His Eminence the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. This morning, Joanikije performed the great consecration of the restored church of St. Basil the Great in Zagora - Donji Grbalj and served the Holy Bishop's Liturgy in it.

He was served by the clergy of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral.

In the archpastoral sermon, Metropolitan Ioannikije said that the restoration of this temple can be seen as the resurrection of the temple, the resurrection of our holy faith and the restoration of our community.

"Because this holy temple, which your pious ancestors built, was built with the intention of gathering here and praying to God. Even in their time, they prayed to God and gathered together, but, thank God, it continues in our time and it will be like that in the future," said the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral.

Speaking about St. Basil the Great, to whom the temple in Zagora is dedicated, he said that this saint from the fourth century remained a great authority for all Christian nations throughout all time.

"And because of his holy life from his earliest youth, and because of his teaching. He was a great preacher of the Gospel, a great authority in his time for the entire Church. He fought against various false teachings and God gave him such strength and grace and wisdom that he easily refuted and destroyed the false teachings that were tearing the Church apart at the time," reminded the Bishop.

The bishop told those gathered at this holy service that it was most important for our ancestors to maintain our holy faith and the Serbian name, so they suffered many times because of that.

"May God grant that on the occasion of the restoration of this temple and its consecration, the Lord will pour grace on the descendants of its old founders and on all those who come here and pray to God here," said Metropolitan Ioannikije.

The Bishop said that the closer we are to God, the closer we are to each other.

"Such is our holy faith." It gives God's power and God's grace, and all of this translates into our daily life, to spread mutual love, to love each other and to help each other. And if necessary, let's sacrifice ourselves for each other," said Metropolitan Ioannikije and thanked everyone who built this temple and gathered in it throughout history, and especially this generation, which restored the temple.

"May the Lord multiply every good thing in your homes, in your families and in your offspring." Amen, God grant," said at the end the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Mr. Joannikius.

On behalf of the brotherhood of Popović and other Zagorans, Metropolitan Joaniki, the clergy, monks and the assembled faithful greeted Marko Popović.

Radosav Rajo Vojinović.

Photo: Željko Drašković