Catholic archbishop in Christmas message

BELGRADE Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar wished on Friday a merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it on December 25. He also extended his good wishes to those who follow the Julian calendar, adding that Christmas was a holiday of hope for a different and new world. Catholic archbishop in Christmas message "No one should miss the opportunity during Christmas to become a new person, inspired by true emotions, clear thoughts, words, actions, decisions and relations," Hocevar stated in his message. "May all be blessed by rebirth and start 2013 reborn through the Holy Spirit and spend the year as new people, witnesses of a better and different world," the archbishop stated. He wished a merry Christmas to Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej and all those celebrating the holiday according to the Julian calendar. Serbia's minority Catholics and Protestants will mark the holiday on December 25, while the country's majority Orthodox Christian population will celebrate two weeks later, on January 7. (Beta) Hocevar satisfied with joint jubilee plans Stanislav Hocevar also said on Friday that he was satisfied that the new Serbian government and presidency initiated the joint marking of 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan in 2013. “I am glad that on my initiative, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Patriarch Irinej have included in that group the Roman Catholic Church, which has been the most vocal about that all these years,“ Hocevar said after reading his Christmas message in the Archbishop of Belgrade. He announced that panel discussions will be held as part of the celebrations on May 6 and 22, and a symposium on freedom from April 18-20. The church dedicated to the ascension of the Holy Cross, which is being restored by great artists, will be consecrated in Nis on September 14, he noted. Hocevar also announced that a pilgrimage will start from that church on September 20-21 under the leadership of Archbishop of Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola, as well as that the jubilee year will end in Belgrade with the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King. "There will also be some other events related to the process of dialogue. After all reflections, we would like to end the next year by giving special consideration to the interpretation of history in these areas," Hocevar said. It has been agreed that representatives of the Roman Catholic Church will take part in the events organized by the Serbian Orthodox Church and vice versa, he added. "It would be logical that the dialogue be fully realized at a meeting of all religious leaders, but that remains a possibility for our state in the future," Hocevar said. The Edict of Milan is a document issued by Constantine the Great in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance and put a stop to the persecution of Christians. The central ceremony will be held in Nis on October 6, 2013. This southern Serbian town was the birthplace of Rome's first Christian emperor. B92 Tanjug

Catholic archbishop in Christmas message

"No one should miss the opportunity during Christmas to become a new person, inspired by true emotions, clear thoughts, words, actions, decisions and relations," Hočevar stated in his message.

"May all be blessed by rebirth and start 2013 reborn through the Holy Spirit and spend the year as new people, witnesses of a better and different world," the archbishop stated.

He wished a merry Christmas to Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej and all those celebrating the holiday according to the Julian calendar.

Serbia's minority Catholics and Protestants will mark the holiday on December 25, while the country's majority Orthodox Christian population will celebrate two weeks later, on January 7.

Hočevar satisfied with joint jubilee plans

Stanislav Hočevar also said on Friday that he was satisfied that the new Serbian government and presidency initiated the joint marking of 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan in 2013.

“I am glad that on my initiative, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and Patriarch Irinej have included in that group the Roman Catholic Church, which has been the most vocal about that all these years,“ Hočevar said after reading his Christmas message in the Archbishop of Belgrade.

He announced that panel discussions will be held as part of the celebrations on May 6 and 22, and a symposium on freedom from April 18-20.

The church dedicated to the ascension of the Holy Cross, which is being restored by great artists, will be consecrated in Nis on September 14, he noted.

Hočevar also announced that a pilgrimage will start from that church on September 20-21 under the leadership of Archbishop of Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola, as well as that the jubilee year will end in Belgrade with the celebration of the Feast of Christ the King.

"There will also be some other events related to the process of dialogue. After all reflections, we would like to end the next year by giving special consideration to the interpretation of history in these areas," Hočevar said.

It has been agreed that representatives of the Roman Catholic Church will take part in the events organized by the Serbian Orthodox Church and vice versa, he added.

"It would be logical that the dialogue be fully realized at a meeting of all religious leaders, but that remains a possibility for our state in the future," Hočevar said.

The Edict of Milan is a document issued by Constantine the Great in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance and put a stop to the persecution of Christians.

The central ceremony will be held in Niš on October 6, 2013. This southern Serbian town was the birthplace of Rome's first Christian emperor.