entire history – Patriarch Irinej stated, adding that, during the wars, priests encouraged the Serbian military, raised soldiers’ morale, spoke of patriotism and of the honor of dying for one’s country and loved ones.
According to Director of Odbrana Media Center Colonel Stevica S. Karapandzin, this exhibition is an opportunity to remember an important segment of the modern Serbian, both clerical and military, history, because this was a time when God was the most important ally of a Serbian soldier and when that soldier was invincible. - Considering the fact that military priests have been present in the Serbian military since 1804, during the wars, they had no difficulties with comprehending their role and tasks assigned to them by military authorities. With their efforts, they significantly contributed to preserving traditional national and religious values and they preserved high morale of soldiers in most difficult war conditions. They were always in the first line of battle or in hospitals by the wounded and the dying ones – Colonel Karapandzin reminded, adding that military flags were blessed by military priests, and after that they were deemed holy and were protected with lives, and no Serbian regiment flag was captured by the enemy during the Great War.
As he stressed, 239 military priests, rabbis, imams and chaplains, along the brilliant officer corps, brave and devoted soldiers and national unity of the spirit, prevented our people from being physically ruined by the Great War.
The guests were also addressed by the author of the exhibition Radovan Pilipovic, Director of the Archive of SPC; Dr. Goran Latinovic, docent of the Faculty of Philosophy in Banja Luka and Dr. Mileta Radojevic, Director of the Department for cooperation with churches and religious communities at the Ministry of Justice.
The exhibition will be opened until March 20, 2015, and all interested visitors will have the opportunity to see the exhibition each day except on Sundays, between 11.00 and 19.00.
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