Proclamation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada

The Episcopal Council / No. 19 / April 16, 1999

We the Serbian Orthodox Bishops of the Episcopal Council, gathered in a special session with the clergy and lay members of the Central Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America, at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, this April 16, 1999, do hereby issue the following

PUBLIC PROCLAMATION

As we are still in the Bright Week of celebration of the Feast of Feasts, the Resurrection of our Lord, with our joy being overshadowed by the tragic events occurring in Yugoslavia, we continue in our most imperative task in calling upon all our faithful to offer unceasing prayers for peace and an end to the lawless aggression against the people and land of our fathers and forefathers.

      Every human being who suffers, no matter what faith or nationality, is God's child, and the pain and suffering of all people is our pain and suffering. As spiritual leaders of our faithful people we repeat the words of Christ — "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

      In order to establish a long lasting peace with equal rights for all who live in the Republic of Yugoslavia, especially those who live in the region of Kosovo and Metohija, we recognize Kosovo as the home of Serbs, Albanians, Gypsies, Turks and others. It is our prayer that all of those who inhabit Kosovo will find common cause and purpose and live in peace and prosperity. We continue to emphasize the importance of Kosovo for the Serbian Orthodox people. Kosovo is and always has been the cradle of our faith and culture.

      Taking Kosovo from the Serbian people would mean taking the roots of our identity, heritage and spiritual being, and endangering our future. The American public has a right to know that the most holy places of our Serbian Orthodox Church are located in Kosovo and Metohija and would become archeological ruins if the remnants of the Serbian people in Kosovo were to be expelled from their homeland as planned by the KLA. The ultimatum of Rambouillet can have no other possible meaning or outcome.

      As an integral part of the Mother Church of Christendom which sees in every human being the image and likeness of God, the sanctity, dignity and life of each person is central to our faith. Therefore we condemn and have always condemned violence and aggression against anyone. This condemnation includes all instances of ethnic cleansing, as well as the insane and brutal bombardment of Yugoslavia: a bombardment which endangers human life, damages churches, monasteries, schools, cemeteries and other sacred places, while causing an ecological and economic disaster. We also pray for our American servicemen and women in the Balkans, many of whom are American Serbs. it is our sincere hope and prayer that all our American servicemen will safely return to their homes and families in the very near future.

      We pray to the risen Lord to enlighten the minds and soften the hearts of those who hold in their hands the power to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.

President of the Episcopal Council

Christopher, Metropolitan of Midwestern America