Today, the Belgrade press writes there would be no extraordinary session of the Serbian Orthodox Church Holly Archbishop’s Synod. However, Blic daily reports the session could be held if a referendum on Kosovo and Metohija is announced.
According to the Blic daily, ever since the Serbian Orthodox Church adopted a stance on Kosovo, which says, “neither independence nor division,” and President Vucic is proposing delineation, relations between church and state became strained.
Although there were speculations over the last couple of days that an extraordinary session of the Serbian Orthodox Church Synod would be hold in September or October, in order for the Church to take a stance on the Kosovo issue, according to the Blic daily, not a single bishop, member of the Synod, requested an extraordinary session. However, the trigger to call one could be an address of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucuc to the Serbs in Kosovo on September 9.
Some bishops consider if Vucic announce plan on delineation in Kosovo, there would be no extraordinary session since the Serbian Orthodox Church made a stance on Kosovo and Metohija clear during its Synod meeting in May this year. In case a referendum is mentioned, then an extraordinary session deemed to be possible.
Blic also claims there are no indicators pointing that the Serbian Orthodox Church might change its earlier stance on delineation. This, from another hand, opens an issue if a conflict between the crucial institutions in Serbia is threatening, that between the president and the Serbian Government with the Serbian Orthodox Church?
Sputnik portal recalls that several church dignitaries voiced strong criticism on the account of the Serbian authorities and their politics toward the southern Serbian province, followed by equally sharp responses by numerous state officials.
Asked if this leads towards deepening the rift between church and state, historian Aleksandar Rakovic responded it is difficult to tell at this moment.
“If there would be a conflict between the church and the state, it means a conflict between the President and the Government of the Republic of Serbia with the Patriarch, Synod and Serbian Orthodox Church Assembly. Therefore, it would be a conflict between the church and the state. I think it is difficult to happen. I wish this not to happen, we all, of course, would like this not to happen, but if crucial disagreements and collision happen, it means a conflict between the church and the state,” Rakovic said.
