His Eminence the Archbishop of Cetinje, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral and Exarch of the Sacred Throne of Peć, Mr. Joanikije served today, July 25, 2024, on the feast of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Trinity, the Holy Liturgy of the Patriarchs in the Cetinje Monastery, with the concelebration of Archimandrite Paisius, abbot of this holy family and the elected Bishop of Dioclia, as well as the clergy and clergy of the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral and the Eparchy of Zvornik-Tuzla, in the prayerful presence of the faithful people.

Speaking after the dismissal, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joanikije said that today we remember the great miracles and signs that happened through the icon of the Holy Trinity of Hilandarska, which we celebrate today, starting with the first miracle that we know of, which she performed on St. John of Damascus when his hand was cut off , at his request and prayer, attached to his body and made it healthy, until the great miracles that happen to this day.

"In the Church, we celebrate many miraculous icons, we actually celebrate God's grace that was manifested through them both in many past times, as well as today, and it will continue to do so in the future," said Metropolitan Ioannikije.

He explained that visible miracles, such as when someone is sick and is healed, are much more numerous, and sometimes more important, than invisible miracles. As an example, he cited a great miracle when a sinner and a man who has no faith converts when he heals the relics of Saint Vasilij Ostroški or when he approaches one of the miracle-working icons, recalling that this is exactly how many believed, converted and received forgiveness of their sins.

"It all happens invisibly, in fact, miracles happen, dear brothers and sisters, constantly, because God's mercy pours out into this world constantly", said the Bishop.

In the following, he reminded us that the miracle-working icon of the Holy Trinity of Hilandarska binds us to the Holy Land, above all to the Monastery of Saint Sava the Sanctified, to Jerusalem, to those holy places where our holy faith originated, where the preaching of the Gospel of God began:

"And, of course, we remember our Holy Father Sava, who brought that miracle-working icon to Serbian lands, later it was shaved in the Hilandar monastery, just as he also brought the miracle-working icon of the Milkmaid, whose copy we have here, and which is in the Kareja hermitage and in front of which prayers are offered day and night for all of us, for the whole world, for the entire Orthodox universe. So we know that our faith is not from yesterday, that our faith has its ancient sources, but which never dry up and never diminish, they are always fresh and life-giving, miraculous, miracle-working. Such is our holy faith - a holy, sublime faith that regenerates souls, a faith that reconciles, that brings peace, first of all to every Christian, to every Christian soul, and then it also brings peace among the quarrelsome."

According to his words, just as the Most Holy Mother of God attached the severed hand of St. John of Damascus to a healthy body and made it healthy, so also when we are divided, divided, it is enough to turn to the Most Holy Mother of God and repent of our sins so that we can unite again. to overcome all that, to solve it quickly. Because God's mercy and God's grace flows in, which is especially manifested through the mediation of the Most Holy Mistress of our Mother of God, to whom the Cetinje Monastery is dedicated.

"So, since ancient times, we have been celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary and her gracious intercession here. Ever since this place, which is called Cetinje, has been known, for this city, it has been under the patronage of the Most Holy Mother of God, which can be seen from all the temples that were built here and dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God. Health and salvation to all, and may the grace that pours through the miraculous icon of the Holy Trinity be with all of you. Amen, God grant," said at the end of his archpastoral letter His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Mr. Joannikius.

Vesna Devic

Photo: Nikola Joksimović