The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Today, in the Cathedral of Christ's Resurrection in Podgorica, together with the clergy and the faithful, Ioannikije served a memorial service for the innocent victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, which took place on Friday, March 22.
The commemoration was also attended by His Excellency the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Montenegro, Mr. Vladislav Maslenikov.
After serving the mention to His Excellency Mr. Metropolitan Joanikije addressed the ambassador of the Russian Federation and everyone gathered. We are transcribing his speech in full:
"We have gathered here in this holy temple, dear brothers and sisters, on a sad occasion to commemorate the children who, through no fault of their own, innocently suffered from terrorists in the capital city of Moscow.
Your Excellency, Mr. Ambassador,
Please accept our sincere condolences from all of us in this great bereavement that has befallen the Russian people and the Russian state. But this mourning is also our mourning. Orthodox Christians perished, mostly children and youth, so what could be more difficult and sadder than that?
However, everything is clear to us, although we could talk about different reasons, we will refrain. Everything that needs to be interpreted will certainly be done by the Russian state and will see who the principals are. The terrorists have already been caught, we will see whose idea it is, whose evil intention it is. It is our duty to express our reverence for the victims in this way, to be in pain with the families, parents, brothers and sisters of the victims. Let us pray for God's mercy, which will receive these innocent victims into the arms of God, into the Kingdom of God. Let's ask God for mercy for the families, for the relatives, for all those who are bereaved, that God sees and receives their tears, and collects their sighs in his hand and gives strength to the families to endure this great loss and this great pain.
There are many things that bind us to the fraternal Russian people. From common Slavic origin, common religion. The entire history of Montenegro in the last 300 years is intertwined with the history of Russia. We always saw the Russian people as a brotherly people, we rejoiced when they rejoiced, we grieved when our Russian brothers grieved.
We do not forget the great benevolence of the Russian people to Montenegro. When there are difficult moments, the people of Montenegro stand together with their Russian brothers, especially at this moment. We offered our prayers to God yesterday when we commemorated the victims of the NATO aggression against our homeland, and together with our victims, we also commemorated the victims of this terror in Moscow. And it shows that sacrifices bring us closer together. Nothing brings people together like shared grief.
May the Lord rest the souls of these innocent children, they are all holy victims, they all died for their homeland and the Russian people will not forget them, and the most important thing is that as innocent victims they are already written in the book of eternal life and God's eternal and eternal memory.
May the Lord dwell them in the Kingdom of Heaven, and may the families be comforted and have spiritual strength to endure this grief. We especially express our condolences to you, Your Excellency, we know how difficult it is for you, but you represent the Russian state here, the Russian state and the Russian people are a strong state and a strong people. There have been many losses in Russian history, and of course we know that you will bear it all with dignity, and certainly that this tragedy that happened and this crime that shook the entire universe, and especially these innocent victims, will unite and bring the Russian people closer together. that with God's grace, all this will turn out well.
Although we regret, grieve, cry, when we encounter such crimes, we know that holy sacrifices establish the people, their relatives and their homeland even more deeply." - said at the end the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joannikius.
We remind you that in the attack on concertgoers in Moscow that took place on Friday evening, 133 people were killed, 140 were wounded, and the shopping center was set on fire. The FSB announced that 11 people were detained, including four terrorists who directly participated in the attack. Citizens wait in lines in front of hospitals and health centers to donate blood. The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, declared March 24 a day of national mourning in Russia.
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