In the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica, on the feast of Saint Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena, June 3, 2024, the Holy Liturgy of the Bishops was celebrated on the occasion of the 25 years of the bishopric service of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Mr. Ioanniki and the jubilee of Saint Justin of Celija, in whose name a Solemn Academy was held the previous evening in the crypt of this Holy Temple.

The Holy Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostom of Dabro-Bosnia, with the concurrence of His Eminence Metropolitan Ioanniki of Montenegro and their respective preeminences: Bishop Kirill of Sergievo-Posad and Dmitrov, Bishop Athanasius of Milesevo, Bishop Teodosi of Raska-Prizren, Bishop Jovan of Slavonia-Novi Zeeland Siluan, Bishop Isihi of Valje, Bishop Methodius of Budimlja-Nikšići and Bishop Dimitrije of Zahum-Herzegovina, as well as the elected Bishop of Dioclia Proto-Singel Paisius, who during the Holy Service, by the decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops, by the hand of Metropolitan Ioanniki, was hand-crafted to the rank of Archimandrite.

"Dear father of the Archimandrite, the Holy Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, elected you at this year's session as the Bishop of Dioclia, Vicar Bishop of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral, and let this Archimandrite dignity be your pledge of episcopal rank. The Episcopal Assembly found you worthy of this lofty and above all responsible office in the Church of God. We are convinced that, dear Father Archimandrite, you will carry out this Holy Service that has been entrusted to you with zeal, honor and holiness in all the days of your life, just as you have until now", said Metropolitan Ioannikije, wishing Archimandrite and elected Bishop Paisius not to rely on his efforts that he will contribute, but to the boundless mercy, truth and justice of God that will guide this sacred service.

Archimandrite Paisius, thanked by saying: "Your Eminence, Most Reverend and Most Reverend Archbishops, Reverend Fathers, Priests, Venerable Monks, we often talk about gifts in the Church and we do so rightly because if we did not, if we deserved what we receive from God, then it would no longer be called a gift of God."

"The first gift we receive from God is this life, and then gift after gift follow. As our Holy Father John Chrysostom says, this wonderful master receives the first as well as the last and gives to that and gives to this. That's why today I thank all the archbishops of our Church, headed by our Patriarch", he said, emphasizing that he primarily thanks God, blessing His hand that gives and the holy hands from which that gift is received.

"None less, today I thank all of you, people of God, and especially I want to thank our spiritual father and Metropolitan Ioanniki for his parental care and attention", said the elected Bishop of Dioclia Paisius and congratulated his spiritual father Metropolitan Ioanniki on his jubilee.

After the reading of the gospel, Metropolitan Chrysostom of Dabrobosna addressed the congregation with an archpastoral sermon.

"May this day be happy and blessed when we gather in the beautiful temple of the Resurrection of Christ, to celebrate the Lord, and then His comforters, Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena, but also that today together, gathered around our dear Metropolitan Ioanniki, we celebrate a significant event and date from his personal life, but also from the life of our Church", said Metropolitan Chrysostomos, adding that today we mark the 25th anniversary of the election of Metropolitan Ioanniki as Bishop and congratulating him on this jubilee on behalf of all the archbishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Chrysostom also pointed out that Bishop Ioannikia truly shines according to the example of Christ the Lord, because by the grace of the Holy Spirit we receive everything that the Lord said to the holy apostles, to shine light on people so that they can see where they will go, and that is important for everyone, and especially for bishops who entrusted to the Church, and reminded of bright examples, such as Saint Vasilije Ostroski and said: "Exactly following the example of our Holy Fathers and great archbishops, we too, dear Bishop Joanikije, should shine today in these troubled times. It is true that time is technology, but there are also dark times, times when the paths of our believers, our people, our Church are darkened, we need to shine even more so that our faithful people and the Church have clear paths, teachings, and commitments."

"The words of the Lord are not just words, they are life and every word of the Lord is the food of eternal life, and it is very important that we understand this like Saint Justin whom we remembered yesterday and who understood every word that the Lord said and explained to the Serbian people in those difficult times of atheism", said the Metropolitan of Dabrobosanski, referring to librarian Dragan Lakićević's speech at the Academy yesterday.

Metropolitan Chrysostom also emphasized the greatness of the personality of the Holy Emperor Constantine, whom we celebrate today, pointing out that he changed the history of the world and a godless empire, the empire of persecution, becomes the empire of Christianity, freedom and the rights of every human being. "Today, when we mention all this, sometimes we can't even understand the significance of his decision to pass the Edict of Milan, and perhaps even he himself did not know the significance of that decision both in Roman times and today," Bishop Chrysostom pointed out. , adding that today we freely decide for Christ and are Christ's just as Saint Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena were.

"May the Lord give us all the strength to do as Saint Emperor Constantine did, to work and learn as Saint Justin Popović taught, as the blessed memories of Metropolitan Amfilochia did, and to our dear host, Metropolitan Ioanniki, may God grant good health, long life, to be the light of the world and the light of this Metropolis", concluded Metropolitan Chrysostom.

Archimandrite Srgije, abbot of Ostrog monastery, after the intercession prayer, on behalf of the clergy and monastics of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, congratulated His Eminence Metropolitan Ioaniki on his jubilee.

"We gathered to pray for the health, progress and salvation of every creature, every person and the whole world, and especially to prayerfully and modestly mark an important jubilee for our Metropolis, which is 25 years of archbishopric service of our Metropolitan, Bishop and spiritual father Ioanniki" , said the abbot of Ostro and added that everything that happens in the Church, prayer, word, every meeting, is a living participation in the Kingdom of Heaven by God's grace.

Father Sergius pointed out that, marking this jubilee of the Metropolitan's two-and-a-half-decade service, today we pay particular attention to the words of the great archbishop and sufferer of God, Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, who, going to martyrdom, left teachings and vows that we adhere to today, and in which he teaches that the Church and the fullness of grace are where the people of God gather for the breaking of bread around the Bishop. "Having freedom before the Lord, having love for you, listening to the words of Saint Ignatius, we perceive this jubilee of yours as the jubilee of our entire Metropolis and every one of its believers", he said.

"It is not necessary to use a lot of words about your bishop's work, numerous restored and built sanctuaries, numerous clergy and monks, revived old and forgotten councils, started and established new ones, where the displaced people from the north regularly gather around their sanctuaries, guarding and them and their hearths. If we add to all this the founding of numerous choirs, religious studies, and Orthodox brotherhoods, we see that from your archbishop's service all these decades, living water is pouring out with which souls thirsty for God and God's love are fed, and the fruit of your service in the Diocese of Budimlja-Niksic is also a great mission in the cultural and educational field", he said and added that everyone still remembers the Metropolitan's brave attitude during the fight against injustice and how he inspired the people at the head of the magnificent litias, alongside the blessed Metropolitan Amfilohi. "You, together with several honorable priests, testified to that loyalty to Christ and the Church even in the captivity to which you were taken just because you were performing your bishop's duty and serving God and the people," said Father Sergius and added that today, after four years of service at throne of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral in a difficult time, we see that the fruitful service of Metropolitan Ioanniki continues with the same zeal and dedication of his predecessor, and this is evidenced by the tireless daily service, the ordination of new priests and monks, as well as the newly founded Orthodox High School "St. Sava".

Father Sergius emphasized that jubilees are not important for us to praise each other, but for us to come together in brotherly and sisterly love and to celebrate together the Hierarch of all, Christ our God. "This is a great opportunity to ask you to pray for us, because according to the words of Saint Ignatius, whom we have mentioned, if the prayer of one or two is strong, how much stronger is the prayer of Bishops", said Abbot Sergius, wishing Metropolitan Ioanniki good health, long life, strength and wisdom in managing the Metropolis, to serve God and the entrusted people as before.

"This letter is an offering to you by God in Christ and by your lovingly loyal clergy, and we, seeing your good deeds and correctly, with great effort and sacrifice, the management of the Church of God entrusted to you, want to attach visible signs of our loyalty to you," he said. Abbot Sergius and in the name of the clergy and monastics, presented the Metropolitan with a bishop's mitre, scepter and mandia.

Metropolitan Ioannikije thanked Archimandrite Sergius for the letter, thanked the archbishops who brought their love and made a great Council on this great holiday. "Thank you, dear most reverend fathers, archimandrites, abbots, most reverend priests, spiritual fathers and national pastors, thank you to the sister abbesses, nuns, faithful people who gathered today, and who could not come, on the occasion of this jubilee, which is not great, but it is not little. What else can I say, except to give thanks to the living and true God, who is the eternal High Priest, and we are only his co-servants. He completes the work, and we contribute our effort, and no matter how much effort we put in, we know that without Him we can do nothing. If I did something good, and if it can be said that way, then it was certainly God's grace that worked and strengthened my weaknesses in this holy bishopric and archpastoral service", said Metropolitan Ioannikije and emphasized that he always remembers his parents, brothers with great gratitude , sisters, dear teachers throughout my schooling and especially my spiritual father, the blessed Metropolitan Amfilohi.

"I especially thank the priest brothers of the Diocese of Budimlja-Nikšić and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, abbots, hieromonks, monks, nuns, who have been good, loyal and sincere co-workers for me all this time, may God reward them for their faithfulness to the Church of God, and from great gratitude to me both in this world and in the next," said the Metropolitan, wishing everyone joy and God's help, and especially greeting and thanking His Holiness Bishop Kirill, long-time friend, rector of the Moscow Spiritual Academy, abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, who brought his love here and the blessing of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, as well as the fraternal healing of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Metropolitan also thanked him for coming and especially greeted his long-time friend, Archpriest-Stavrophor Mihailo from Petrograd.

"On the occasion of this jubilee, I want to highlight the good and virtuous parents, the virtuous Christians who made an effort to fulfill the commandment of God and to reward several families with many children on this occasion," he said, adding that there are more families who should receive this award and called priests to give their suggestions.

"Where God's blessings are fulfilled, life and every joy is multiplied there," said the Metropolitan and awarded the Golden Image of Saint Peter II of Lovcen to Archpriests Miladin and Vera Knežević, Mladen and Marija Vlahović, as well as Velomir and Aleksandra Radosinović.

Long live, Most Reverend Bishop, to many and mild summers!

Tijana Lekić

photo: Željko Drašković and Boris Music

video: Boris Music