PATRIARCH: PODRINJE IS A PLACE OF ASSEMBLY, PRAYER, AND FORGIVENESS, BUT NOT FORGETFULNESS

BRATUNAC, July 5 /SRNA/ – His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia says central Podrinje and the Birač region are great martyred region that should be place of Serbs’ assembly, prayer and forgiveness, but not forgetfulness.

The Patriarch pointed out that between 1992 and 1995, 3,267 innocent Serbs perished in this region, mostly civilians - women, children, and the elderly.

"The constellation of Serb martyrs is scattered across all regions, but there are places where such stars are more numerous, one of such is Bratunac," the Patriarch said after the memorial service at the Bratunac cemetery for the 3,267 Serb victims from central Podrinje and Birač.

His Holiness emphasizes that the Serbian Orthodox Church is adorned with the testimony of the faith of martyrs.

"In recent centuries, the Church has developed through the testimony of faith, sealed by the blood of martyrs who suffered for the name of Christ. Such sufferers have never been lacking; God has sent them in every era to shine with their life and death before their people and to remind them that the only true value is loyalty to Christ and the Gospel," the Patriarch stated.

He emphasized that places like Bratunac have never been, and should never be, a motive for revenge, grudge-holding, or repaying evil with evil among Serbs, but rather a reminder of the commandment: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

"With this mindset, we should always gather, thus our remembrance and prayer will be salvific. Today’s gathering of Serbs from various regions is necessary to remind ourselves that we are one," the Patriarch said.

His Holiness stressed that the Serbs who perished in Podrinje are innocent, holy victims of Christ.

"We must pray that such evils, committed during past wars, never happen again, not to us, nor to anyone else. We must never forget the innocent victims from other nations either, whether Bosniak or Croat," the Patriarch said.

The Patriarch of Serbs wished for God to grant peace and wisdom so that the suffering of any innocent person, regardless of their nation, would never be repeated.