CONSECRATION OF CHURCH OF SAINT MARK IN KOŠEVO - SPIRITUAL VICTORY FOR SERBS IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, MAY 9 /SRNA/ - His Eminence Metropolitan of Dabar and Bosnia Hrizostom said today that the restoration and consecration of the Church of Saint Mark at Sarajevo’s Koševo Cemetery represent a historic and spiritual victory for the Serbian Orthodox Church /SOC/ and for Serbs in Sarajevo, where, despite difficult times and their small numbers, they continue to preserve their holy sites, identity, and centuries-old presence.

"Today we experienced the joy and happiness of restoring this church and consecrating it, so that it may be a source of joy not only for us who are alive, but above all for our ancestors who rest here as if in God’s paradise," Metropolitan Hrizostom said after the first liturgy in the restored church. The Metropolitan emphasized that the church, cemetery, and bell tower are sacred places, recalling that the Church of Saint Mark had been confiscated, devastated, and for a long time remained outside the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church. "It was very difficult for us to witness the desecration of and disrespect toward this holy place. Our ancestors rest in cemeteries with the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and that is why we have rebuilt here a church dedicated to them," the Metropolitan said. The bishop recalled that the Church of Saint Mark was consecrated in the 1920s by Hieromartyr Metropolitan Petar Zimonjić, today known as Saint Peter of Dabar-Bosnia, and stressed that the restored church is a historic event that will remain recorded for future generations. On the occasion of the church’s restoration, Metropolitan Hrizostom presented the Gold Order of the Holy Hieromartyr Peter of Dabar-Bosnia to Jelena Peksić, Deputy Speaker of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, for her assistance in the return and restoration of the church, and the Silver Order of the Holy Hieromartyr Peter of Dabar-Bosnia to the church sponsor Nedeljko Đokanović, after which he also presented commendations. Peksić stated that this decoration represents a great honor for her, but also an obligation to continue helping the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian community in Sarajevo and BiH. She said that after taking office in the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, she spoke with clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church about the problems they had faced, and that, in cooperation with cantonal authorities, the return of the Church of Saint Mark was made possible. The sponsor of the restored Church of Saint Mark Nedeljko Đokanović said that the restoration of the church is an encouragement for the Serbian people in Sarajevo, recalling that his family has lived in the city for more than 300 years. "My ancestors lived here, I live here, and I hope my descendants will continue to live in this city,” Đokanović said, adding that everyone should strive not only to restore churches, but also to build new ones. The Mayor of Istočno Sarajevo Ljubiša Ćosić stated that the restoration and consecration of the Church of Saint Mark send an important message that the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people continue to exist in the Sarajevo area. "104 years after the construction of this church, in completely different circumstances, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people still exist in this region," Ćosić emphasized. He thanked Metropolitan Hrizostom, the clergy, and all those who helped return the church to the Serbian Orthodox Church and restore it. Ćosić said that the Koševo cemetery testifies to the long presence of Serbs in Sarajevo, but also to their present-day struggle to preserve their sacred sites, Orthodox faith, and traditions. After the consecration of the church, the church community of Sarajevo presented certificates of appreciation to individuals and institutions that contributed to the restoration and arrangement of the church.