Bishop to president: Act more wisely

SPC Bishop Artemije has sent a letter to President Boris Tadic, protesting because he was not notified as the host of Tadic’s visit to Visoki Decani. In the letter, delivered to the president on Jan. 12, Bishop Artemije described such behavior as "inappropriate," among other things because it brings discord into the canonical order of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC). Bishop to president: Act more wisely The bishop expressed the belief that, should Tadic visit the Visoki Decani monastery again, he would "act more wisely." "Dear president, we do not mind anyone, including you, visiting our monasteries, but it is inappropriate that you, as president, do so without notification, announcement and without asking us, as the host of all monasteries in the Diocese of Ras-Prizren," Bishop Artemije wrote. The bishop reminded Tadic that this was not the first time he had not been informed of the president's visit to Visoki Decani, as the same had happened at Easter. "Forgive me, but that is not wise for a statesman. You thereby bring discord into the canonical order of the Orthodox Church, approaching our vicar and making arrangements with him, bypassing us as the responsible bishop (host)," Bishop Artemije wrote to Tadic, pointing out that Tadic's guest U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden had emulated his example. The bishop stated that in this context, Tadic's messages of peace, the need for reconciliation and meeting halfway lost their meaning and were reduced to empty phrases.

Bishop to president: Act more wisely

The bishop expressed the belief that, should Tadić visit the Visoki Dečani monastery again, he would "act more wisely."

"Dear president, we do not mind anyone, including you, visiting our monasteries, but it is inappropriate that you, as president, do so without notification, announcement and without asking us, as the host of all monasteries in the Diocese of Ras-Prizren," Bishop Artemije wrote.

The bishop reminded Tadić that this was not the first time he had not been informed of the president's visit to Visoki Dečani, as the same had happened at Easter.

"Forgive me, but that is not wise for a statesman. You thereby bring discord into the canonical order of the Orthodox Church, approaching our vicar and making arrangements with him, bypassing us as the responsible bishop (host)," Bishop Artemije wrote to Tadić, pointing out that Tadić's guest U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden had emulated his example.

The bishop stated that in this context, Tadić's messages of peace, the need for reconciliation and meeting halfway lost their meaning and were reduced to empty phrases.