His Eminence, the Archbishop of Cetinje, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Exarch of the Holy Throne of Peć, Mr. Joanikije, served the Holy Archbishop's Liturgy in the Monastery of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin in the village of Dragalj, in Krivošija, with the concelebration of the clergy and clergy of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Eparchy of Budimlja-Nikšić .

As a sign of the Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, after the prayer, the litany of the faithful people went around the Temple, and after the Holy Liturgy, the celebratory cake was cut and the manger was blessed.

After his dismissal, the Reverend Bishop Joanikije spoke about the significance of the feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as its role in the spiritual life and life of the Church:

"Today we celebrate the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mistress of our Mother of God, which is based on an event from the end of the tenth century, when at a large prayer meeting in the late hours of the night, after a long prayer in the Blacherna Church in Constantinople, where there were many people gathered for prayer, she appeared the Holy Mother of God with angels and figures of Holy Prophets and Apostles. She then spread her prayer veil and Omophor over the entire nation, as a sign of her protection for all those who pray to God and call her for help. Even before this event, the Church of God glorified the Blessed Mother of God as its Intercessor, and every Christian, every believing person, calling upon the Blessed Mother of God, felt that she is a quick helper in times of trouble, a comforter in our sorrows and sufferings, a deliverer from all dangers. As the Mother of Christ, she is also the Mother of us all. And the Church of God from the beginning glorifies her because she is the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we celebrate her as more glorious than all the heavenly Powers, than all the Angels and Archangels. We sing to her that she is more exalted than all Cherubim and Seraphim and that Her womb has become wider than all the heavens. And how should we understand that?

We celebrate the Holy Mother of God as more glorious than the Cherubim, because she was worthy of the honor spoken of by the Prophets of old

God, out of his great love for the human race, decided to organize our Salvation by becoming incarnate, taking on human nature and becoming a man. As a young girl, with a pure soul and a pure heart, the Holy Mother of God was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, when the Angel of the Lord brought her the good news that she would give birth to the Savior of the world. "And how can that be?" she asked, because she had decided not to marry. Of course, she thought like a human being. But the angel who appeared to her, in fact, the Duke of the heavenly army, Aranđel Gavril, told her, not how it would be, because he himself did not know, but he told her what would happen. Because even to him, the Archangel of God, God did not reveal how it would be, but only commanded him what he was going to convey to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And he said to her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and overshadow you." And you will give birth to a son and you will call his name: Jesus", which means Savior of the world. And that is why we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary and because of her personal Holiness, because she was worthy of such an honor that the Prophets of old spoke about: That the girl will conceive and give birth to a Son and will name him Emmanuel, which means: God is with us", he said. is Metropolitan Joanikije.

"We saw that the Holy Prophets gave several names, speculating and predicting all that the Savior of the world would do when he came. So some called him the Lamb of God as Saint John the Baptist. Others called it: The root, the germ, the source from which the Tree of Salvation of the human race will grow. The Most Holy Theotokos became worthy of this honor primarily because of God's Providence, but also because her heart was ready. And when she heard the words of Archagel, which encouraged and comforted her to receive that good news, she just said as an obedient servant of God: "Here, servant of God, may it be done to me according to your word."

The prayers of the Mother of God are strong and they implore the mercy of God for all of us sinful people. And when we sin, and when we wander, and when we are lost and sick, she is there by our side to refresh and strengthen us. She is there to reconcile our quarrels, to fill our hearts with love for our neighbors, she is with us to encourage us in faith and every good intention and when we have a good intention, to give us the strength to fulfill it and to do the work with will and love God's.

Here, dear brothers and sisters, let us not deprive ourselves of such grace and help, but rather pray to the Holy Mother of God and God, to learn to pray to God. We are often ready to do something good for the Church, to make a contribution, to restore and build a new church, building or monastery lodge. But we are not persistent enough to pray to God regularly. And that is the most important thing, because no good work can be done until we pray to God beautifully and from the heart.

And bearing the comfort of prayer that God gives to those who pray in their soul and heart, then we have the strength to do good deeds. Today we gathered, at this wonderful and great celebration in this beautiful Temple, we partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and touched the love and grace of God through joint service, united in the joy of our holy faith and the grace of the Holy Spirit. With one heart and mouth, we invoked the grace of God and invoked the Holy Mother of God. That we cherish that unity, not only in the Temple and at prayer, but also in our everyday life. Not only in the Temple and at prayer, but also in the family. We know that the devil instigates various temptations, so people often quarrel and disagree over nothing, they are not even aware of why. But when God enlightens us, we are ready to dispel all that darkness and to make peace with our neighbors. And that peace and mutual love is the basis of the good content of our lives. Our life has no quality without God's love. Let us gather in the Temple of God as often as possible, but let us also try to please the Lord everywhere and in every place, spreading God's mercy and God's love", said the Metropolitan.

I would like to thank Father Momčil for honorably performing his many years of service in Dragalje, Risno, Banja Monastery and other Temples

At the end of his address, he congratulated the faithful, the clergy on the glory of the Temple, especially thanking the church committee and Mr. Ilija Ilić for arranging a feast of love. Metropolitan Joanikije especially thanked father Momčilo Glogovac, a long-time priest, for his honorable and long-lasting service and for gathering the people in Risno, the Banja monastery, in Dragalje and in other temples entrusted to him, stressing that Father Momčilo is honorable, respectable and appropriate in the village priest:

"May God grant him health, virtue and strength to serve the living God and the Altar of God. As a sign of gratitude for his faithful and long-term honorable service, we reward him with this Holy Cross, because our Holy Service is in the sign of the Cross", said the bishop, saying that Father Momčilo is a rare example of a priest who, having attained the condition for retirement, wished that his the place is inherited by someone younger.

Father Momčilo Glogovac said that when a man receives some recognition on earth, he is pleased that people see and recognize it: "And when he receives the honorable Cross in the Church, it may mean that he should suffer for the Cross. Because grace is not given for high theology, nor for many prayers, nor for buildings, but for suffering. Bishop, I thank you for that and if God allows me to carry the Cross to the end", Father Momčilo said.

The communion in celebration of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary continued at the table of love.

Ljubica Vukićević

Photo: Željko Drašković