PM Marković writes to Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović): Sanctity cannot be preserved with curses

Prime Minister Duško Marković sent a letter to Metropolitan of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church Amfilohije (Radović) on latest developments regarding an illegally built facility.

We publish letter's full content:

In December last year I met Metropolitan Amfilohije, at his request. It is true that we discussed, among other things, the removal of the baptistery in Prevlaka near Tivat.

It is not, however, true that Metropolitan Amfilohije told me that he gave a blessing to the construction of a baptistery. On the contrary, he clearly said that this was done without his knowledge and blessings, and that he agreed that the illegally built facilities should be removed. Three other people who attended the meeting - his two associates and one my associate – are also familiar with this.

I want to tell the Metropolitan that illegally built facilities cannot be made sacred, church and cultural good. Such an approach disguises the whole idea of faith and respect for the sacred places. And this idea, as we know, cannot be implemented separately from the respect for the State and its laws.

And the Word of God commands that the believer prays for authority in the place where he lives, because the common good brings him good too. According to Orthodox teachings, whoever opposes the law, he or she opposes God's order.

In the end, with regret and disappointment, I received the curse Metropolitan put on us and our offspring. But I am not surprised - you, the Metropolitan, were not reluctant to put a curse on us neither on Christmas nor on Easter!

That is why you cannot hide yourself behind the messages of our bishop Petar I Petrović Njegoš, to whom you are referring. Because Saint Petar was making peace and uniting, praying and begging in difficult times - for the sake of progress, unity and concord among his people.

That is why his messages are the epistles and guides, and yours - the curses and nothing more than that.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO