His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Exarch of the Sacred Throne of Pec, Mr. Joanikije today consecrated the newly built monastery church of the Holy Matrona of Moscow in the village of Kovači in Donji Grblje and celebrated the Holy Archbishop's Liturgy in it with the clergy and the faithful.

During the Holy Service, he promoted the nun Matrona, the abbess of this holy family, to the rank of abbess.

After the intercessory prayer, Metropolitan Ioannikije said in the archpastoral sermon that the monastery of the Holy Atron from Grblje was created, as it is said in the Holy Scriptures: This was created out of nothing.

"But it was God's will, which creates and God's power, which can do everything, to which everything is possible, so our father Jovo Bajković, a Budva priest from this place, when his uncle Danilo, whose land this was, passed away, had a small house here, he gave this piece of land and that small house to the Church, so that the Church could see what would happen to him. And so the monastery of the Holy Matrona of Moscow was started here," he reminded.

Speaking about Saint Matrona, the Metropolitan also reminded that she is also a new saint.

"She was almost completely unknown to the general public." She lived in almost complete isolation, but, since she was God's favorite, and since God was always with her, then He sent several pious women and they took care of her, because she was blind from birth. But God was with her and did not leave her even in the most difficult times," said the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coast.

He reminded that during the Second World War, Saint Matrona was already known to some as transparent.

"As the one who can teach, who can comfort, who can strengthen and who foresees what will happen in the coming days and in the future." It is said that even Stalin came to her to ask her if the Germans were going to occupy Moscow. "She gave everyone comfort and hope, because she had the Spirit of God in her," said the Bishop.

He added that the monastery where her holy relics rest was also renovated in a similar way.

"I remember, when the restoration of his building began, it was very sad. People were coming, but everything was in ruins. The next time I came - God helped -, like at Saint Vasilij Ostroški, there were all the lines. The nuns led us to kiss the relics of the Holy Matrona. We also received great comfort there and we really met the new pleasing God, the Holy Matron," said Metropolitan Ioannikije.

Then Metropolitan Ioannikije Mr. Zdravko Joković was presented with the Order of the Holy King Milutin, and Mr. Lazar Lazarević was awarded the Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje, with which they were awarded at the suggestion of the Metropolitan by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church "in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the construction of the monastery of the Holy Righteous Matron of Moscow in the village of Kovači in Donji Grblje".

Mr. Nenad Forga was awarded the Order of Saint Peter the Second Secret Seer of Lovcen by Metropolitan Ioannikije "for his active love for the Serbian Orthodox Church, and especially for his help during the construction and decoration of the monastery of the Holy Righteous Matron of Moscow".

The archbishop's letters were awarded to: Boris Liješević, Budva, Elena Karelina, Vorkuta (Russia), Miloslav Bijelić, Tyumen (Russia), Vyacheslav Sbitnev, Klin (Russia), Miodrag Lekić, Stari Bar and Rajko Marović, Bar.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/195504480@N04/sets/72177720320917204

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDXTWSQF8bY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsireOhZ3K8

Radosav Rajo Vojinović

Photo: Željko Drašković