Metropolitan Joanikije was enthroned Sunday morning in the Cetinje Monastery after the solemn liturgy. After the ceremony, he asked for forgiveness because the clergy and the patriarch saw a lot of inconvenience and division in Montenegro. Joanikije is enthroned with shouts of “Worthy”. He said that he would serve the fraternal reconciliation in Montenegro.
Joanikije said that the divisions were artificially caused and that they did everything to remove them, which, he said, will take a long time.
“With your arrival, and sharing the concern with us, you showed great love, not only for me but for the entire people of Montenegro,” said Joanikije, Montenegrin Radio-Television (RTCG) reported.
He added that the metropolitanate was and remains one of the strongest pillars in the large spiritual building of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) throughout its history.
He noted that he would serve the fraternal reconciliation in Montenegro. He will respect the principle of separation of the Church and the State, which is the best precondition for cooperation and progress of the people in Montenegro.
Profirije: We didn’t come to steal anything
Serbian Patriarch Profirije said that they did not come to Montenegro to steal or threaten anyone but to perform the sacred act of enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije.
Profirije said in the Cetinje monastery that the SPC elected Joanikije as the Metropolitan.
“With this solemn act, we did not come to steal anything or to threaten anyone at any time, God forbid. We have come to perform the holy act of enthronement in the place of the archbishop of this diocese,” said Profirije.
Joanikije, he says, was appointed by the faith in God to serve the holy liturgy, which is nothing but the kingdom of heaven among us.