SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
METROPOLITANATE OF MONTENEGRO AND THE LITTORAL
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
METROPOLITANATE OF MONTENEGRO AND THE LITTORAL

IVANDAN IN KOTOR - THE HOLY ARCHIPHERAL LITURGY WAS OFFERED BY THE METROPOLITAN JOANIKIJE

His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Mr. Ioannikije served today, July 7, on the feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas in Kotor's Old Town.

On the city's waterfront, Metropolitan Joaniki was previously welcomed by the archpriest of Kotor-Tivat, parish priest of Kotor, archpriest Nemanja Krivokapić and members of the Board of Directors of the Serbian Orthodox Church Municipality of Kotor with president Miša Sekulović.

"He was served by the clergy and clergy of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Eparchy of Srem in the prayerful presence of the faithful.

In the archpastoral sermon, the Most Reverend Metropolitan reminded that no birth in the Holy Scriptures, except the birth of Christ, is described in such detail as the birth of St. John the Baptist.

"And not only that, but it is in direct, direct connection with the birth of Christ." Just as the ministry of St. John the Baptist was sublime, he walked before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, so his birth was remarkable - he was born to childless and aged parents for many decades. And only because of that, we see that his birth was due to a special effect and according to the providence and will of God, that the Lord strengthened the nature of the overage and until then childless parents, so that they would have a male child"; Bishop Joanikije spoke.

Archangel Gabriel appeared in the Jerusalem temple, during the service, to the father of Saint John the Baptist, Saint Zacharias, who was also a prophet, high priest of the Jewish people, and announced to him the good news that he would have a son. Zacharias did not immediately believe the words of God's messenger, but the Lord gave him a sign through an angel about the truth of the message that came from heaven, and from that time he became speechless and remained mute until the eighth day after John's birth, when the child was given a name. And instead of giving the child the name of his father - Zacharias according to custom, his mother Saint Elizabeth said: No, but let him be called Jovan; the name Jovan means God's grace, God's favor, God's mercy, goodness... And the Holy Prophet Zachariah confirmed and wrote on the board: His name is John. And immediately his mouth and his tongue were opened, and he spoke, blessing God.

"However, the Holy Fathers interpret the displeasure of the Holy Prophet Zechariah as follows. Until then, man was bound and estranged from God, bound in his sins and practically could not offer real, true praise to God. There were certain people, certain Saints who were pleasing to God, such as the Holy Prophet Moses, the Holy Prophet Elijah and other prophets, but overall people lived in the shadow and darkness of death, and the birth of Saint John the Baptist heralded a new time, a new grace. It indicated the birth of Christ," the Metropolitan taught the gathered.

Saint John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb, which, as the Bishop emphasized, we can see from the miraculous event at the meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had just received the good news about the birth of the Savior of the world and carried Him in her virgin womb, with her relative St. Elizabeth, who was already six months pregnant. During that miraculous encounter, the child danced in the womb of Saint Elizabeth and celebrated the Savior of the world who became incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And then Elisabeth, singing and praising God, said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And where did this come from for the mother of my Lord to come to me?

"It is the first glorification of the Most Holy Mother of God by people, from human mouths, she called the Mother of God. The Holy Fathers interpret that Saint John actually borrowed the mouth of his mother and through her mouth glorified the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He was filled with the Holy Spirit according to the Holy Scriptures, as it is said, while still in his mother's womb. With that, the Lord indicated him to walk before the face of Christ", said the Bishop, recalling that St. John lived in the desert as an angel of the Lord, reached the angelic way of life, feeding on the fruits of plants, but more on God's grace, love, truth, justice and God's by grace. That's how he lived in the desert, until he was filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit and became a vessel of God's truth, justice and love and went out to preach the Gospel, to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus Christ, to prepare the way for every soul hungry and thirsty for the living God.

St. John the Baptist began his sermon with a call to repentance: Repent because the kingdom of heaven is near! He spoke about the coming of Christ, about the Savior, the Redeemer, about the Lamb of God going to the slaughter.

"To shed his blood for the forgiveness of human sins, for the renewal of human nature, to receive life-giving death on the cross and to overcome it with his death, as we sing: Death overcomes death." Saint John the Baptist talks about Christ's death, he points to it when he says: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! It is the Lamb that goes to the slaughter. But with his life-giving blood, he will renew our nature and defeat death, appear as the Savior of the world through his resurrection and make us sharers in his resurrection," said the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joannikius.

According to his words, it was the service of Saint John the Baptist who walked in the spirit and power of Elijah, with that grace with which the Holy Prophet Elijah performed so many miracles. Although Saint John the Baptist did not perform visible miracles like Saint Elijah the Prophet, he performed greater and more significant miracles because he regenerated human souls with his words, his example, his appearance:

"And what is greater than to convert the human soul that lies in the shadow, in the darkness of death and sin." Bring her to the light of day and new life and bring her to Christ. Therefore, although Saint John the Baptist did not perform any visible miracles, he performed too many invisible miracles, which are constantly happening in our lives. Today is a day of great joy, a great holiday. Today is the day that points to the plan of salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ carried out when he sent us Saint John the Baptist who will prepare us, all of humanity, for the coming of Christ and prepare our souls and our hearts to receive the Savior of the world."

Saint John the Baptist preached the Gospel of the Lord and many thought that he was the Christ, but he said that he was not worthy to untie the strap of the shoes of the Savior of the world.

"He was His forerunner both by his holy life and by his preaching, and by his martyrdom and his descent into heaven. Such are the proportions of this great holiday, such was the service of Saint John the Baptist, which the Lord instituted for the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation. Because we needed a mediator to bring us to Christ the Lord, and there is no greater, better and more convincing mediator for us towards Christ than Saint John the Baptist. May the Lord, who blessed, sanctified, strengthened, strengthened Saint John the Baptist and who sent him to lead us to the right, true path of God and lead us to God's path, the path of life, justice, truth, the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven , into Christ's arms, now and always and forever and ever. Amen", said at the end of his archpastoral letter His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joanikije, congratulating the gathered faithful people on the holiday.

After the dismissal, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joanikije awarded Dr. Dino and Maria Panjako from Kotor with the Golden Image of Saint Peter the Second Secret Seer of Lovcen for the fulfillment of God's commandment: Be born and multiply, and fill the earth, and rule it, which they confirmed by giving birth and raising six children. thanking God and His gifts", It is transmitted by the website of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral.

You can see all the photos taken by Andrea Ševaljević at the link:

Photo in Архијерејска литургија - Ивандан 2024. - Google Photos

 

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