{"id":3798,"date":"2021-03-18T12:27:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T12:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/babamim.com\/?page_id=3798"},"modified":"2021-03-18T23:37:59","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T23:37:59","slug":"page-4","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/babamim.com\/index.php\/page-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Page 4"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Orthodox Baptism\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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“A child is a gift from God”

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3 Sacraments of Holy Baptism<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

“The Service of Baptism inaugurates the person\u2019s reception of\u00a0three Sacraments<\/u>\u00a0\u2013
Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 allowing that person to have the same
potential as any of the greatest saints.

“Nothing more can be added.

“Baptism<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0is one’s personal acceptance of the feast of Pascha. It celebrates one’s unification and identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Holy Chrismation<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0marks one’s acceptance of the Feast of Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered disciples. It celebrates the consecration and dedication of a person\u2019s uniqueness and talents – all in the context that “God’s Holy Name might be glorified” in the life of that person or child.

“The gifts of Baptism and Chrismation prepare one for the true possibilities of communion, life, and nourishment that God provides in Holy Communion,\u00a0the Eucharist<\/strong><\/u>.

“These Sacraments of Entry mark the opening moments of Christian life: the beginning of
a life in Christ which leads from “glory to glory” and to continual re-discovery and joy.”<\/p>

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Usually we think of babies being baptized, but here we have two sisters, beautiful young ladies, who decided on their own, to be baptized into Christ. If you haven’t been baptized yet, think about making the commitment to Christ.\u00a0 He welcomes all!<\/p>

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The girls, their Kumovi, and Fr. Milan Pajic of Midland, PA

<\/span><\/strong>EXORCISMS<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Fr. Rajko Kosic and Nicholas’ Kum help prepare him for a life with Christ.
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The first act of the baptismal service begins in the narthex (entrance) of the church. This is to show that the one being received is not yet a member of the Church. The purpose of baptism is to bring him into the Church. To enter into the temple of God is to be with Christ, to become a member of His body.
The priest then calls upon the sponsor to renounce the devil and all his works for the child: \u201cDo you renounce Satan, and all his angels, and all his works, and all his services, and all his pride?\u201d
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The renouncing of Satan is done facing the west because the west is where the sun\u00a0<\/span>disappears and was regarded by the ancient Greeks as the place of the gates of Hades. Then the\u00a0<\/span>priest faces east whence the light of the sun rises and asks the godparent to accept for the child Him\u00a0<\/span>who is the Light of the World. \u201cDo you unite yourself to Christ?\u201d The renunciation of Satan and the<\/span>
union with Christ express our faith that the newly-baptized child has been transferred from one\u00a0<\/span>master to another, from Satan to Christ.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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THE SIGN OF THE CROSS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

The priest then makes the sign of the cross on the child\u2019s body. This is repeated often during the service. Essentially the cross is the sign of victory which puts the devil to flight. In the old days,
slaves were branded, as are animals today, to show to what master they belong. Today, the sign of the cross brands us as belonging to Christ.<\/p>

Following in the Footsteps of Christ:\u00a0 The Procession
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The lighted candles, the censor and songs, typify that the newly enlightened, through Baptism, has entered into a union with\u00a0Christ, the Light of the World<\/u>.\u00a0 The Procession is a circle that has a beginning with no end, following the Priest around the baptismal font and the table upon which lay the Gospel and Cross, the center of Unity.\u00a0 This shows faithfulness to the Gospel of Christ and the willingness to accept the Cross, the center of Christian life, a life of future spiritual happiness.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sarah’s trip to the altar with V.Rev. Fr. Stepanov at St. Elijah<\/span>
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\u00a0Parker Nicholas’ first trip to the Altar with Fr. Rajko, Pgh.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Before the conclusion of the service, the priest takes the newly baptized and chrismated one to the altar.\u00a0 He\/she is offered to God and the church, just as St. Simon offered Jesus to the temple.\u00a0 The priest then proclaims, “The servant of God is Churched in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy SPirit.”\u00a0 The mother then receives the child at the Royal Doors at the altar just as Virgin Mary received Jesus at the temple.<\/span><\/p>

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\u00a0Thanks to our website Contributors\u00a0George Vurgich\u00a0<\/span>and his sister,\u00a0Dolores Vignovich<\/span>, who collaborated to produce this wonderful Baptism leaflet for\u00a0St. Nicholas’ Serbian Orthodox Church in Monroeville<\/span><\/u>\u00a0to help people better understand the Holy Sacraments of\u00a0Baptism and Chrismation.<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Baptism, as St. Paul writes, is death and resurrection with Christ.\u00a0 In the Sacrament of Baptism, the Holy Spirit cleanses the soul of sin so that all the human soul enters into a relationship with God through grace and is received into the fellowship of true believers.\u00a0 Those baptized receive forgiveness of original sin and are united with Christ in such a way as to receive full benefits of His redemption.\u00a0 They are mysteriously reborn into a spiritual Christian life.<\/span><\/p>

The Orthodox Rite of Baptism begins in the vestibule of the church. The priest breathes three times into the face of the one being baptized, making the sign of the cross on his\/her forehead and chest.\u00a0 By this he signifies that through Baptism the breath of life has been granted, just as God breathed into the nostrils of Adam, the first man.\u00a0 The three times indicate the life-giving Trinity.<\/span><\/p>

The Priest makes the sign of the cross on the brow of the one being baptized three times to signify that by personal disgression he\/she is separated from unbelievers.\u00a0 The brow is considered the center of disgression. The placing of the priest’s hand on the head indicates that the newly baptized has taken refuge in the church.\u00a0 o be completely separated from Satan and to belong to God, the one being baptized and their sponsors (Kum and Kuma) are turned away from the altar, toward the west, and asked to reject Satan three times and to breathe and spit upon Satan.\u00a0 Then turning toward the east, to the altar, the sponsors are asked to confess three times on behalf of the infant, their acceptance of Christ–thus uniting the infant with Christ.\u00a0 The Nicene Creed is then read in its entirety.<\/span><\/p>

Blessing the Water and Immersion<\/span><\/strong><\/u><\/p>

Turning to the baptismal font, the priest reads several prayers and blesses the baptismal water.\u00a0 The blessed water represents all of creation restored to its original condition—filled with the presence of God.\u00a0 The immersion into the water signifies burial with Christ to a new life.\u00a0 The triple immersion represents the Trinitarian dimension of the Christian life, the life of the Holy Trinity:\u00a0\u00a0Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one in essence and undivided.<\/strong><\/span>

\u201cExcept a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.\u201d\u00a0 (John 3:5)

After receiving Baptism, the newly baptized is then clothed in white (The Robe of Holiness) expressing the purity of the soul that has been washed from sin.\u00a0 It also recalls the shining robe in which Christ appeared at the Transfiguration.\u00a0\u00a0There is now a likeness between the one baptized and the transfigured Lord (II Corinthians 5:17).<\/u><\/span>

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The Holy Sacrament of Chrismation<\/strong><\/span><\/u><\/div><\/div>

In the Eastern Orthodox Church,\u00a0Chrismation\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>is administered at the time of Baptism.\u00a0 Through Chrismation, the Holy Spirit fills the soul with strength and wisdom and other gifts to live a holy life.\u00a0 This Sacrament is considered to be the fulfillment of Baptism and gives strength for living the new life received through being baptized.

During this ceremony, the priest anoints certain parts of the body of the baptized infant (or adult) with a substance, containing olive oil and various perfumes, called\u00a0Holy Chrism<\/strong><\/span>, which is prepared by the bishop only during Holy Week.\u00a0 The priest says,\u00a0\u201cThe seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.\u201d<\/strong><\/u><\/span>\u00a0 It is the Holy Spirit of God that we are all \u201csealed for the day of redemption\u201d (Ephesians 4:30).\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
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The body is anointed as follows:\u00a0 the nostrils: (For sweet fragrance); the ears: (To hear the words of faith); the mouth: (My mouth shall speak wisdom); the chest: (For healing of soul and body); the feet (to walk in your footsteps, O Lord); the hands (Your hands have made me and fashioned me, O Lord); the back: (Whosoever wishes to come after me, Let him deny himself and carry their Cross and follow me.).<\/span><\/strong>

By this sacrament, the one being baptized is made a Christian, now eligible to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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(Be sure to read more about the Karamarkovich\/ Vurgich\/Vignovic family on the Serbian Handicrafts page on this website!)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

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Bringing the Whole Family together in the name of Christ! All Mamulas here…..
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Here’s a special baby! \u00a0Welcome Samantha!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0Bato and Ljubi (Ostojich) Hayden were pleased to welcome to Christ, their 3rd grandchild, but the first\u00a0(1st!) female in the Hayden family in 38 years!<\/span><\/p>

Bato and Ljubi have four sons: \u00a0Milan (Jen) have Ilija; Adam (Beth) have \u00a0Luke and Samantha (baby shown here above); and Luke and Daniel are still single as of this writing. (Come on’ girls!)<\/p>

\u00a0Bato Hayden is originally from Aliquippa, PA. He’s a relative to Sava Hajdin, founder of the Serb National Federation. \u00a0Bato is founder of the “Pee Wee Division” of the SNF Basketball Tournaments.\u00a0<\/p>

Baba Ljubi’s maiden name was Ostoich, and her mother was a Chicago Popovich. \u00a0Beth’s (baby Samantha’s mother) maiden name was Lauer.<\/p>

The Christening took place at St. Archangel Michael’s Serbian Orthodox Church on Oct. 10, 2009, with V.Rev. Fr. Dr. Milos Vesin officiating.<\/p>

Kumovi for Samantha were\u00a0Mark Zagorac and Dana Wilkins<\/span>, marking a 2nd generation Kumstvo, as Bato and Ljubi held Mark for his Christening. \u00a0Marko’s brother Sam (Nicole) and the Hayden’s son Milan (Jen) are also Krsteni Kumovi. \u00a0<\/p>

Maternal grandparents are Bob & Kathy Lauer\u00a0<\/p>

Great-grandparents are\u00a0Sophie (Popovich) Ostoich<\/span>\u00a0of Lansing, IL,\u00a0Barbara Hayden<\/span>\u00a0of Marco Island, FL and\u00a0Joe and Pam<\/span>\u00a0Lauer, Lansing, IL<\/p>

Ziveli, all!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

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Baptized unto Christ….<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Family and Friends gather….\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Midland, PA St. George Church altar is\u00a0 beautiful!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Top photo: Fr. Milan Pajic baptizing in the name of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>

Bottom photo:Cutting the hair: First gift to God after baptism.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Next haircut!\u00a0 The first offering of the newly baptized to God.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>
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This ritual cutting of the hair is a sign of dedication, commitment and obedience, as well as faithful service to God.\u00a0 The newly cut hair is preserved in candle wax and given to the mother for safekeeping.<\/span><\/p>

THE CUTTING OF HAIR -more-<\/span><\/strong>
After confirming the child, the priest cuts three locks of hair from the child\u2019s head. This is an
expression of gratitude from the child, who having received an abundance of blessings through the
Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of its hair, which is symbolic of strength (see Samson in the Old Testament). The child, therefore, promises
to serve God with all its strength. In the words of Fr. Schmemann, the cutting of the hair \u201cis a sign that
the life that now begins\u00a0<\/span>is a life of offering and sacrifice.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Next haircut!\u00a0 The first offering of the newly baptized to God.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>
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This ritual cutting of the hair is a sign of dedication, commitment and obedience, as well as faithful service to God.\u00a0 The newly cut hair is preserved in candle wax and given to the mother for safekeeping.<\/span><\/p>

THE CUTTING OF HAIR -more-<\/span><\/strong>
After confirming the child, the priest cuts three locks of hair from the child\u2019s head. This is an
expression of gratitude from the child, who having received an abundance of blessings through the
Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of its hair, which is symbolic of strength (see Samson in the Old Testament). The child, therefore, promises
to serve God with all its strength. In the words of Fr. Schmemann, the cutting of the hair \u201cis a sign that
the life that now begins\u00a0<\/span>is a life of offering and sacrifice.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Alayna gives her gift.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
This ritual cutting of the hair is a sign of dedication, commitment and obedience, as well as faithful service to God.\u00a0 The newly cut hair is preserved in candle wax and given to the Mother for safekeeping.<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++<\/div>

THE ANOINTING WITH OIL<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Jocelyn welcoming the Holy Spirit and the “Oil of Gladness” from Fr. Tom Soroka, separating herself from unbelievers.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Olive oil is blessed and then applied by the priest to the various members of the child\u2019s\/adult’s body: hands, feet, ears, mouth, in order to dedicate them to the service of Christ. The oil is called\u00a0“THE OIL OF GLADNESS,” symbolic of future happiness.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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THE CANDLES<\/strong><\/span><\/div>

However dark may be the night that surrounds us, baptism remains the sacrament of entrance
into light. It opens the eyes of the soul to see Christ, the light of the world (John 1:19). It makes us
sons of light (I Thess. 5:5).
In the early church, the baptismal candle was always kept by the one baptized. It was given to
the newly baptized with the scriptural admonition: \u201cLet your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven\u201d (Matt. 5:16).<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

++++++++++++++++++<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Immersion….<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Deacon Dragoslav Kosic and his happy Family<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Happy relatives share the joy!<\/span><\/p>

++++++++++++++++++<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is what its all about!<\/p>

Kuma Paula Winowich knows!\u00a0<\/p>

++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

Joining the family of Christ<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Kosovo, Serbia's Jerusalem.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our group from the Pittsburgh\/Cleveland area at the monument in Gazi Mestan, Kosovo, for the 600th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, photo by Dr. Rose Gantner, websmaster Mim Bizic’s sister, who is 3rd from the left in a printed dress.\u00a0 Holding the American flag was Serb National Federation’s President at the time, Mr. +Robert Stone. The trip was arranged by Kosta Papich, of Barberton, OH, for which we were all so very grateful.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
We will never forget the hundreds of buses and the 2.2-3 million faithful Serbs there that day, as reported by CNN. They were of all ages, as far as the eyes could see, walking behind their priests, carrying their icons and small hankies of food, walking, walking, walking to the field. It was one of the happiest days of my life as we never saw such a great display of love for Brotherhood and Humanity.\u00a0 And how they respected and made way for our American decorated bus. I will never forget.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
That we would ever even think of bombing the Serbian people was such a huge mistake and should always be remembered. Forgive, but never forget!<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
The Serbian people were loyal ALLIES in WWI and WWII, and how they sheltered and rescued at great cost to themselves, the 500+ airmen (432 American and 80 Allied).\u00a0 It was a grave mistake. Not in a million years would I have ever thought that NATO, looking for an excuse for its existence with its upcoming 50th anniversary, and to get rid of impeachment headlines for President Clinton and Monica’s blue dress. There were atrocities committed on all the multiple sides of the Yugoslav Civil War, but only one side was made to suffer.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
There can be no Serbian history without Kosovo.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
“Kosovo is Serbian, Kosovo is Serbia!”<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Vaseljenska Cross, Kosovo i Metohija<\/div>
\u041d\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435 \u0431\u0438\u0442\u0438 \u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0458\u0438 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0435 \u0431\u0435\u0437 \u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div>
“\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0435, \u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0430!”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Painting of the Serbian Double-Headed Eagle breaking Turkish shackles and chains,<\/div>
a Rising Sun in background with Kosovo 1912<\/div>
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“Hristos Voskrese!” -Easter, 2012 in Gracanica<\/div>
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The famous Serbian poetess,\u00a0+Desanka Maksimovich,<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0recited a poem in the Pristina Library in Kosovo, talking about the famous monastery, Gracanica: \u00a0“Gracanica, if only you were not made of stone, if only you could ascend to the sky….”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
The late beloved\u00a0Patriarch +Pavle<\/strong><\/span>,of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who was savagely beaten when still a Bishop in Kosovo, later said \u00a0as Patriach:<\/div>
“Is there a need to remind you that we are not talking just about a part of the territory, but also about the heart and soul of the Serbian people?”<\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0(Kosovo and Metohija<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
NATO’S WAR ON SERBIAN UNJUST<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
Here are some comments by the Rev. Canon Kenneth W. Gunn-Walberg, Pd.D., about NATO’s bombing delivered to the State Department in Washington on 21 June 1999, on “The Case for Monarchy In Serbia.”<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
He argued that the war by NATO against Serbia was\u00a0not necessary, not just, and not inevitable.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
“It had been given warrant by manipulation of the truth and outright lies which defamed the Serbs in order to justify seventy-eight days of bombing, the imposition of sanctions, and Hague indictments.”<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/div>
“My second major argument was that once Milosevic went, and go he must, the end of the interregnum must occur if a restructuring and reintegration of the civic and spiritual \u00a0life of Yugoslavia was to occur.”<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
At a meeting held on 23-26 March 2000, Gunn-Walberg spoke in Belgrade to the International Conference on the Effects of Aggression of NATO Against the Former Yugoslavia. \u00a0In Belgrade, his comments and paper were freely distributed, but they were not distributed at all in Washington.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Thomas R. Hutson, a former US Consul General in Belgrade \u00a0who retired from the Foreign Service on 30 June 1999 in protest of the bombing,<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0eventually pursed a Freedom of Information request to ascertain why it had not been distributed to embassies and consulates as was the custom and found that no such study had ever been done. Such was the antipathy from the U.S. State Department.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
“Also,” continued Gunn-Walberg, with the events of 11 September the demonization of the Serbs was to be obliquely revisited when the Bush administration, in order to curry favor with the so-called moderate Islamic states, cited the U.S. siding with the Muslims of Bosnia and Kosovo against the ‘beastly’ Serbs. \u00a0It is interesting to note that in a communique’ in August, 1998, Osama bin Laden listed Serbia as being among ‘the worst infidel nations.’ \u00a0It is well-documented that bin Laden’s organization both trained and financially supported the KLA. \u00a0So, too, veterans of the Islamic Jihad from Bosnia and Afghanistan had participated in Kosovo. \u00a0The irony of the American position is self-evident.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/div>

“A King for Yugoslavia,” Speech delivered at the Slava luncheon sponsored by the Serbian National Shield Society \u00a0Toronto Chapter ‘Karadjordje.’ Voice of Canadian Serbs, Thurdsay, December 27, 2001.<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
One of the best sites to learn more about what happened to the Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo is to read the book called CRUCIFIED KOSOVO that can be found on the Serbian Orthodox Church History website.<\/span><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Destruction of Serbian Orthodox Churches and Monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija (June 13-October 1, 1999)<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The same site offers this essay on Kosovo by Dr. Stephen K. Stoan, PhD at Duke University Duke University, 1970
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Director of Library and Information Services, Drury Colllege, Springfield MO 65802<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is what he had to say about Kosovo:<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Kosovo je danas postalo me\u0111unarodno pitanje zbog, kako se stalno pote\u017ee, \u201ekr\u0161enja ljudskih prava nad \u0160iptarima na Kosovu\u201d, a nije uspelo da se postavi, tada, ni kao me\u0111ujugoslovensko, kada su stradavali Srbi na Kosovu za \u010ditavo vreme moje dugogodi\u0161nje vladi\u010danske slu\u017ebe onde.<\/strong><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
(Kosovo has today become an international issue because, as it is always being brought up, “human rights violations against Kosovo Albanians,” but that issue never was brought up at the time, not even as an issue among the Yugoslav people when the Serbs were suffering on Kosovo during the entire time of my serving as Bishop there.)\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Bishop Artemije on Kosovo:<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0 “Regardless of the unilateral, lawless and illegitimate proclamation of independence of Kosovo and Metohija by the Albanians, and the international attitude to that issue, it is our duty that we insure the awareness in our people what Kosovo and Metohija are for us, from kindergarten to University, and to old people\u2019s homes. We must realize that it is the holiest and the most important part of Serbia, that it is the cradle of our spirituality, our culture and our statehood.; that\u00a0to Serbia and the Serbian people Kosovo is what a heart is to a man. When you extract a heart, there is no more man<\/span><\/strong>. Kosovo is our inalienable identity, our identity document.<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
“From the international community we expect a more consistent commitment to implementation of the\u00a0UNSC 1244 Resolution<\/strong><\/span>, and the impartial relationship to all the residents of Kosovo and Metohija, especially when it comes to returns of refugees and the respect of basic human rights.”\u00a0\u00a0Bishop Artemije<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/div>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Meet Vojin Joksimovich,<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
a true Serb Defender,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/div>
a modern-day Bosko Jugovich!<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Vojin was born and educated in Belgrade, Serbia, obtaining his Electrical Engineering degree at the University of Belgrade \u00a0in 1961. \u00a0He worked in Belgrade and then earned his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from Imperial College in London. He arrived in the USA in 1970 and became an American citizen in 1976. \u00a0He originated over 125 professional publications presented at various international conferences. \u00a0He founded his own consulting company in 1988. This distinguished leader of Nuclear Energy Safety, Risk Assessment and Nuclear Regulations also found time to serve as President of the Serbian Unity Congress. His leadership skills parallel those of his grand uncle, Dr. Dragic Joksimovic, who courageously defended General Draza Mihailovic in Tito’s kangaroo court show trial after WWII.<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Vojin has published over 70 newspaper and internet columns. He delivered a similar number of talks, on various aspects of Balkan conflicts, at various American universities including the Kennedy School of Government at the Harvard University, University of Colorado, UC Berkeley and most San Diego universities. He spoke at the prestigious Commonwealth Club in San Francisco and the World Affairs Councils in Boston, the Orange County and San Diego seven times. He was interviewed many times on TV and radio. He authored two comprehensive ebooks prior to this one: Kosovo Crisis: A Study in Foreign Policy Mismanagement, and The Revenge of the Prophet: How Clinton and His Predecessors Empowered Radical Islam. In 2008, Vojin received the Outstanding Member Award by the San Diego World Affairs Council for recruiting scores of speakers and presenting many insightful talks on the Balkans and Nuclear Energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Here is the site where you can order his ebook:<\/div>
http:\/\/www.kosovoisserbia.biz\/#buy\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A Shameful Tale of Duplicity, Double Standards and Mismanagement<\/h4>
\u201cThis ebook tells the sad story of US foreign policy blunders in the Balkans. It is a shameful tale of duplicity, double standards, and mismanagement. The backing of Albanian terrorists, the bombing of Serbia and the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state mark a historic turning point. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong>(James Bissett, Former Canadian Ambassador to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Albania)\u00a0<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
Throughout history, Kosovo was important to the Serbian people!\u00a0 Take this 1938 booklet from the collection of Tim and Melanie Tomich Limrick for example!<\/span><\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Click on rt. hand corner of photos to enlarge…..<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Kosovo is not just a piece of geography.\u00a0 It is the heart and soul of the Serbian nation, wherever the nation exists, no matter how great or how small.<\/p>

Kosovo is like a mirror.\u00a0 It echoes the past and reflects the future, wherever one lives.<\/p>

The Battle of Kosovo mirrors the SPIRIT of the people.\u00a0 The Battle of Kosovo is the KEYSTONE of Serbian history.<\/p>

Many sacrifices were made by the Serbian heroes on Kosovo Polje or the Field of Blackbirds for the Serbian ideals of Liberty, Justice, Equality and THE CROSS!\u00a0<\/p>

Individual Serbs carry Kosovo with them wherever they are, just like they carry the image of the “White Angel” (Bjeli Andjel) with them wherever they travel.<\/p>

If the icon of\u00a0Christ on the Cross<\/u><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is reminiscent of the painting of\u00a0The Maid of Kosovo,<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0then the\u00a0White Angel<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>icon is representative of the hope, the freedom, the better tomorrow— such as when the angel guarding Christ’s tomb announces,\u00a0“He is not here, He has Risen!<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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People are forced to make hard choices every day in their lives, but the Serbs are fortunate in that they have a good example to follow.\u00a0 Follow the cross!\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0Czar Lazar had to make a choice between an earthly kingdom or a heavenly one.\u00a0 Choose well.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Although the Serbs were vassals under the Turks for many centuries, called “dogs” and other derogatory terms,\u00a0they were never slaves.<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0 There were always the resistance fighters, the ones who could never be shackled in thought and prayers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This photo was take<\/span>n in front of the Pec Monastery in Kosovo, in 2006, during a “Tour of Serbian Monasteries.”\u00a0 Surely, this Serbian Monastery, the Seat of the Serbian Patriarchate at the time of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, attests to the rightful heritage of this Holy Land, the Serbian Jerusalem!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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600 years ago, Prince Lazar uttered this curse:
<\/strong><\/u><\/span><\/p>

“Ko ne dodje na boj na Kosovo,<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Od ruke mu nista se rodilo<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Ni u polju psenica bjelica<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Ni u brdu vinova lozica<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Ne imao u kuci porode<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Rdjom kap’o dok mu je kolena.”<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Translated, that means:<\/strong><\/span><\/u><\/p>

“Whoever comes not to Kosovo to fight<\/span><\/p>

May no fruit come forth from his laboring hand<\/span><\/p>

Neither the sweet white-kerneled wheat in his fields,<\/span><\/p>

Nor yet the wine from his vineyards in the hills.<\/span><\/p>

May there be no children born unto his house.<\/span><\/p>

May he and all his live and die in torment.”<\/span><\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

The Serbs from Farrell, Pennsylvania heard Czar Lazar’s call, even in 1930, 541 years AFTER the Battle of Kosovo!\u00a0 Look at this beautiful SILK banner they made for their VIDOVDAN lodge of Volunteers that now hangs at the\u00a0Western Pennsylvania Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh<\/strong><\/span>! Also note the\u00a0U.S.A.<\/strong><\/u><\/span>\u00a0at the bottom of the flag.\u00a0<\/div>
They were great Americans, but proud of their Serbian descent!<\/div>
Note Czar Lazar in the middle of the banner.<\/strong><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To learn more about the museum where the Serb National Federation’s Museum collection is now housed, visit: \u00a0\u00a0http:\/\/www.pghhistory.org<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Famous gusle right behind Mim.\u00a0 Banner, King Alexander painting, GI Joe doll of Mitchell Paige, Vinka’s costume, a few other things to see. Mitchell Paige was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner.\u00a0 In his mother’s kitchen in Charleroi, PA was always the painting of THE MAID OF KOSOVO.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The SRBORAN showed this photo of the men\u00a0 from Farrell donating the flag to the Serb National\u00a0 Federation, which is now at the\u00a0 Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. It’s embroidered on BOTH sides, one in Serbian Cyrillic, and the other in English!<\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Serbian Hero, Milosh Obilich, slew Sultan Murad in his tent, by pretending to be a turn-coat “traitor” to his people.<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0+++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

In 1989<\/strong><\/span>, the Petar Krstich Serbian Choir of Steubenville, OH, performed\u00a0“Kosovski Bozuri”<\/strong>\u00a0as the main event of the Gala Banquet commemorating the\u00a0600th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0in Detroit’s Hyatt Regency Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. The cantata was set to music by Director Emeritus, Slobodan Zelich.<\/p>

“Kosovski Bozuri”<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0is the Serbian’s beloved bright red Kosovo poppy (bozur), which according to tradition, sprang up from the precious blood of the heroes of Kosovo, and covered the “Field of the Blackbird.”<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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(Tole Artwork by Billie Brnilovic & Georgette Osman)<\/span><\/p>

For generations, Serbian poets, writers, artists and composers have created cultural flowers,\u00a0spiritual Kosovo poppies.\u00a0<\/em><\/u><\/p>

Paul Bielich, wrote in the August 23, 1989 American SRBOBRAN, “These spiritual Kosovo poppies watered the soul with patriotism and faith.\u00a0 The spiritual bouquets trace the historical rise and fall of our people from Kosovo to the present day— in which they still proclaim loudly,<\/p>

“For the Honorable Cross and Golden Freedom!”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Za krst casni, i slobodu zlatnu!<\/p>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++\u00a0<\/p>

Rev. J. Popovich wrote about the Battle of Kosovo, and The Field of Blackbirds, printed in Milan Karlo’s June,\u00a01948<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0magazine American SERB LIFE.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Here’s the bus from Pittsburgh in Washington, DC!\u00a0<\/p>

Around the world, people were quick to protest the unfair land grab from Serbia and recognition of Kosovo as an independent country. U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, stating the official U.S. position, stated: “It’s time to drop centuries of grievance and sentimentality in the Balkans.\u00a0 I mean, after all, we’re talking about something from 1389!\u00a0 Time to move forward.”<\/em><\/p>

Would you, Ms. Rice, be the first to give up the Alamo, the Liberty Bell, or the Statue of Liberty?\u00a0 I wouldn’t.
<\/em><\/strong><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>

\u00a0+++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

There’s a beautiful song on YouTube about Kosovo.<\/p>

It was translated here by<\/p>

Nena Jovonovich &\u00a0 Ann & Voya Vitorovich<\/p>

Kosovo je Du\u0161a Srbije\u00a0<—- click to hear<\/span><\/a>

Kosovo je du\u0161a Srbije
Sveto polje najSrpskije
Kosovo je Vera, Nada
Mesto gde se za krst strada
Kosovo je najSrpskije
Lice Bo\u017eije

Tamo gde je du\u0161a ostala
Tamo je I na\u0161a sudbina
Tamo gde je srce bilo
Gde se Bo\u017eje dogodilo
Tamo sto je, sve je Srbija

Jedno polje prelepo
Bo\u017eurom se kitilo
Jedno polje presveto
U nebo se propelo
Jednu veru \u0107uvao
U krvi se kupalo

Kad se java razdeli od sna
I ostane samo ikona
I kad ve\u0107nost broji dane
Nad Srbijom sunce grane
Kosovo je uvek Srbija
Uvek Srbija
_________
Kosovo is the soul of Serbia
Hallowed ground, most Serbian
Kosovo is Faith, Hope
Land of martyrdom for the cross
Kosovo is most Serbian
Face of the Lord
There where the soul remained
There too is our destiny
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There where the heart remained\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where God’s will was done
All that is there, all is Serbia
All is Serbia

REFRAIN:
One most beautiful field
Adorned with poppies
One most sacred field
Has ascended to heaven
One faith safeguarded
Bathed in blood

When reality replaces the dream
Only an icon remains
And when Eternity counts the days
Above Serbia the sun shines
Kosovo is always Serbia
Always Serbia<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

In Cyrillic:\u00a0<\/p>

\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0414\u0443\u0448\u0430 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0421\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043e \u041f\u043e\u0459\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0458\u0421\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0458\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0440\u0430, \u043d\u0430\u0434\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u0441\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0437\u0430 \u043a\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0443 \u0421\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0458\u0421\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0458\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041b\u0438\u0446\u0435 \u0411\u043e\u0436\u0438\u0458\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u0458\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u043c\u043e \u0414\u0443\u0448\u0430 \u041e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0422\u0430\u043c\u043e \u043c\u0438 \u0458\u0435 \u041d\u0430\u0448\u0430 \u0421\u0443\u0434\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u0458\u0435 \u0421\u0440\u0446\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u043c\u043e \u0431\u0438\u043b\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u0441\u0435 \u0411\u043e\u0436\u0438\u0458\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0428\u0442\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u043c\u043e, \u0421\u0432\u0435 \u0458\u0435 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0430 ”\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0408\u0435\u0434\u043d\u043e \u043f\u0440\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043f\u043e \u041f\u043e\u0459\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0411\u043e\u0436\u0443\u0440\u043e\u043c \u0441\u0435\u0431\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043b\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0408\u0435\u0434\u043d\u043e \u041f\u043e\u0459\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0431\u043e \u0441\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0435\u043b\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0408\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0443 \u0432\u0435\u0440\u0443 \u045b\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0423 \u043a\u0440\u0432\u0438 \u0441\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0430\u043b\u043e\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041a\u0430\u0434 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u0438 \u0408\u0430\u0432\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u043e\u0434 \u0441\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0421\u0430\u043c\u043e \u0434\u0430 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u0418\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041a\u0430\u0434 \u0441\u0430\u043c \u0432\u0435\u045b\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442 \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0458\u0438 \u0414\u0430\u043d\u0435\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0421\u0423\u041d\u0426\u0415 \u0433\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0434 \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u043e\u043c\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u0458\u0435 \u0443\u0432\u0435\u043a \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0430 ”\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u0423\u0432\u0435\u043a \u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u0458\u0430 ”\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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American SRBOBRAN headlines, Friday, June 25, 1943, Vol. XXXVII, No. 8368<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

These headlines say it all— As long as there are people and as long as there is Kosovo…. and the two starring figures are Milosh Obilich & Draza Mihailovich in this 1943 issue of the SRBOBRAN above!<\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++++<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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$621.00 was raised quickly at the St. Sava’s Day program 2007 in St. Elijah’s\u00a0to help buy firewood for the freezing Serbian children in Kosovo.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 (Even the young orchestra gave all their “tip” money to the cause!)\u00a0 The money was sent to V. Rev. Arch. Necatious Serfes of Boise, Idaho,\u00a0 immediately after his plea as administrator of the Decani Relief Fund.\u00a0 He can be contacted at frdmitri@connecttime.net or:<\/p>

V. Rev. Arch. Necatrious Serfes<\/p>

2618 W. Bannock St., Boise, Idaho 83702\u00a0<\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++\u00a0<\/p>

Sporting Events and Kosovo<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/p>

Milorad Cavic<\/span><\/strong>, a young American Serb from California was swimming for Serbia when he won the Gold Medal for his Butterfly stroke in Europe, breaking all previous world records.\u00a0 However, one official complained about Milorad’s shirt because it said in Cyrillic,\u00a0“Kosovo is Serbia,”\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>and unbelievably, Cavic was fined over $10,000!<\/p>

This was incredibly cruel, as (1) in America, we have freedom to express ourselves; (2) they displayed the wrong flag when he won the championship. Was that official biased or what?\u00a0<\/p>

Milorad Cavic sent all of you children greetings!\u00a0 He worked hard in preparation for the Beijing Olympics.<\/p>

UPDATE:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/u><\/p>

CAVIC EARNS SILVER MEDAL AT OLYMPICS, but GOLD MEDAL in Serbian Hearts!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Read the Story here:<\/p>

Cavic Already a Hero in Serbia by Andrew Dampf, AP Sports Writer AP, Beijing, China, August 16, 2008\u00a0<\/a><\/p>

+++ ++++++<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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September 12, 2008<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/p>

From our Detroit contributor, Pam, comes this news!<\/span><\/u><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Imagine how THRILLED young American Serb Alexa of Dearborn Dolphins Swim Club was to actually MEET her hero, Milorad Cavic, at a swim camp in Florida!\u00a0 He encouraged her to keep pursuing her dreams of being in the Olympics someday too!<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0Our eyes & hearts are upon you, Alexa!\u00a0 Keep on going and make us all proud like Mike has!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Everyone loves Milorad because of his kindness to others and desire to always do his best! \u00a0There is even a FACEBOOK group you can join about the American\/Serbian Champion Milorad Cavic.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Click here to another article from the NY Times about Cavic Finds Triumph in Narrowest of Defeats<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

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Make sure you check out the latest in Serbian tennis stars.\u00a0 They (Ana, Jelena and Djoko<\/strong><\/span>) are doing a tremendous job.\u00a0<\/p>

Isn’t it telling that the French said the ceremonies were copyrighted and wouldn’t let YouTube continue showing the playing of the Serbian National Anthem,\u00a0“Boze Pravde”<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0that proclaimed\u00a0 Ana’s \/Serbia’s 1st place Championship at the French Open?<\/p>

Perhaps those French officials aren’t familiar with the English translation of “Boze Pravde”-God of Truth:<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Here it is in Serbian Cyrillic<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Milosh Obilich is here promising Czar Lazar at their “Last Supper” that he is NOT a traitor.\u00a0 He proved it the next day by pretending he was ready to join the Turkish side.\u00a0 Once inside the Sultan’s tent, he slew Murad I and ever since has been known as one of Serbia’s greatest and bravest heroes!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Serbia has medals with images of Milosh Obilich.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Here is Czarica Milica and Czar Lazar.\u00a0 Note the crest in the middle.\u00a0 Czar Lazar is the one who added the 4 C’s to the Serbian crest that you will find everywhere, even to his day!\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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+++++++++++++<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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SONG TO SACRED SERBIA<\/p>

by St. Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich\u00a0<\/p>

(Translation by Voya and Ann Vitorovich)

“Oh, Serbia, beloved mother!
May you always have good fortune,
Your children love you,
And for you they pray to God.

Land of our forefathers,
Knights, and saints.
For the honor of the cross, martyrs
For freedom, defenders.

Grave to grave — holy cemetery,
There rest Serbian slaves.
And all altars to altars
The legacy of Serbian kings.

On Kosovo, Gracanica,
On the mountain, Studenica,
By the Morava, Ravanica,
In Krusevac, Lazarica.

From every battle to battle,
Before and after Vidov Dan,
You are everywhere poured out in blood,
Everywhere washed in tears.(or awash in tears)

There Kosovo sadly stands,
Counting five centuries of slavery,
Memorial of glory and heroism,
And discord and betrayal.

Fear not, beloved mother,
God will give to you good fortune.
And you will be most happy,
And of all, most praised, glorious.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bishop Nikolai’s poem appeared in the Sunday, August 3, 1958 dedication of St. Elijah’s NEW church at 2200 Main Street, Aliquippa, PA<\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I took the photo of this bombed-out Serbian home.<\/p>

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Srpska Se Truba<\/span><\/p>

\u0421\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u0430 \u0441\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0431\u0430 \u0441 \u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430 \u0447\u0443\u0458\u0435,
\u0421\u0440\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0432\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0433 \u0434\u0430 \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0443\u0458\u0435.
\u0422\u0440\u0443\u0431\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u0431\u0440\u0430\u045b\u043e, \u0441\u0438\u043b\u043d\u0438\u0458\u0435, \u0431\u043e\u0459\u0435,
\u043e\u043f\u0435\u0442 \u0458\u0435 \u0441\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u043e \u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u041f\u043e\u0459\u0435.

\u0421\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u0438 \u0458\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0446\u0438, \u0441\u0443\u043d\u0446\u0435 \u0432\u0430\u043c \u0441\u0438\u043d\u0443,
\u043e\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0441\u0435 \u0432\u0438 \u0434\u0443\u0448\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0438\u043d\u0443.
\u041e\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0426\u0430\u0440\u0430 \u041b\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0440\u0430,
\u0441\u0432\u0435 \u0408\u0443\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u045b\u0435, \u0411\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0440\u0430.

\u0418\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0430, \u041c\u0438\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0430, \u041c\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0448\u0430 \u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430,
\u0421\u0440\u043f\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0438\u043c \u043a\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0435 \u0445\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u0438 \u0441\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0430.
\u0411\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u045b \u0421\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0445\u0438\u045a\u0443, \u041a\u0440\u0430\u0459\u0435\u0432\u0438\u045b \u041c\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0430,
\u0441\u0432\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0441 \u0458\u0435 \u0441\u0440\u043f\u0441\u043a\u0430 \u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u0458\u043a\u0430.\u00a0<\/p>

+++++++<\/p>

Srpska se truba s Kosova cuje<\/p>

Srbina svokog da obraduje<\/p>

Trubite jace silnije bolje<\/p>

Srpsko je opet Kosovo polje<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Janci srpski sunce van sinu<\/p>

Osvetiste se dindusmaninu<\/p>

Osvetiti ste cara Lazara<\/p>

Sve Jugovice Bogdana stara.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Ivana, Milana, Milosa-Lava<\/p>

Srpstov vam klice slava i hvala. (2 times)\u00a0<\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

From my Baba’s diary in 1941.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Andja Mamula<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0wrote right before I was born, “Rano sam ustala, idem raditi.\u00a0 Danas je mili Vidov Dan. Na taj dan propala je Srpska Carevina, ali dodje vreme da se povrati Srpsko Carstvo.\u00a0 To su Srbi svojom krvi povratili i nikada nisu popustili, nisu dok opet svoje ne dobishe Carstvo.\u00a0 To je bilo dugo cekati.\u00a0 Tu su se cekale stotine godina dalje.\u00a0 Srbin svoje pravo dobijo ali sad opet udari Prokleta izdaja sav narod.\u00a0 Sve porushi i ognjen popali prokletom seme i koljeno.\u00a0 Ovo pisem i suzom polevam.\u00a0 Idem u Mater Crkvu dase svi skupa Bogu pomolimo, za nashe umrele i izginule junake.\u00a0 Slava im!\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

Bishop Artemije of Serbian Orthodox Church Rashka-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija Diocese, Interview to Glas Javnosti on 18 March 2008<\/span><\/u><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u201c\u2026Kosovo is not, nor has it ever been, the cause of suffering \u2018of the entire nation.\u2019 It has rather always been and meant\u00a0the salvation<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0of the entire nation. And so it is today. Those for whom only the worldly criteria exist say that Kosovo led us into five centuries of slavery under the Turks and was therefore the cause of suffering \u2018of the entire nation.\u2019<\/span><\/div>

\u201cOthers for whom also another, spiritual, criteria exist say that Kosovo gave us strength to endure five centuries of Turkish occupation and live to see the sun of freedom rise again from Kosovo and shine its light upon us.<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
These two ways of looking at Kosovo exist today too.\u00a0Kosovo does not have a price.<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0It never did. For this reason, neither the present generation nor any future generation can have the right to renounce its Kosovo for the sake of \u2018a better life.\u2019<\/span><\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
If any generation were to do this, instead of gaining \u2018a better life\u2019 it would perish in a spiritual death from which there is no resurrection\u2026\u201d
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>

\u00a0++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In Kosovo, 2009, on Vidovdan, Prince Aleksandar & Bishop<\/span><\/div>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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620th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389<\/span><\/div>
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Four wonderful men of one mind @ Kosovo.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kind and wonderful Princess Katherine distributes small gifts to children.<\/span><\/p>

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Click the lower right hand corner to see this exciting poster about Vidovdan with the Serbian folklore group “Miroslav Bata Marcetich” celebrated on Friday, 26 of June, 2009 at 8:00 PM.<\/p>

Near\/Far, wherever they are:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Kosovo is Serbia!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

“What then is the earthly worth?<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

It is but a day, It passeth away,<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

And the glory of earth full soon is o’er,<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

But the glory of God is more and more.”<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Czar Lazar chose the Kingdom of the Lord rather than the worldly empire. \u00a0And so indeed, do the Serbian people.<\/p>

“There resteth to Serbia a glory,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

A glory that shall not grow old;<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

There remaineth to Serbia a story,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

A tale to be chanted and told!<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

They are gone to their graves grim and gory,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

The beautiful, brave and bold;<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

But out of the darkness and desolation,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Of the mourning heart of a widow’d nation,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Their memory waketh an exultation!<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Yea, so long as a babe shall be born,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Or there resteth a man in the land–<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

So long as a blade of corn<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Shall be reapt by a human hand—<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

So long as the grass shall grow<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

On the mighty plain of Kosovo—<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

So long, so long, even so,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Shall the glory of those remain<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Who this day in battle were slain.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

++++<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0And doubt ye, doubt ye, the tale I tell?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Ask of the dead, for the dead know well;<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Let them answer ye, each from his mouldy bed,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

For there is no falsehood among the dead;<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

And there by twelve thousand dead men know,<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Who betray’d the Tzar of Kosovo.”\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

Mark S. Kuhar, poet,<\/span><\/h3>

Cleveland OH<\/h4>

“Remembering the Bloody Spring of 1999: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Serbia Burning” (May 10, 1999)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Excerpts as they appeared in the American SRBOBRAN Literary Supplement of 2001<\/span><\/p>

Baba Anka is in Kosovo,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

hiding in the root cellar.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

She refuses to leave.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Militias set fire to farms<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

and raze villages,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

and pilfer TV sets<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

from once proud suburban homes,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

and rape teenage girls<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

in foul garages stinking of gas.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Baba Anka hides—-<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

as she did in 1944.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

In Belgrade<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

they hold hands and sing songs<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

with targets pinned to their backs.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

They pick through the ruins of buildings<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

and as bombs fall,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

another wave<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

of the deceased and deported\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

crosses over Albani<\/em><\/strong>a’s borer<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

with only the shirts on their back….<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

There are no new cars in Kosovo,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

none in Belgrade.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

The planes rain metal death<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

on convoys and columns<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

attacking mute targets<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

while soldiers cower in the forest….<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Once the Turks<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

owned the dirt of Kosovo.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

On the Field of Blackbirds<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

the Serbian army-<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

wiped out to the last dead man.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Kosovo is Gettysburg.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Kosovos is Normandy,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Kosovo is Waterloo,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

\u00a0Kosovo is Stalingrad,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Kosovo is Bunker Hill,<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Kosovo is Atlanta burning.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

That’s what it means to the Serbs.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

There is no Serbia without Kosovo.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

Branko Terzic<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Former Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner (FERC),<\/h4>

State Public Service Commissioner and\u00a0Utility Chief Executive officer<\/h4>

Currently a Global and U.S. Regulatory Policy Leader in Energy & Reources for Deloitte Services LP.<\/h4>

Served as a regional managing partner for the Resources, Energy & Infrastructure practice group of Deloitte & Touche Central Europe (Prague, Czech Repubic).\u00a0<\/h4>

For more, go to this Deloitte-Touche website:<\/p>

Branko Terzic<\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Don’t forget to come back!<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

\u201d\u041a\u043e\u043c\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0434\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u0436\u0438 \u0443 \u0442\u043e\u043f\u0443\u0437\u0443, \u0442\u0440\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438 \u043c\u0443 \u0441\u043c\u0440\u0434\u0435 \u043d\u0435\u0447\u043e\u0432\u0458\u0435\u0448\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c.\u201d – \u040a\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0448<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

He whose law is written by his cudgel (club) leaves behind the stench of inhumanity” –Njegos<\/p>

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Noble Czar Lazar praying<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The choice Czar Lazar and his brave Serbian warriors made in the fateful battle of 1389 still help their descendants today make the right choices.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Heavenly Kingdom over an Earthly one.<\/div>
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Did you know this?<\/div>
Czar Lazar LOVED reading about St. Sava and patterned his whole life after his teachings!<\/div>
Czar Lazar was almost killed a few years BEFORE the Battle of Kosovo by a jealous assassin who stabbed him in the chest, but the golden cross he wore around his neck stopped the dagger from penetrating his heart!<\/div>
Did you know that it was our Czar Lazar who added the 4 C’s for the Cross? Only Unity Saves the Serbs.\u00a0CCCC\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>or Samo Sloga Srbina Spasova!<\/div>
Did you know that that Czar Lazar’s favorite song was “Hristos Voskrese?” (Christ is Risen from the dead.) You can find the words to this on our Easter Pascha page.<\/div>
Did you know that Czar Lazar built several beautiful monasteries, including Ravanica which became a refuge for monks known as Sinaites. They were the ones who tuaght Czar Lazar the Jesus prayer,\u00a0“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner!”<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/div>
Veselin Kesich wrote this analysis August 21, 2000. The complete text can be found at the Western Diocese website:<\/div>
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In the epic cycle, the Supper is followed by the Prince’s agony. In the poem “The Fall of the Serbian Empire,” Lazar is confronted with a choice between a heavenly and an earthly kingdom. If he wants an earthly kingdom, he will be victorious, but if he chooses a heavenly kingdom, then let him build a church, let his army receive communion, and let them be ready for suffering, “and you, Prince, will die with them.” Lazar’s agony corresponds to Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Like Jesus, Lazar accepts God’s will: “not what I will, but what thou wilt,” and prepares himself and his people for their Golgotha. Lazar’s choice is not between good and evil, but between what may be good (avoiding suffering) and what is much more than any good thing (accepting God’s will and his heavenly kingdom), a more difficult choice. Lazar’s choice led to his martyrdom, and the other Kosovo warriors followed his example. Never before, according to the Kosovo tradition, had the people as a whole, not as individuals, been brought so close to the cross of Christ as at Kosovo.

The Kosovo cycle ends with two poems recording events after the battle. “The Maid of Kosovo” and “Death of the Mother of Jugovici.”
Like the women in the Gospel, who, on “the first day of the week” at early dawn went to see the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried, so the maid of Kosovo arose early on Sunday to walk through the battlefield. The poem expresses the tragedy of defeat, the destruction of the hopes and dreams of the young people of Serbia. In “The Death of the Mother of the Jugovici,” the most moving poem of the Kosovo cycle, the magnitude of the tragedy is revealed. News of the death of all her family stunned her into immobility. All about her widows and children were wailing and sobbing, the animals were neighing, squealing, howling. Fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, as well as the head of the nation, all had perished. But the mother did not cry. She was not beyond pain, but enveloped by it. It was too overwhelming to react to it. When in the morning two black ravens brought her the hand of her son Damian, a sign to her that the Kosovo heroes do not have even a grave, that their graves would not be known, the mother’s heart burst for her nine sons and for old Jug Bogdan.

The Kosovo heroes were not only admirable for proficiency and valor; they are also martyrs, worthy of imitation. They are portrayed as people of high moral and spiritual qualities, who experienced Kosovo as their personal Golgotha. The bard presents the battle of 1389 as voluntary sacrifice, as the victory of faith over death. Thus the honor and holiness of that day, as well as its sorrow, was handed on to future generations. This poetry enshrines the Serbian historical memory, interprets what happened on Kosovo in the spirit of the Gospel account of the death and resurrection of Christ, and reveals an ultimate truth of human existence.

During these years of hasty analysis, pundits have often referred to the “Kosovo myth” as a morbid glorification of defeat and the very root of Serbian nationalism.\u00a0But the Kosovo “myth” is a “Christian myth,” which does not celebrate defeat but the victory of life over death, of hope over despair.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0It does not inspire hatred, nor does it demand revenge. The English scholar G. N. W. Locke protests that there is “no glorification of war—quite contrary, it honors only courage and fortitude. There is more jingoism, vainglory and xenophobic incitement to violence in the fourteen lines of the `Marseillaise’ than in the entire body of the Serbian epics.”
The poetry of Kosovo has cultural, religious and historical dimensions that transcend the boundaries of time and geography.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Patriarch Pavle said in 2005:<\/div>
The Church has been preaching the following words of Jesus Christ for the last 2000 years:\u00a0What good is it if a man gains the whole world and yet loses his soul?<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Could these worldly goods make up for his soul? This was precisely the advice which Mother Jevrosima gave to her son Marko: Don’t you, my son, speak falsely to please others, but speak in keeping with God’s ways.<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jug Bogdan and his 9 Sons, or “Devet Jugovici” in 1389, right before the Battle of Kosovo.<\/strong>\u00a0All of them perished at the battle, but not before the youngest, Bosko Jugovich, managed to bury the flag so it was not captured by the Turks.<\/div>
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Look! In\u00a01917,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0the Pittsburgh Serbian ladies of the church called themselves\u00a0“Majka Jugovica”<\/strong><\/span>– Mothers of the Jugovic Brother heroes! Notice Czar Lazar’s 4 C’s! Only Unity Saves the Serbs! My Grandmother, Andja Mamula was President of this lodge.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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AND notice the crossed flags. They were always proud to be\u00a0AMERICANS first, but also proud to be Serbs.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
Here’s an even earlier example with this men’s lodge ribbon. It’s from\u00a01900.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Their lodge was dedicated to St. George, their Patron Saint! This ribbon belonged to my Grandfather Samojilo Karajlovich!<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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These American Serb pioneers (ladies and men) wore their ribbons proudly for all special occasions on the\u00a0front<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0side. However, whenever anyone died, they turned it over and wore the\u00a0black ribbon side<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0to the funeral of the deceased lodge member to show mourning.<\/div>
Most important to remember, though, is that these early American pioneers loved and protected their Serbian Orthodox heritage as strongly during their time as Czar Lazar, Jug Bogdan and his nine songs and Milosh Obilich in 1389!<\/div>
++++++++++++++++<\/div>
Patriarch Pavle challenged all Serbian Orthodox Christians to fulfill their covenant on Kosovo in his 2008 Paschal Easter message:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>

“In these days of Paschal joy, in this time of divine mercy toward all and everybody, we cannot but remember the human injustice and violence of the mighty of this world inflicted upon our Kosovo and Metohija, our Serbia and the entire Serbian nation,” the message said.<\/p>

“Having Kosovo and Metohija in our hearts and our unceasing care for our brothers and sisters and all those that suffer there, having a living Kosovo and Metohija within ourselves day and night, no one will take them away from us. The Homeland is the heart of man, says one poet. Within our hearts we have placed Kosovo and Metohija. We call upon all Orthodox Serbs to fulfill the Kosovo covenant in full, and that is the Holy Lazars testament,” the Easter message continued.<\/p>

“If we complete that covenant no one will take Kosovo and Metohija away from us, neither in this nor that age, just as no one could have taken Holy Jerusalem from the Jewish people. We call upon all of you, beginning with politicians and scholars down to the most humble and youngest sons and daughters of our Homeland, that with their work and honorable lives we be deserving of and preserve Kosovo and Metohija before God,” the patriarch wrote.<\/p>

Kosovo, the message said, is an integral part of every Serb’s life.<\/p>

“Knowing this,” it continued, “the creators of this historic injustice wished to inflict the deepest possible wound, and unspeakable pain and suffering on us”.<\/p>

“Let scholars with their scientific work defend Kosovo and Metohija; let artists with their creativeness express the beauty and the essence of our Kosovo and Metohija; let athletes vow their successes to Kosovo and Metohija; let every parent have Kosovo and Metohija be a first word to whisper in his newborns ears; let every farmer dedicate his first hour of labor to Kosovo and Metohija; let every worker dedicate his first hour of work to Kosovo and Metohija; let every politician dedicate his first political thought to Kosovo and Metohija, let every pastor offer his first prayer to God for Kosovo and Metohija!,” the message said.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div>

Hristos Voskrese!
This page is dedicated to\u00a0Patriarch P<\/a><\/span><\/span>avle.<\/a><\/span><\/div>
(Read his biography above from the Serbian Orthodox Church site)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Pittsburgh area Serbs demonstrate in Washington.<\/div>
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The National Geographic from May, 1970<\/span><\/strong>, vol. 137, no.5 on page 592, in a report by Robert Paul Jordan of the Senior Editorial Staff wrote in a section called\u00a0“Freedom Lost-Freedom Regained”<\/strong>\u00a0in his article entitled “YUGOSLAVIA: SIX REPUBLICS IN ONE”:<\/div>
“Recently, in the autonomous Serbian region of Kosovo, I climbed a tall monument’s dark and winding steps. Finally at the top, I met an aged peasant who told me his name was Risto Misljen. His hair and mustache were white; his eyesight, he said, was failing. Yet there he stood, leaning on his cane and peering out at bleak Kosovo Polje, the Field of the Blackbird.<\/em><\/div>
“Why have you come here” I asked, know him for a pilgrim but wanting his own words. Across the broad plain before us, on a bloody day in 1389, Serbia had died, her heavily outnumbered defenders crushed by the invading Ottoman Turks. Through much of Yugoslavia people today still talk about “five centuries of enslavement.”<\/em><\/div>
“We all come to Kosvo when we can,” he replied. “We lost our freedom here, and learned what freedom means.”<\/em><\/strong><\/div>
In springtime wild poppies flame on the battleground, but now October yield to November and an edged breeze searched our clothes. Slowly Mr. Misljen disappeared down the stairs, carrying his 85 years proudly. “Ziveli!” he called to me. “Long live!”<\/em><\/div>
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To WHOM does Kosovo rightfully belong?<\/strong><\/div>
If you are still confused, read the above sections again.<\/strong><\/div>
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Silver Coinage from Czar Lazar’s reign, 1370-1389<\/span><\/div>
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Bog Cuva Srbiju<\/div>
God Watches Over Serbia<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
This homemade flag was made by “Teta” Ljubica Bjelich while she was still dreaming of coming to America.<\/div>
It flew every year at the Nationality Days Festival in Ambridge during the 1960’s and ’70’s.<\/div>
But it served an even greater purpose by being carried in every demonstration during the last 20 years.<\/div>
This flag was in<\/div>
Detroit Kosovo in 1989, and in Washington, DC, New York, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Signed in\u00a01989-the 600th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo Celebration<\/strong><\/span>, in Detroit, Michigan, by their Royal Highnesses, Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katherine.<\/div>
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Journalist\u00a0Eric Jansson<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0wrote in July, 2006 that the monasteries of Kosovo “are like diamonds scattered in a moral scrapyard; the monasteries are havens of peace and joy, but also the most threatened places in Kosovo since 1989.”<\/div>
He captured the fearlessness of the monks and nuns…<\/div>
“Temples fall. It happens. What matters is that we preserve the community of prayer.”<\/span><\/div>
That’s not too far from the Serbian heroes of old choosing a Heavenly Kingdom over an Earthly one….. the same self-sacrificing that is so misunderstood by the world today…..

Serbian self-sacrificing is as puzzling today in our modern day world as the initial Christian sacrifices were to the Romans…………<\/div>
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“Vidovdan”-<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0the Song first appearing on the album of one of Serbia’s most famous folk singers, Gordana Lazarevic, is here at Wikipedia’s site so you can learn the Serbian AND English words to this beautiful song!<\/div>
http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/So<\/a>ng_Vidovdan<\/div>
Here’s a start….<\/div>
U nebo gledan Prolaze vekovi, Secanja davnih Jedini lekovi..<\/span><\/div>
Kud god da krenem Tebi se vracam ponovo. Ko da mi otme Iz moje duse Kosovo!<\/span><\/div>
I’m looking at heavens Centuries going by, For old memories, That’s the healing<\/span><\/div>
Whereever I go I will be back, you know, Who can rip away Kosovo from my soul?<\/span><\/div>
***<\/div>
You can HEAR this song sung by a RUSSIAN Nun’s Choir, by going to the website above and scrolling down to the very bottom. Also be sure to check out their OTHER beautiful Serbian patriotic songs!<\/div>
Click on this to read about the RUSSIAN Women’s Monastery of The Novo-Tikhvin in the city of Ekaterinburg—->“Why the Sisters Sing Serbian Songs”<\/a><\/div>
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email from Dr. Rick Zivic on Vidovdan, 6\/28\/08:<\/div>
Vidovdan – from Kosovo to Kosovo

Fate has dealt the Serbian nation a day which is called Vidovdan. This is not just a date on a calendar but is rather a continuing day, from that fateful year, 1389, up to the present. It is the longest, most significant, most holy, most tragic and brightest day of the Serbian nation. It contains all the ideas of the Christian comprehension of life and living.
Prof. Bigovic has said: “Vidovdan has been up to recently, and, for some is even today, Good Friday, and yet at he same time, Easter. Those two events – Good Friday and Easter – merged into one indivisible whole and further understanding of Vidovdan.”
Kosovo is Serbian Golgotha. It is the Cross through which one nation entered into eternity and uncovered the eternal and divine dimensions of its existence. For this reason, the Kosovo oath, by which Tsar Lazar chose a heavenly kingdom, is our only choice and path, at the same time both a victory and defeat. Defeat is transformed into victory.<\/div>
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Oj Srbijo<\/div>
Oj Srbijo, Majko Mila,<\/div>
Da Bi Vazda Srecna Bila<\/div>
Deca Troja Tebe Vole<\/div>
Za Tebe se Bogu Mole. (2x)<\/div>
Zemljo Slave i Slobode<\/div>
Sve Me Misli Tebi Vode<\/div>
Sve me Zelje Tebi Krecu<\/div>
Sve za tvoju Zivim Srecu (2x)<\/div>
Zemljo Nasih Praotaca<\/div>
Vitezova i Svetaca<\/div>
Za Krst Casni Mucenika<\/div>
Za Slobu Zatocnika (2x)<\/div>
Grob do groba Sveto Groblje<\/div>
Tu pociva Srpsko Roblje<\/div>
I Sve Oltar do Oltara<\/div>
Zaduzbine Srpskih Cara (2x)<\/div>
Na Kosovu Gracanica<\/div>
Kraj Morave Ravanica<\/div>
U Krusevcu Lazarica<\/div>
Na Planini Studenica (2x)<\/div>
Tu Kosovo Tuzno Stoji<\/div>
Petvekovno Ropstvo Broji<\/div>
Spomen Slave i Junastva<\/div>
I nesloge i Izdajstva (2x)<\/div>
I sve megdan do medgana<\/div>
Pre i posle Vidovdana<\/div>
Sva Si Krvlju Zalivena<\/div>
Sva si slavom okicena (2x)<\/div>
No, Neboj se sveta mati<\/div>
Bog ce tebi Dobro dati.<\/div>
Pa ces biti najsrecnija<\/div>
I od Sviju Najslavnija (2x)<\/div>
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Thank goodness the March, 2009 issue of the\u00a0Smithsonian Magazine<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Vol.39 Number 12, mentioned that\u00a0Serbian Orthodox Monastery DECANI<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Kosovo<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0is one of the 10 Most Endangered Cultural Treasure sites in the WORLD!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Article beginning on p. 30, written by the\u00a0SMITHSONIAN STAFF<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Art historian Bratislav Pantelic says\u00a0“it’s the largest and best-preserved medieval church in the entire Balkans.”\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>The church was dedicated to Christ the Pantocrator, and was started in\u00a01327<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0under King Stefan Uros III Decanski. The king’s coffin rests at the head of the altar.<\/span><\/div>
“When you go in,” adds Pantelic,\u00a0“you see exactly what you would have seen in the mid-1300s.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0That’s what is amazing.”<\/span><\/div>
Pantelic says, the abbey was regarded as\u00a0“an ancient holy place that transcended religious divisions.”<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/div>
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(Indeed, many miracles have been known to occur here, both to Serbian Orthodox and Albanians of various creeds.)<\/span><\/div>
Today the Monastery is protected by a force of Italian U.N. peacekeepers, who respectfully stand guard outside its cobblestone courtyard.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
+++<\/div>
Click on the website below to have a\u00a0<\/span>360 degree view<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0of Decani Monastery here.<\/span><\/div>
http:\/\/www.kosovo.net\/panoramamap.html<\/a><\/div>
Wait a few seconds for it to load, and then place your arrow (pointer) on the nave, the altar of the church, the church grounds outside, etc. Then once you select, place your pointer on the middle of the space and just hold down to see the camera move around, giving you beautiful access to the walls, forests, etc.<\/span><\/div>
Thank you Smithsonian!<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
Website for Kosovo Film Trailer of Upcoming Documentary by a Canadian Film Director<\/div>
http:\/\/www.kosovo-film.com\/trailer<\/a><\/div>
++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
From my good friend, Matushka Kathy Siljegovic<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
St. Avva Justin of elije:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Heavenly Serbia<\/span><\/strong>
from the website<\/div>
http:\/\/webmail.aol.com\/43524\/aol\/en-us\/Suite.aspx<\/a><\/div>

On Vidovdan, 1966<\/strong><\/span><\/div>

Today is Vidovdan! (1966!)<\/strong><\/span>
What good news, what Gospel is announced to us on todays great, holy and terrible day? Behold, before all else, it brings us the magnificent Gods saint, the Holy Czar Lazar. He carries a platter with his head upon it. Wherefore Holy King? To the Kingdom of Heaven. The day has come when Nemanji Serbia takes its horrific exam, the day when the Holy Gospel of St. Sava opens its heavy, frightful pages of Serbian Golgotha. The Holy King chose the Kingdom of God on behalf of the whole nation and with the whole nation, because the earthly kingdom is for naught and short-lived, and the Heavenly Kingdom is forever and unto the end of time.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The choice\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>was to be made between the true God, Christ the Lord, and hordes from East which embodied a form of paganism. And the Holy King could not act otherwise. The Holy King could not have fulfilled the legacy of Holy Nemanjis, but to step, along with his whole people, on the path of St. Savas Gospel on the path of serving Christ the Lord, the road of forging the Holy Serbia. Yes, Holy Nemanjis had one goal, one wish to turn Serbia into a Holy Serbia. To turn all of Serbian land into Gods endowment, one big, huge monastery where only God will be served, only Christ the Lord.
If we wish to summarize that Holy Gospel of Holy Nemanjis and express in few words the Gospel opened by St. Sava and his holy father St. Simeon, it says: Christ before all and above all! All for Christ, Christ [traded] for nothing! There, that is St. Sava Gospel, therein is the Gospel of Holy Nemanjis, theres the Gospel of the Holy King and Czar Lazar of Kosovo.
Therein lies the only Serbian Gospel that is building Holy Serbia, turning the whole land into a shrine, a shrine where God is served. And they, the Holy Nemanjis, have made that Holy Serbia.<\/span><\/div>

What is Holy Serbia?<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0It is a miraculous Gospel proclaimed by the Lord Christ commanding all the men of all times: Seek first Gods Kingdom and His righteousness, and all the rest will be added to you. That is what Holy Serbia wants, and that alone. The Kingdom of God before else and above all, and His justice. These are the creative forces Gods justice, Gods truth, Gods love these are the holy forces which are shaping and building Holy Serbia. The whole Serbian nation in Kosovo is still laying down its lives for this eternal and holy Gods righteousness. For whom? For Christ the Lord, for Holy Serbia.<\/span><\/div>

It chose the Heavenly Kingdom,<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0because the earthly kingdom is for naught and fleeting. And the miracle happened. Holy Serbia did not perish in Kosovo. No! It carried on through a terrible enslavement, on a pathway of the holy Serbian Church a martyr, a sufferer who took this Holy Serbia in its arms and carried it through the history, bringing it to us, to our days. What does Holy Serbia live for? To serve Lord Christ, to serve the only true God, to reject all the fake gods. To serve the eternal Christs justice, to reject all the mens fake so-called justices. To serve the Christs truth, the only eternal truth, the only everlasting truth, the only undying truth, and to reject and renounce the masked little crumbs of truth, the masked lies.
<\/span><\/div>
And the Holy Serbia, Nemanji Holy Serbia, what did it want?<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0It wanted to sanctify all. It was building itself. How?<\/span><\/div>

First, through the holy school. Because the Gospel education, education by Lord Christ, St. Sava [Svetosavsko] education gives one the knowledge about the eternal life, it gives knowledge about the only true God, it gives knowledge about the true man, it gives knowledge about the meaning and purpose of our earthly life. But not only the knowledge, it gives the holy power to transfigure this holy knowledge and transform it to life, to live by it in this world. The sacred school, that is the main minting workshop of Holy Serbia. The holy school, today, perverted into an ape wisdom. The holy school trampled over! There is no sacred knowledge, no such school. What are the people learning? What is that? What is that darkness billowing through our wee little schools?<\/span><\/div>

And the Holy Nemanji Serbia, St. Sava Serbia what is it giving, what more does it want?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>The sacred family. Without the sacred family there is no progress in any land. That is what St. Sava w anted. St. King Lazar also wanted that. That is what the Gospel of St. Sava wants, to sanctify the family, so that relations within family, between the parents and children and all at home be the holy relations. To serve each other like the holy brothers, holy sisters. To serve Christ the Lord by serving each other. To have everything done for the glory of God. That is the sacred family, when all is done for the glory of God, when each dies and lives for Christs justice, for Christs truth, for Christs love, when the life is lead through Christs faith, when the family serves the Lord. By serving the Lord, we serve ourselves, we serve our eternity, we serve the holy Kingdom of God, because we serve the salvation of our souls. And there is no salvation beyond Lord Christ, and nowhere beyond His Holy Church.<\/span><\/div>

<\/span>
Holy Serbia, Serbia of St. Sava and Nemanji Serbia seeks sacred judiciary.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0The court as a hallowed ground, where the divine conscience must rule, where Gods justice will be bright and everlasting. That is the sacred court, sacred judiciary. That is what Holy Serbia wants.<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Then, the agriculture.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0What is that? That is the sacred work. Sacred agriculture. That is what St. Sava wants. That is what Holy Serbia wants, to have the land tilled in Gods glory and for our benefit, because we know all the land is Gods property, entrusted to us. The sacred agriculture there, that is whats building Holy Serbia. And the sacred cattle breeding, beekeeping, every craft, all is the holy craft in Holy Serbia. The sacred craftsmanship! It is the craft-work which serves us, by serving God. The craftsmanship which is carried out to Gods glory, for the salvation of our souls and upkeep of our bodies. But all to Gods glory! That is what Holy Serbia wants. That is what the Holy Nemanji Serbia wants, and what Kosovo Serbia of the Holy King wants, and what Heavenly Serbia wants. It is all one and the same Serbia, starting with St. Sava and his holy father, through all the centuries, up until the present day all that is holy belongs to that Holy Serbia, Holy Nemanji Serbia, earthly and heavenly.<\/span><\/div>

But we, the present-day Serbs, what have we done, what happened to our Holy Serbia? We started burying it, we started deadening it on all sides because, by forcing Lord Christ out of our souls, we are persecuting her, the Holy Serbia. We are forcing out the true God, His justice from our lives by renouncing Christ the Lord, as many Serbs are doing today. What is that? They are trying to kill Holy Serbia.\u00a0But behold!, they are killing themselves, for they cannot kill Holy Serbia, they cannot kill Christs immortals.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/div>

They cannot kill the Holy King Lazar, St. Sava, St. Simeon the Myrrh-Giving and countless Serb saints and countless knights and heroes who were laying their lives for the Honorable Cross and the Golden Freedom through centuries and ages.. They cannot execute the souls of those 700,000 Serbs who gave their souls, their lives, killed for Orthodox faith in a then-Croat state. It is an eternal Holy Serbia, indestructible, imperishable Holy Serbia no one can kill or harm her, because it is all Christs. And who will destroy the resurrected Lord Christ, who will kill Him?<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The true Serb always stands by the Savior of his, Lord Christ,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0always firmly in Holy Serbia, defending its justice, living by its justice, defending its truth, living by that truth. There is no death that can separate him from them, no devil, nor the legions of devils, nor the armies of devils who can separate such Serb, Christs Serb, St. Sava Serb, from Holy Serbia. In it, he is among the Serb saints, those immortal victors on all the battlefields, those immortal heroes whom no death can harm.<\/span><\/div>


We too, the present-day Serbs, should scrutinize ourselves, each to examine himself.\u00a0Where am I? Am I in Holy Serbia? Am I really living by the live and holy Kosovo Gospel, St. Sava Gospel? Is Christ all and everything to me in this world? Is Christ my most important care in this world?<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Is Christ the only true God for me in this world, or am I slowly detaching from Him, running away from Him, and joining the false gods of this world, false teachings, false erudition? Each should examine himself.<\/span><\/p>

Vidovdan 1389, Kosovo Battle<\/strong><\/span>
The verification is very easy both for me and you. If you are a true Serb, if the St. Sava Serbian heart beats in you, you are all by the Lord Christs side, all by His truth in this and that world. You are all by the Holy King Lazar, you are all in Kosovo, dying for the Honorable Cross and the Golden Freedom.\u00a0Kosovo has been and had gone by, but Kosovo is today too.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>

Today too countless Serbs are dying, many without the resurrection, many to die forever. But there are also the holy Serbs who are laying their lives for Lord Christ, laying their lives for Holy Serbia. They are mostly unseen and unheard, but their heart is a bond with heavens, above all sins, above all deaths. Their heart is an altar, Kosovo altar upon which they are always laying themselves in a sacrifice to Lord Christ, serving Him and their kith and kin.<\/span><\/div>

There are such Serbs in the ground and above.<\/span><\/div>
It is because of them that our country exists. For if it were only down to traitors and to Gods wrath, not a single Serb would have remained today. But thanks to Gods great mercy, to the prayers of St. King Lazar and St. Sava and all the glorious holy Nemanjics and all the Serb saints, we too, the unworthy present-day Serbs, are living and traveling towards Holy Serbia.<\/span><\/div>

May the Kind Lord sanctify all the Serb hearts on earth today. May the Holy King, by his mercy, with all the Serb saints beseech the Lord to baptize again many de-baptized Serbian souls. May he bring them to Lord Christ, to Holy Serbia, Heavenly Serbia. For only Holy Serbia is the glory of each Serb in all the ages and times, especially ours.
Our time is the time when faith is tested. The Serbs are either standing in the true faith, St. Sava faith, or perishing as they are falling away from it there is no third way. That is why we, the present-day Serbs, can overcome all the deaths, all the Christ-fighting of this world, all the false teachings only when guided and lead by the Holy King and Czar Lazar and the Holy Gospel of St. Sava, coming out as immortal victors from this world, into the eternal Heavenly Serbia, there! among all the righteous and holy Serbs, to serve Lord Christ and the Holy Heavenly Serbia as we have served in the holy earthly Serbia.<\/strong><\/span>
<\/span><\/div>
By the prayers of the Holy Great-Martyr Czar Lazar, and the other of todays saints, St. Patriarch Ephraim, a meek laborer of the Serbian land, and all the Serbian saints, may the gentle Lord guide and direct each Serb soul in this world, and take it through the eternal truth into the eternal life, the Kingdom of God.
Amen.<\/span><\/div>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dr. Branko Terzic<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dr. Branko Terzic<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0U.S. Energy Expert and Kum to His Royal Highness Prince Aleksandar of Serbia, and officially Royal Adjutant, was kind enough to send (12\/28\/09) this\u00a0<\/span>WWI poem<\/span><\/span>\u00a0from\u00a0<\/span>ENGLAND,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0entitled\u00a0KOSOVO DAY<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span>Frederick William Harvey<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>1888-1957<\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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KOSOVO DAY<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

From this sweet nest of peace and Summer blue–England in June–a sea bird’s nest indeed<\/p>

Guarded of waves, and hid by the sea-weed<\/p>

From envious hunter’s eye, we send to you<\/p>

Our flying thoughts and prayers, our treasure too,<\/p>

Poor though it be to bandage wounds that bleed<\/p>

For country dear beloved. There the seed<\/p>

Of homely love and occupations grew<\/p>

To wither in the flame of Godless might<\/p>

Kindled by hands of treachery yet reeking<\/p>

With blood of friends and neighbors,\u00a0Serbia<\/strong><\/span>, thou<\/p>

Has thought us careless and far off; know now<\/p>

That name to us is sudden drums outspeaking<\/p>

And tortured trumpets crying in the night!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This larger seal you see here is the Great Seal of Serbia at the time of the rule of Kara-George. (1804-1817).<\/span><\/div>
The smaller one on top is actually the personal Seal of Kara-George which he wore a a signet ring.<\/span><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jadranka was in Chicago and Merrillville in July, 2011, with Lifeline, the Charity of Princess Katherine, to help raise funds for the Serbian orphans. Thank you, Jadranka! Thank you, Lifeline!<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
WHAT IS KOSOVO?<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
by V. Rev. Fr. Rodney Torbic<\/div>
What is Kosovo? \u00a0Kosovo is a real event in history, a battle linked to a special place on earth, involving real combatants. \u00a0Kosovo is a special moment in time resulting in a decision with eternal consequences. \u00a0Kosovo is tied to the Spirit of a People choosing the heavenly Kingdom.<\/div>
Today Kosovo is known around the world. \u00a0For centuries, the Spirit of Kosovo lived in the hearts of Serbs. Kosovo is a seed of faith. Kosovo is the blood of martyrs. \u00a0Kosovo is the place of monasteries. \u00a0Kosovo is the hope of the hopeless.<\/div>
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ brought with it the defeat of death, the triumph of light over darkness. \u00a0The communicants of Kosovo shared in the Body and Blood of Christ. \u00a0The communicants of Kosovo experienced the Cross of Christ. \u00a0The communicants of Kosovo witnessed to the triumph of Christ.<\/div>
At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the Kosovo of the fourthteen century lives on. \u00a0Eternal truth is timeless. The life in Christ penetrates the centuries and is for all ages. \u00a0Jesus Christ is unequalled, unparalleled and unconquerable.<\/div>
Day gives way to evening. Century gives way to century. Kosovo lives on. \u00a0The body can be killed. \u00a0The Christian soul cannot. \u00a0Kosovo is identified with the soul of Serbia. Serbian mettle was tested in Kosovo. \u00a0Christian conviction prevailed.<\/div>
Each day is a Kosovo in the life of a Christian. \u00a0Each day the Christian must choose between the earthly and the heavenly. \u00a0Each moment we decide “for” or “against” Jesus Christ.<\/div>
In New York, in Belgrade, in Novi Sad, in Topola, in Los Angeles, in Chicago, in Milesevo, on the Holy Mountain, the Serbian People carry Kosovo with them. \u00a0The way Serbians live, the way they think, the way they believe is formed and guided by Kosovo.<\/div>
The White Angel of Milesevo proclaims the message of the Resurrection. \u00a0Kosovo proclaims the message of the cross. \u00a0Vracar proclaims the resiliency of the Serbian people. \u00a0<\/div>
Today is Kosovo. \u00a0<\/div>
Tomorrow is Kosovo. Yesterday was Kosovo. \u00a0<\/div>
The ground of Kosovo can be captured. \u00a0The ground of Kosovo can be bombed. \u00a0The blood and prayers of Orthodox Christian martyrs ensures Kosovo will always be Serbian.<\/div>
++++++++++++++++++<\/div>

\u041d\u0430 \u0413\u0430\u0437\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0443<\/strong><\/h3>

At Gazimestan<\/strong>

\u041e\u0434 \u041c\u0438\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u0420\u0430\u043a\u0438\u045b\u0430
By Milan Raki\u0107<\/h3>
\u00a0<\/div>
Translated by\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
Anka G. Popovich-Krstic<\/span><\/strong>


\u0421\u0438\u043b\u043d\u0438 \u043e\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043f\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0438<\/span><\/strong>
Mighty armored ones


\u0411\u0435\u0437 \u043c\u0430\u043d\u0435 \u0438 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0445\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
Without fault and fear,


\u0425\u043b\u0430\u0434\u043d\u0438 \u043a\u043e \u0432\u0430\u0448 \u043e\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043f<\/span><\/strong>
Cold as your armor


\u0418 \u043f\u043e\u0445\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0430 \u043c\u0440\u043a\u0430.<\/span><\/strong>
And scowling frowns.


\u0412\u0438 \u0458\u0443\u0440\u043d\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u0434\u0430<\/span><\/strong>
You charged then


\u0423 \u043e\u0431\u043b\u0430\u043a\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0445\u0430<\/span><\/strong>
Through a cloud of dust


\u0418 \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0434\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0430\u043a<\/span><\/strong>
And the earth began trembling


\u0418 \u043a\u0440\u0432\u0430\u0432\u0430 \u0442\u0440\u043aa.<\/span><\/strong>
And the bloody race began.


\u0417\u0430\u0459\u0443\u0459\u0430\u043d\u043e \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/span><\/strong>
\u0422he shaken kingdom


\u0421\u0443\u0440\u0432\u0430\u043b\u043e \u0441\u0435 \u0441 \u0432\u0430\u043c\u0430…<\/span><\/strong>
Fell to pieces with you…


\u041a\u0430\u0434 \u043e\u043b\u0443\u0458\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0452\u0435\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
When the storm passed


\u0432\u0440\u0445 \u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
Atop the battlefield of Kosovo,


\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span><\/strong>
Kosovo became


\u041d\u0435\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043b\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0430 \u0458\u0430\u043c\u0430<\/strong>,
An unsightly pit,


\u041a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u0440\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0448\u043d\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
A horrific mass grave,


\u0418 \u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u043c \u0441\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0430.<\/span><\/strong>
And an illustrious defeat.


\u041a\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438 \u0458\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0446\u0438<\/span><\/strong>
Heroes of Kosovo


\u0417\u0430\u0441\u043b\u0443\u0433\u0430 \u0458\u0435 \u0432\u0430\u0448\u0430<\/span><\/strong>
It is to your credit


\u0428\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u045a\u0438 \u0431\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0435.<\/span><\/strong>
That you were the last.


\u0423 \u043a\u0440\u0432\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0458 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438,<\/span><\/strong>
In the bloody terror


\u041a\u0430\u0434\u0430 \u0442\u0440\u0443\u043b\u043e \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/span><\/strong>
When the rotten kingdom


\u041e\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0438\u0458\u0430 \u0441\u0435 \u043c\u0430\u0448\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
Waved its\u2019 weapons,


\u0421\u0432\u0430\u043a\u0438 \u043b\u0435\u0448 \u0458\u0435 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0430 \u0436\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
Every corpse was consciously sacrificed,


\u0408\u0443\u043d\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438.<\/span><\/strong>
A true hero.


\u0414\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0441 \u043d\u0430\u043c\u0430 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0443<\/span><\/strong>
Today they say


\u0414\u0435\u0446\u0438 \u043e\u0432\u043e\u0433 \u0432\u0435\u043a\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
To the children of this century,


\u0414\u0430 \u0441\u043c\u043e \u043d\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0458\u043d\u0438<\/span><\/strong>
That we are unworthy


\u0418\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0458\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0448\u0435.<\/span><\/strong>
Of our history.


\u0414\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0441 \u0437\u0430\u0445\u0432\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/span><\/strong>
That we have been seized


\u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u045a\u0430\u0447\u043a\u0430 \u0440\u0435\u043a\u0430.<\/span><\/strong>
By the western river.


\u0418 \u0434\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u043c \u0441\u0435 \u0434\u0443\u0448\u0435<\/span><\/strong>
And that our souls\u00a0


\u041e\u043f\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u043f\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0435.<\/span><\/strong>
Fear danger.


\u0414\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430 \u0437\u0435\u043c\u0459\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0458\u0430, \u043b\u0430\u0436\u0443!<\/span><\/strong>
Good land of mine, they lie!


\u041a\u043e \u0442\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u043b\u0438 \u0434\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0441,<\/span><\/strong>
Who loves you today,


\u0422\u0430\u0458 \u0442\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u043b\u0438,<\/span><\/strong>
He loves you,


\u0408\u0435\u0440 \u0437\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0430 \u0441\u0438 \u041c\u0430\u0442\u0438.<\/span><\/strong>
Because he knows you\u2019re his Mother.


\u0408\u0435\u0440 \u043f\u0440\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0441<\/span><\/strong>
Because prior to us


\u041d\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u0459\u0430 \u043d\u0438 \u043a\u0440\u0448\u0435\u0432\u0438 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/strong>,
Neither fields nor bare rocks,


\u041d\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0448\u0435 \u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
Could not\u00a0


\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0443 \u0459\u0443\u0431\u0430\u0432 \u0434\u0430\u0442\u0438.<\/span><\/strong>
Give anyone conscious\u00a0 love.


\u0418 \u0434\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0441, \u043a\u0430\u0434 \u0434\u043e\u0452\u0435<\/span><\/strong>
And today, when it comes


\u0414\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u045a\u0435\u0433 \u0431\u043e\u0458\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
To the last battle,


\u041d\u0435\u043e\u0437\u0430\u0440\u0435\u043d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
Unlit by


\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0433 \u043e\u0440\u0435\u043e\u043b\u0430 \u0441\u0458\u0430\u0458\u0435\u043c,<\/span><\/strong>
The shining halo of old,


\u0408\u0430 \u045b\u0443 \u0434\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0442<\/span><\/strong>
I will give my life


\u041e\u0442\u0430\u045f\u0431\u0438\u043d\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0458\u0430,<\/span><\/strong>
My fatherland,


\u0417\u043d\u0430\u0458\u0443\u045b\u0438 \u0448\u0442\u0430 \u0434\u0430\u0458\u0435\u043c<\/span><\/strong>
Knowing what I give


\u0418 \u0437\u0430\u0448\u0442\u043e \u0433\u0430 \u0434<\/span><\/strong>\u0430\u0458\u0435\u043c.<\/span><\/strong>
And why I give it.<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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V. Rev. Fr. Dr. Mateja Matejic & Kosovo.....\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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This information is SO valuable, it must be reprinted here…. so EVERYONE can learn more….<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our esteemed V. Rev. Fr. Dr. Mateja Matejic<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Fr. Matejic is a distinguished scholar who has earned deserved world recognition, including the highest award from the Serbian Orthodox Church, the St. Sava Medal.\u00a0 He has published 30 or more books, is a renowned translator and anthologist of Medieval and foreign poetry.\u00a0 Although currently retired from Ohio State University where he served as a distinguished professor of Slavic languages since 1968, he did not retire from unselfishly devoting himself to help others learn.\u00a0 He is the founder of the Hilandar Research Room at Ohio State University, which is now the leading holder of Slavic medieval manuscripts.\u00a0 His son, Dr. Predrag Matejic, is the current curator of the famed Library.<\/span><\/strong><\/div>
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Read more about Fr. Mateja from Wikipedia here <—-.<\/span>\u00a0<\/a><\/div>
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Kosovo and Vidovdan\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span>After Six Hundred Years<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
June 15, 2005<\/span>:\u00a0 This appeared in the Path of Orthodoxy and also, the American\u00a0 SRBOBRAN \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/div>


The Kosovo Ethics<\/span><\/strong><\/span>, which are implanted in the national consciousness of the Serbian people, have not changed for 600 years, nor will they ever change. The basic values of those ethics, bequeathed to Serbians on Vidovdan in 1389, have not been chiseled on 2 stone tablets, but are impressed in the inmost being of every Serb.
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Every nation has 1 date in its history which it considers more important than any other. For the Serbs, the most important date in their history is June 15, by the old calendar – June 28, by the new calendar (Vidovdan).<\/span><\/p>


On that day, in 1389, 600 years ago, Serbian and Turkish armies clashed on the Kosovo Field. Both the Serbian ruler Prince Lazar and the Turkish Sultan Murad I died as a result of the battle. In addition, a great number of Serbian military leaders, as well as a great number of Serbian warriors, lost their lives. Notwithstanding the fact that according to historical documents neither the Serbs nor the Turks won the battle, Serbia was so exhausted that it was unable to continue resisting the Turks ‘a few decades later the heirs of Prince Lazar recognized Turkish suzerainty and 5 centuries of domination of the Serbs by the Turks ensued. That long and martyr-like enslavement changed the course of Serbian history and interrupted the cultural progress of the Serbs, which was clearly evident during the rule of the Nemanja dynasty.
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It is difficult to assess the importance of the Kosovo Battle for world history. Such is also the case with the battles at the Alamo or Gettysburg, which are so important for American history. However, it is undeniable that the Battle of Kosovo was exceptionally significant not only for Serbia, but also for Europe and European Christian civilization. It is a fact that on Vidovdan, June 15, 1389, the Serbs, without help from a single European nation, defended on Kosovo Field not only the frontiers of their own territory and lives of their people, but, at the risk of losing their national independence, they also defended the interests and security of Christian Europe. In the conflict of 2 rival civilizations, the Muslim and the Christian, the Serbs checked the wave of the Turkish invasion, interposed themselves as a wall between the Turks and Europe, and enabled Europe to make preparations for its own defense. It is questionable whether the history of Europe would have been the same without the Battle of Kosovo and the sacrifice of the Serbian nation.
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However, no matter how great the historical value of Kosovo and Vidovdan may be, for the Serbs they have an additional unique dimension and preeminence. Persons of non-Serbian origin may consider Kosovo as only a far-away, strange, and, even, unimportant geographical territory, and Vidovdan, June 15, 1389, as a date of a battle of which they know little or nothing.<\/span><\/p>

As far as the Serbs are concerned, Kosovo is their Holy Land, the cradle of Serbdom, and their inalienable, historical, national, and cultural heritage. As far as they are concerned, Vidovdan, June 15, 1389, is not just the date of a battle, but their nation’s identity, and the sacred will and testament, which contains religious, ethical, and national principles for all Serbian generations from the Kosovo Battle until the present.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>

In the national consciousness all of Serbian history is divided into 2 periods: prior to the Kosovo Battle and after the Kosovo Battle. And whereas the other battles in which the Serbs took part are mentioned only in historical textbooks, Vidovdan alone is included in the calendar, which registers holidays and the names of saints exclusively. Vidovdan alone has become a national holiday, which has been observed through the centuries, and it is observed on this occasion, 600 years after the Battle of Kosovo.
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As a geographical territory, Kosovo was Serbian even before the year 1389, before Vidovdan. That ownership was not marked by sticks, in the way the prospectors for gold marked their claims, nor by the deeds written in ink on paper, but by ancient and magnificent churches and monasteries and by Serbian cemeteries and tombstones. The capitals of Serbian kings and the thrones of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs were in Kosovo. Moreover, with the Battle of Kosovo, Kosovo and Vidovdan merged into a single concept and became a synonym with a specific meaning: The Serbdom.<\/span><\/p>

After June 15, 1389, one cannot speak of Kosovo apart from Vidovdan or about Vidovdan apart from Kosovo. They are inseparable because on Vidovdan 1389, on the Field of Kosovo, in the blood of Serbian warriors was written an indelible deed that forever confirms the Serbian ownership of Kosovo.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Vidovdan commemorations, which have been celebrated annually for centuries, are reconfirmations of both the Serbian ownership of Kosovo and of the Vidovdan-Kosovo ethics, which are the core of the Serbian national image and the essence of Serbian identity.<\/span><\/strong>
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It should be emphasized that the Vidovdan commemorations are not celebrations of a Serbian military victory over the Turks, for the Serbs were not victorious in the Kosovo Battle. However, it is incorrect, and even malicious, to claim that at Vidovdan commemorations the Serbs “celebrate their defeat in the Kosovo Battle.” Such a statement has no logical or historical support.<\/span><\/p>

According to the historical documents, the Turks had not won a victory in the Battle of Kosovo. Neither a military victory nor a military defeat are not and could not have been either the reason or the meaning of Vidovdan commemorations. On those occasions the Serbs honor and commemorate the heroes of Kosovo who laid down their lives defending their faith, freedom, nation, and country.<\/span><\/p>

At the same time, Vidovdan commemorations are the annual reviews of the post-Kosovo Serbian generations. They are evaluated in terms of Vidovdan-Kosovo ethics and on the basis of their reconfirmation of the Pledge of Kosovo.\u00a0On Vidovdan, June 15, 1389, on the Kosovo Field, the Serbs chose once and for all their religious, cultural, ethical, and national identity. Their choice, in the form of an unwritten pledge, was handed down to all post-Kosovo Serbian generations and, through 600 years, Serbs have lived by that pledge.<\/strong><\/span>
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In the course of 6 centuries the geographical boundaries and demographic constituency of Kosovo, as well as the political and social conditions have changed. Serbs, who represented a majority in Kosovo, have been reduced to a minority. Uncontrolled migration of thousands of people from neighboring Albania to Kosovo on one hand and, on the other, mass exodus of Serbs from that territory, because of the merciless oppression to which the Serbs have been subjected by the newcomers, especially in the period 1943-1988, has changed the status of the Serbian population from a majority to a minority.<\/span><\/p>

Atrocities, unheard of even in uncivilized countries, have been perpetuated against the Serbian population in Kosovo. Regretfully, biased reporting in the world press, including the American, misrepresents the situation in Kosovo. Victims – Serbs, are portrayed as oppressors, whereas oppressors – the Muslim population in Kosovo – are depicted as victims.<\/span><\/p>

It is incomprehensible that the freedom-loving Serbs, the allies of America in 2 world wars, are being taunted and attacked in the American press, whereas their oppressors, the former allies of Hitler and Mussolini in World War II, are undeservedly favored and supported. Thus, not only geographical territories, social and political conditions, but allegiances change, too.
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Fortunately, Kosovo ethics remain unchanged and those values will always endure for all future Serbian generations. Those values, briefly defined, are as follows:
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Uncompromising faith in God, without which there is no genuine philanthropy;
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Philanthropy, as a confirmation of the professed faith in God;
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Firm dedication to Christianity as it is confessed by the Orthodox Church;
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Priority of the spiritual over the material;
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Faithfulness to God, nation, and motherland;
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Freedom as a precious value for which everything should be sacrificed, whereas it should not be sacrificed for anything in the world;
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Honesty, righteousness, and love for peace – virtues to be practiced by individuals as a basis for healthy social relationships;
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Placing common interest above personal interests and readiness to sacrifice for those interests;
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Compassion to be extended even to enemies;
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National unity as a condition for national existence.
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This testament, this set of ethics of Kosovo, represents the greatest importance of Kosovo and Vidovdan.
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Inseparable through six centuries, it is the reason we celebrate Vidovdan today.
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Read more about the Hilandar Research Library here!<\/a><\/p>

(Click the link above to read more!)<\/span><\/p>

The Hilandar Research Library\u2019s (HRL) millions of folia of manuscript material on microform from more than 100 different private, museum, and library collections in dozens of countries are utilized by scholars from all over the world. The collection includes several thousand Cyrillic manuscripts on microform, with over 1200 from several monasteries on Mount Athos, Greece, including the entire Slavic manuscript collection of Hilandar Monastery. The Hilandar Research Library also contains a large specialized reference collection, in print and in microform, as well as a growing collection of original manuscripts and artifacts from the medieval Slavic world. Located at The Ohio State University, the HRL shares its space with the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies.<\/span><\/p>

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More About KOSOVO<\/p>

(Diocesan OBSERVER-Nov., 2008)<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His Grace Bishop Teodosije of Liplje, and abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery in Kosovo, visited the Western American Diocese in June. A charity banquet was hosted by St. Sava’s church in San Gabriel of Saturday, June 21st, at which His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica Metropolitanate participated.\u00a0 All this was made possible by the invitation of His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Western Diocese.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In his speech Bishop Teodosije said:\u00a0 “The Kosovo testament is a renewal of teh evangelical covenant with jesus Christ.\u00a0 Kosovo for us ia a Christ-centric event in which our people, led by St. Tsar Lazar chose a personal relationship with God.\u00a0 By this choice they affirmed that they are people of God…. Being mindful of her role and meaning for the faithful, our Church today in Kosovo and Metohija is making every effort to rebuild her holy shrines.\u00a0 In doing so, the Church also rebuilds the lives of her people, for where there are people there also is a Church, and there is God’s Kingdom and there is our homeland.\u00a0 In a spiritual sense, no leaders of this world are able to take away our holy Kosovo and Metohija, for it is a symbol of our covenant with Christ.\u00a0 However, each one of us can contribute to the loss of Kosovo, i.e., we can take it away from ourselves and lose it if we separate ourselves from Christ.\u00a0 We can lose it if we look at Kosovo and Metohija only as the territory without the people, as a political symbol, as a godless symbol of nationalism, instead of as the symbol of renewal of our covenant with Christ through the holy Lazar-Kosovo suffering and our resurrection in Christ.”<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kosovo Ethics<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Uncompromising faith in God, without which there is no genuine philanthropy;
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Philanthropy, as a confirmation of the professed faith in God;
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Firm dedication to Christianity as it is confessed by the Orthodox Church;
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Priority of the spiritual over the material;
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Faithfulness to God, nation, and motherland;
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Freedom as a precious value for which everything should be sacrificed, whereas it should not be sacrificed for anything in the world;
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Honesty, righteousness, and love for peace – virtues to be practiced by individuals as a basis for healthy social relationships;
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Placing common interest above personal interests and readiness to sacrifice for those interests;
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Compassion to be extended even to enemies;
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National unity as a condition for national existence.
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This testament, this set of ethics of Kosovo, represents the greatest importance of Kosovo and Vidovdan.
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Inseparable through six centuries, it is the reason we celebrate Vidovdan today.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>

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Here are some excerpts from V. Rev. Fr. Dr. Matejic’s speech he delivered in Cleveland on June 29, 2008″<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is Kosovo?<\/span><\/u><\/p>

For Serbs it is difficult today to talk about Kosovo. In the past we were able to talk about it joyfully and proudly. Today we are unable to.<\/div>
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Presently Kosovo is for all Serbs residing in Serbia, and others scattered all over the world, the source of sadness due to of injustice done to us by oppressors among whom are also our former allies. For their sake we had lost our country to enemies in the World War II, and now our former allies have broken up our country in parts. We are full of bitterness seeing that the illegally settled Moslems from Albania in Kosovo, under the protection of Christian soldiers from various countries with impunity murder Serbs, destroy and burn their churches and monasteries, and desecrate their cemeteries. We grieve seeing that those to whom Kosovo does not belong donate it to illegal settlers and give power to murderers and criminals.<\/p>


We console ourselves remembering that various conquerors had taken from us Kosovo as a geographical territory, but it never had become theirs.\u00a0 For the various plunderers Kosovo has always been just a geographical territory.\u00a0 For the contemporary occupiers of Kosovo it is also\u00a0 just a territory in which it is permissible to murder Serbs, take their vital organs and sell it on black market, burn and raze down Serbian centuries old churches and monasteries, and vandalize and desecrate Serbian cemeteries. For the powerful ones who are giving to Moslem usurpers land that is not their property, Kosovo is a territory rich with mines with precious ore and an area suitable to be a base for realization of their imperialistic geo-political aims.<\/p>


However, for Serbs Kosovo is not just a geographical territory. For them, Kosovo is the cradle of Serbian nation, their Orthodoxy, and their Church and culture.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>


Kosovo is the place where the Serbs have adopted and nurtured religious and ethical values characteristic of every true Serb. Those supreme values are love for God, love of neighbor, love of freedom, love of truth, and love of justice.<\/p>


Kosovo is Jevrosima, Prince Marko\u2019s mother, who is the model for all Serbian mothers. She advises her son Marko:\u00a0 Do not stain your soul with sin; it is better for you to loose your head than to stain your soul with sin…<\/p>


Kosovo is also the mother of nine Jugovic brothers and the wife of the old Jug Bogdan. Her husband and nine sons died in the battle of Kosovo defending the country and Orthodox religion. After the battle, she strolled over the battle field of Kosovo, saw her husband and her nine sons killed, but did not cry. When the severed arm of her son Damjan was dropped in her lap, she did not shed tears either, but that killed her. The folk-singer tells us: her heart broke from sorrow she fell down dead\u00a0\u00a0 and gave up her soul to God.<\/p>


Kosovo is the nine brothers Jugovic. Their sister, Princess Milica, begs each of them, one after another, to stay with her rather than to go to the battle of Kosovo. Her husband, Prince Lazar has given permission that one of the nine brothers may stay\u00a0\u00a0 with sister. Each of them refused the plea of their sister feeling that it was their duty to go to the battle and defend their country and religion rather than to stay with their sister.<\/p>


Kosovo is Prince Lazar who together with his army prayed and received the Holy Communion, having decided to give precedence to the Heavenly Kingdom over the earthly one, which is to give up his life defending not only his country, but the entire Europe and Christianity. The sacrifice of Prince Lazar and his army postponed the invasion of Europe for more than a century.<\/p>


Kosovo is the Maiden of Kosovo who strolls over the field of Kosovo, dressing the wounds of wounded warriors and grieving for the dead, among whom was her fianc\u00e9.<\/p>


Kosovo is our Orthodoxy and our Svetosvlje. That no one can take from us, unless we ourselves abandon them.<\/p>


Kosovo is centuries old magnificent Serbian monasteries and churches, erected for the glory of God. Yet they are also witnesses of the glory of Orthodoxy and Serbia, and they are deeds proving whose Kosovo has been for centuries. That is why the intruders and usurpers, under the protection of Christian mercenaries, are burning and destroying them. With the funds provided by Saudi-Arabia and other Moslem countries the so-called Kosovars, who are burning and\u00a0 destroying Christian\u00a0 churches\u00a0 and\u00a0 monasteries\u00a0\u00a0 are building mosques in every village in Kosovo whose inhabitants are willing to practice vahabism (kind of strict Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia) and terrorism. Those mosques are not only centers for spreading of Islam, but are also centers of vahabism and terrorism.<\/p>


Kosovo is cemeteries with tomb stones and crosses on which the names of Serbian deceased and murdered Serbs are inscribed in Cyrillic letters. That is why the intruders and usurpers are vandalizing and destroying the old graves, while they fill the new, contemporary ones with the corpses of the new Serbian martyrs.<\/p>


Kosovo is the ancient manuscripts and books containing the written testimony of the fact to whom Kosovo has belonged for centuries. The leaders of Great Powers do not know and do not want to read those manuscripts and books, but the history, truth and justice do read them.<\/p>


Kosovo is the peonies of Kosovo, unique flowers in the whole world.\u00a0 Their color is a deep red, like blood, because they grow from the soil saturated with the blood of Serbian warriors and martyrs from the day of Vidovdan in the year 1389. until today.
Kosovo is thousands of Serbian children, women and men who during the World War II were expelled from Kosovo, and when the communist regime ruled Serbia they were not allowed to return to their homes, whereas the borders with Albania were wide open to intruders.<\/p>


Kosovo is also Serbian women, men and children who at the most recent times had to escape the terror of Kosovars finding the refuge in Serbia, where most of them dwell and live in dumper-like containers.
Kosovo is a few thousands of Serbian men, women and children who have survived the slaughter and whom no terror has scared and made them leave their homes and Kosovo. The Great Powers and their Moslem favorites have turned\u00a0 Kosovo into a concentration camp for Serbs, but some Serbs remained to live in Kosovo under the most difficult and dangerous conditions. They are the brave guardians who are preserving Kosovo for future Serbian generation.<\/p>


Kosovo is also ten years old Jovana Radovanovic and all Serbian children who live in contemporary Kosovo. In her letters published in her book Kosovo peonies, (Publisher Duga Books) Jovana is telling her story that is at the same time the story of all Serbian children who live in contemporary Kosovo. Here only a few passages\u00a0\u00a0 from her first letter will be quoted:
God help, my dear ones. I am Jovana Radovanovic, a student in the fifth grade and I am an outstanding student. I am 10 years old, soon to be 11. I live with parents in Kosovo and two sisters. The place where we live is named Orahovac; that is the only enclave in the part of Metohija. Orahovac is a divided town; in the larger part live Albanians who have everything needed for a normal life, whereas we Serbs live in a tiny part of the town comprising a total of 300 meters of the free territory. Yes, you read it correctly: only 300 meters.\u00a0 It is that Serbian part and we live there. There is frequently shortage of electricity and it happens so that I and my sisters write our home works at the candlelight. \u2026\u00a0 \u2026 We do not dare to go out in the street because there is danger from evil people who stroll in the Serbian part. In the center of the Serbian part there is the church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God. There, together with my sisters and parents I pray God to save the entire Serbian people living in Kosovo and Metohija. \u2026\u00a0 \u2026 The church is encircled with barbed wire placed there by the KFOR for protection. In front of the church is positioned a great tank and there are (soldiers, MM) of the KFOR day and night guarding the church. The life in Kosovo is very difficult, but with God\u2019s help it goes on.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most difficult is for us that we have no freedom of movement. That is what we children feel most.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In her letter #6 Jovana writes:
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is wonderful to be free like a bird and travel wherever you want. In Kosovo that is not possible, because the life of children in Kosovo is like in a cage. I am a bird in the cage which every day dreams that it lives free and flies free. But my wings are broken; the enemies have clipped them up to the shoulders. That is why I sit in the cage (camp) lonely and write all this. This way I feel a bit relieved, in a way I went out my grief and for a moment it leaves me. That is how every child in Kosovo lives and feels. Every child dreams about freedom and, believe me, every child thinks the way I think. Our wishes are same, the same dreams, the same sorrow, the same pain, everything same. All of us desire only one thing: freedom. We wish to move freely. We wish to breathe freely.<\/p>


Persecutions and suffering are nothing new for the Serbs of Kosovo, as they are nothing new for Orthodox Christians. Who has not grabbed from us Kosovo as a territory, but it never remained in their possession.\u00a0 We are not afraid of their taking away Kosovo from us, because everything that is usurped will again be ours. We are only afraid that it may be given or sold by some Serbs. Unfortunately, there are some Serbs in the government of Serbia who seem to be ready, – for their personal interest, – to surrender or sell Kosovo. To them we should say and shout in a very loud voice that they may temporarily give Kosovo away as a geographical territory, but never Kosovo as it has been identified here.<\/p>

That Kosovo is Serbia, and if it would be lost, then everything that makes a Serb \u2013 a Serb, would be lost, too.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mateja Matejic,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Protopresbyter-stavrofor<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Proto Mateja Matejic's Obituary 2018<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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From Tijana Samardzija\/ FB: 7\/30\/2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Standing:\u00a0 +Proto Slobodan Zivadinovich, +Boro Karapandjic,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Seated:\u00a0 +Proto Milan Bajich, +Proto Mateja Matejic\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

+Prota Mateja Matejic<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
Protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Mateja Matejic fell asleep in the Lord on 27 July 2018.<\/span><\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A WWII refugee seminarian at Bitolj, Yugoslavia, he completed his seminary education in a displaced persons camp in Eboli, Italy.<\/span><\/p>

In 1949, at another camp in W. Germany, he married Ljubica Nebrigic of Srem, his helpmate, brilliant partner, and gentle conscience, who preceded him in death on April 17, 2016.<\/span><\/p>

The life of Father Matejic may best be summarized by his almost constant activity, a passion to work, to produce, to add something to the history, culture, memory, faith of others. In addition, with his words and deeds, he inspired others to believe, to build, to create.<\/span><\/p>

He was ordained as a Serbian Orthodox priest in a camp in 1951. He and his young family immigrated in 1956.<\/span><\/p>

As a priest, he founded two parishes and encouraged and physically contributed to the building of two places of worship, the Church of St. George in Monroe, Michigan (served 1956-1967), and the Church of St. Stevan of Decani in Columbus, Ohio (served 1967-1990).<\/span><\/p>

After his retirement in 1990, he voluntarily served as a temporary priest in Naples, Florida, Kansas City, Kansas, Akron, Norton, Barberton(Ohio), Hermitage, Midland, Youngwood (Pennsylvania), and Seattle, Washington, where he is given credit for helping inspire them to have their first St. Sava parish church.<\/span><\/p>

He continued to regularly volunteer as long as he was able. He also taught and served as Dean of the Serbian Orthodox School of Theology at the St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois.<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Matejic published original works on theology, translations of early Christian texts, discovered and published unknown works of the medieval Serbian Church, wrote on the history of Orthodoxy.<\/span><\/p>

He was especially committed to children’s education and wrote religious poems as well as plays and poems about Serbian saints, suitable for younger children.<\/span><\/p>

In addition to his seminary education, he attained a BA in 1963 (Wayne State University) and a Ph.D. in 1967 (University of Michigan). He taught at Case Western Reserve 1967-1968, and then in the Slavic Department at Ohio State until his retirement as a full professor in 1989. His areas of specialization were diverse, but he was especially known for his lectures on Dostoevsky and Old Russian and medieval South Slavic literature and paleography.<\/span><\/p>

Father Matejic was the co-founder and first editor (1967-1974) of The Path of Orthodoxy \/ Staza Pravoslavlja, which began as a dual-language newspaper of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the Eastern U.S. and Canada, and is now an official publication of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.<\/span><\/p>

In 1976, he established and for 20 years ran a small publishing company, “Kosovo,” which published books of interest to the Serbian and Eastern Orthodox communities in North America.<\/span><\/p>

As a professor at OSU, in 1969, he helped found and became the first director of the Hilandar Research Project, which microfilmed the medieval Slavic manuscripts of the Serbian monastery, Hilandar, on Mount Athos (Greece), thereby making their content more widely accessible and encouraging research in medieval Slavic studies.<\/span><\/p>

Under his direction, in time he helped found and establish at OSU both a special collection, the Hilandar Research Library, and a small research center, the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies with its “Hilandar” Endowment.<\/span><\/p>

Dr. Matejic had a gift for languages and was fluent in five, conversant in another three, and read six others. He was prolific as a lecturer and author. Well known as a theologian and scholar, he travelled frequently and made presentations in 23 different countries.<\/span><\/p>

He was the author of 49 monographs and reference works, and over 500 articles and literary reviews, many of them for World Literature Today (1976-1981).<\/span><\/p>

His scholarly publications, especially descriptions of Slavic medieval manuscripts, are consulted and cited regularly.<\/span><\/p>

His creativity also extended to poetry and literature. In fact, his first works were published at age 18 in 1942.<\/span><\/p>

Many of his published works are books of poems, short stories, and memoirs, in Serbian and\/or English. Several poems were published in the camps. His poems, especially those inspired by Hilandar Monastery and its monks, have been published with and without attribution in several countries, especially Serbia. Some of his poems have been set to original music and performed in concerts.<\/span><\/p>

Father Matejic received recognition and numerous awards, beginning with prestigious academic fellowships, including the Woodrow Wilson.<\/span><\/p>

Later, his research and scholarship were instrumental and led to receiving grants from the U.S. Information Agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Council for Learned Societies, and several research awards of The Ohio State University.<\/span><\/p>

For his dedication to the Serbian Orthodox Church, he was recognized as a “cross-bearer,” with the right to wear a pectoral cross, similar to those worn by bishops.<\/span><\/p>

In 2001 he received both a Commendation and the highest award of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Order of St. Sava.<\/span><\/p>

For his original poetry and literature in Serbian, the Union of Serbian Writers acknowledged him to be among the three best Serbian emigre authors of all-time.<\/span><\/p>

In 1988, he was accepted into the Union of Serbian Writers, and in 1996, 2000, and 2005, he received 3 separate literary awards.<\/span><\/p>

The city of Smederevo, which he left as a political refugee in 1944, acknowledged his many contributions by a lengthy entry in the “Smederevo Encyclopedia.”<\/span>In 2001, he was awarded the key to the city of Smederevo.<\/span><\/p>

For his contributions to scholarship and medieval studies, he was also recognized by Bulgaria. In 1978, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church awarded him the Order of St. Kliment.<\/span><\/p>

In 1984, he was inducted as a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers. In 1988, he received the highest recognition of the University of Sofia, the “Blue Ribbon with Medal of St. Kliment.”<\/span><\/p>

The Very Rev. Dr. Mateja Matejic was a classic example of a Renaissance man, “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge.” His breadth and depth of interests, knowledge, and creativity was remarkable. Yet, without the steadfast support, patience, understanding, and sacrifice of his wife, Protopresbytera Ljubica, many of his travels, lectures, opportunities and accomplishments would not have been possible.<\/span><\/p>

The Very Rev. Dr. Mateja Matejic is survived by: five children\u2014<\/span><\/p>

Predrag (Tatyana),<\/span><\/p>

Milica (Frederick),<\/span><\/p>

Vida (Thomas),<\/span><\/p>

Nenad,<\/span><\/p>

Dragana (Milan);<\/span><\/p>

12 grandchildren\u2014Nenad (Tina), Svetoslav (Sarah), Angela (Matt), Anjalyn (Patrick), Zachary, Emily (Doug), Konstantin, Kara, Alex (Lauren), Thomas, Milan, Aleksi; and nine great grandchildren\u2014Ethan, Sam, Eli, Sophia, Dimitur, Stella, Elisaveta, Violet, Finn.<\/span><\/p>

He is also survived by his dear sister-in-law and friend Gordana Miric, nephew Borislav Miric, and many nieces and nephews in Serbia. In lieu of flowers and in accordance with his wishes, donations may be made to support children and orphans in Serbia (lifeline\u2014<\/span>canada.org<\/a>\u00a0or<\/span>http:\/\/www.lifelineny.org<\/a>),<\/span><\/p>

Hilandar Monastery (<\/span>athosfriends.org<\/a>), or The Ohio State University’s Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (<\/span>rcmss.osu.edu<\/a>\u00a0and “Giving”).<\/span><\/p>

Tuesday July 31, 2018<\/strong>
2:30-4:30: Viewing Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home \/ 515 N. High St. Worthington Ohio6:00: Memorial (Funeral) Service | St. Stevan of Dechani Serbian Orthodox Church \/ 1840 N. Cassady Rd. Columbus<\/strong><\/p>


Wednesday, August 1, 2018<\/strong>
10:00: Divine Liturgy | St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral \/ 6306 Broadview Rd. Cleveland Ohio.Interment: Serbian Orthodox Monastery Marcha Cemetery \/ 5095 Broadview Rd. Richfield OhioDacha: St. Sava Cathedral Hall.Published in The Columbus Dispatch on July 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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V. Rev. Stav. Dr.<\/strong><\/h3>

Mateja Matejic<\/strong><\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It is with great sadness we learned about the passing of an icon of Serbian American history, the V.Rev. Stav. Dr. Mateja Matejic.\u00a0<\/h4>

This obituary was copied from a Facebook posting by Mira Damjanovich of Cleveland on\u00a0<\/h4>

July 31, 2018.\u00a0<\/h4>

Vjecnaja Pamjat<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h4>

Memory Eternal<\/h4>

++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

Ohio University Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies:

https:\/\/rcmss.osu.edu\/<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr. Predrag Matejic, Fr. Mateja’s son, took over for his father at the Resource Center at OSU.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

“Founded in 1984, the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (RCMSS), a center of the College of Arts and Sciences, is dedicated to the promotion of medieval Slavic studies, providing broad interdisciplinary research and academic opportunities for students, graduate students, faculty, and visiting researchers.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

“For administrative purposes, it is embedded in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures.<\/span><\/strong>
RCMSS has close ties with the Hilandar Research Library (HRL).<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

“Both developed as an outgrowth of the original Hilandar Research Project. RCMSS is a non-national oriented center that promotes Cyrillic-based research and strives to accomplish its goals through the support of HRL preservation and access activities, research, stipends and travel, occasional acquisitions of HRL materials, publication support, and sponsoring conferences, lectures, workshops, etc.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Vje\u010dnaja Pamjat!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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About Your Hostess, Mim Bizic<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”- Old Chinese Proverb\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.”-Warren Buffett\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0“If you walk with purpose, you collide with Destiny.” \u00a0Beatrice Berry<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Who can find a virtual librarian for her price is far above rubies.” Doug Johnson after Proverbs 31:10<\/span><\/span><\/p>

I have always tried to follow Doug’s advice to be a\u00a0<\/span>Virtual Librarian<\/strong><\/span>, Crowsnester, and\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Rabble Rouser<\/strong><\/span>, not as a Critic, but one of a builder. \u00a0“No more prizes for rain. Prizes only for building arks.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Mim on YouTube——>\u00a0\u00a0“Maximizing America’s Future:\u00a0 Shining Light on the Gifted”<\/a><\/p>

“Mim is one of the best ambassadors of the Serbian community that we have. \u00a0Not only is she poised to let us know what it means to be Serbian, but to be proud of the fact even in an age where it may not be so popular. \u00a0 She truly knows what it means to connect in a real way. \u00a0The real way is through her own heart and soul and through her living a Serbian life while in America and several generations removed.” \u00a0(Dr. Milena Tatic-Bajich, Chicago, IL)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

“Keep your face towards the sunshine and the dark shadows will always fall behine you.”<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Don’t ever forget who your grandfather was…..<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Milana (“Mim”) Karlo Bizic<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0earned a B.S. degree in three (3) years from the University of Pittsburgh where she had a four-year scholarship; a Master’s Degree in 1967; School Library Certification in 1970; and Gifted and Talented Certification in 1981. Her professional experience includes teaching all Elementary grade level students K-6;\u00a0 Teaching Graduate level courses for Penn State University (Beaver Campus for nine years until 1994), Carlow College and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, where she taught fellow educators how to creatively integrate computers into their curriculums across all disciplines and all grade levels, K-12; working as a Supervisor of Student Teachers for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) after she retired from working 40+ years teaching in the public schools, most notably for Quaker Valley School District.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mim has served as an\u00a0Educational Consultant to the\u00a0<\/span>U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Apple Computer Co, Scholastic Magazine, and the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0A national presenter for the U.S. Patent Office, Mim has shared her creative and inventive thinking skills expertise with teachers from Portland, OR to Toldeo, OH.\u00a0 She did similar work with the INVENT AMERICA!\u00a0<\/strong>foundation, reaching out to teachers in Chicago and Washington. She’s been a Co-Keynote Speaker for the Ben Franklin Computer Conference held at Carnegie-Mellon University and the Computer Using Educators (CUE) of Delaware.

Apple Computer Co.<\/strong>\u00a0and Modern Pictures Services asked Mim to use her creativity and computer technological know-how to write lesson plans in workshops held in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Maui, Hawaii.

Bizic helped write the educational resource handbook for the permanent\u00a0Smithsonian exhibit,\u00a0<\/strong>“Beyond the Limits, Flight Enters the Computer Age.” She wrote lesson plans on Clean Coal Technology for the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center.

She was a member of the\u00a0National Advisory Board of Scholastic Inc.’s TEACHING AND COMPUTERS<\/strong>

She piloted several programs for the University of Pittsburgh’s Regional Computer Resource Center, including the popular “Voyage of the MIMI” series.

Mim and her students won numerous awards, including\u00a0First Place National Awards for Apple Computer Co.\u00a0<\/strong>1985 (Ancient Egypt); 1986 (Ancient Greece and Rome); and 1987 (Space) before being placed in the Apple Hall of Fame, and then again in 1989, with a unit on Women’s History, that also garnered a\u00a0First Place State Award\u00a0<\/strong>from the Pennsylvania Commission for Women’s “Women’s History Month Contest.”

She and her students traveled to Harrisburg to receive their N.E.E.D. (National Energy Education Day Award for the state-level contest.

Mrs. Bizic led her school to a national bin the FIRST “National Computer Learning Month”\u00a0<\/strong>contest in 1988.

Her students also won a First-Place Regional and Third-Place State Award in the U.S.Bicentennial Map Contest in 1991.

On Saturday, October 13, 1984, Mim was honored by the American Legion Post # 4 at the Charles “Bud” Merriman dinner, receiving the Legion’s FIRST\u00a0“Special Award of Merit “<\/strong>\u00a0for “her diligent work with the students on the elementary level in teaching democracy and patriotism.”

Mim was named “Woman of the Year”\u00a0<\/strong>in 1987 by the Sewickley HERALD, recognized for her many achievements on behalf of the children of the Valley.

In May,1988, she won the\u00a0Judge’s Choice Award sponsored by the Boston Apple Fest,<\/strong>\u00a0and traveled to Boston to accept the great honor on behalf of her hard-working students.

She also earned an\u00a0“Excellence in Teaching”\u00a0<\/strong>Award from the PA Assoc. of Gifted Education in 1989.

In August of 1990, she was a Grand Prize Co-Winner with Dr. Merle Marsh of Delaware, for the FIRST\u00a0“Johnny Appleseed National Awards\u00a0<\/strong>Contest, sponsored by the Computer Users for Social Responsibility and the Macintosh Users Group (MUG) News Service.

Mrs. Bizic was named the\u00a0National Honoree for the Smithsonian’s ASTC Award\u00a0<\/strong>(Association of Science and Technology Centers) for National Technology Week in 1989.

She was named a\u00a0First Place Honoree\u00a0<\/span>for the FIRST\u00a0“Thanks to Teachers”<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0contest sponsored by\u00a0Group W Broadcasting (KDKA), Westinghouse, Pitt, NFIE and NAB in June, 1990, the first year of the Award.<\/span>
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Bizic was appointed a panel member to U.S. Congressman Rick Santorum’s “18th Congressional District’s Schools of Excellence Recognition Program” in 1991-1992.

She served as a panelist in Washington, DC for a conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992 after winning an appointment for the Elementary Teacher Research Internship (ETRI) in 1991.

Mim earned a scholarship award on Fossil Energy at LaRoche College (1992) and a Science Funding Proposal Grant from the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) and the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) 1992.

She was listed in the “Who’s Who in American Teaching”\u00a0<\/strong>of 1992, nominated for the award in the first year of the award by senior high school student, Melissa Barrick.

During the 1992-93 school year, Mim was a\u00a0“Piloteer” on the INTERNET for the PA Department of Education,<\/strong>\u00a0where she successfully had Sewickley teachers and students conducting scientific experiments, sharing poems and plays with students throughout the USA and the rest of the world community.

Her Internet travels led to her being named as an\u00a0Educational Ambassador for the state of Pennsylvania to the city of Omija, Japan, in 1993.<\/strong>

Mim was named to Marquis’\u00a0“Who’s Who of American Women,”<\/strong>\u00a0in January, 1995.

In June of `95, Mim was selected as one of twenty recipients of a five week\u00a0National Endowment for the Humanities Grant entitled “Japanese Culture Through Literature.”<\/strong>

June ’96 found Mim accepting a CERTIFICATE OF\u00a0RECOGNITION FOR LEADERSHIP\u00a0<\/strong>from the PA School Librarians Association for her roll in helping to bring the World Wide Web to the Sewickley community.

\u00a0In 1997, she and fellow innovators, Dr. Robert Fusco and Dr. Joseph Marrone, along with the SNET Board of Directors, accepted a \u201cCITIZEN OF THE YEAR\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0award from the Sewickley HERALD for SewickleyNET, the community’s first official presence on the WWW.

Mim has spoken to various groups and clubs across the nation on\u00a0Molas\u00a0<\/strong>(folk art of the Kuna Indians of San Blas Islands, Panama),\u00a0Love Tokens<\/strong>\u00a0from the Victorian Era, and\u00a0Hobo Nickels<\/strong>. She has had mola displays in museums in PA, OH, and WV.

She led a group of PA residents to Iptingen, Germany, birthplace of Fr. Rapp from the Old Economy Museum Site in Ambridge, PA, when she served on the\u00a0Board of the Harmonie Associates.<\/strong>

Bizic has traveled extensively in other countries throughout Europe (England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, all of the old Yugoslavia, Finland), Mexico, Russia in 1999, and Greece, Egypt, Israel and Turkey in 2000, Ireland and China in 2004 and a tour of Serbian Monasteries in 2006, including her 3rd trip to Kosovo, and again (4) to Kosovo in 2008 with the Kosovo Men’s Choir of Eastern Ohio.\u00a0 In 2007, sister Rose treated her two sisters to a trip to Viet Nam, where Rose worked as Director of the Red Cross in 1966-67 and again in 1969-70.\u00a0 Brunei, Sanya China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Phillipines were also a part of the 2007 journey. Italy, Spain, France were highlighted once again in 2011. Many other International trips followed, so that much of Europe and Canada as well as the USA were covered. A favorite travel was being on Prajani Field in Serbia September 15, 2019 for the 75th Anniversary of the rescue of the 500 U.S. Airmen by General Draza Mihailovich and his Serbian Chetniks, the 5th U.S. Army Air Force and the Tuskegee Airmen who flew cover of the mission.

\u00a0Bizic has written numerous articles on the above and on Serbian history for national newspapers and magazines. In July, 2001 she was the\u00a0Curator\/Author of the Serb National Federation’s Centennial Historic Photo Exhibit that was held in Pittsburgh.\u00a0<\/strong>The gala SNF “Century of Serbdom” event was televised in Yugoslavia, parts of Australia, England, and several other countries throughout Europe. She is also listed in “Who’s Who in the Serbian Diaspora.”

Bizic was enthusiastic over a PowerPoint project she implemented in the school library entitled\u00a0“Literary Leader Reader”\u00a0<\/strong>for her 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students that gave her students an opportunity to use technology in a creative way while proving they knew requested library skills.\u00a0 Bizic created CyberHunt-Webquests on The Lewis & Clark Expedition 1803-1804, General Alexander Hays and the Civil War, and especially made for Edgeworth’s Centennial—webquests about Edgeworth Borough and the Edgeworth Female Seminary, and the English\/Irish author the school was named after, Maria Edgeworth.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Above:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Children get ready to salute Edgeworth Boro’s Centennial. \u00a0The Boro and School were named after the famous English woman from Ireland, Maria Edgeworth.<\/span><\/p>

Below:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0The Edgeworth Library featured the beautiful LIBERTY tree (lanterns from the Revolutionary War classic JOHNNY TREMAIN), huge cardboard dinosaurs, a flying Dumbo, \u00a0the famous monkey Curious George on his bike, THE WILD THINGS, one of the 5 Chinese Brothers on the ceiling, the wooden U.S. soldiers from all branches of the Armed Forces saluting the readers, and so much more!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mim brought intellectual excitement to many ground-breaking projects, guiding her students to understand, analyze, and connect knowledge and skills across subject areas, where they were expected to think critically, creatively, and apply their knowledge in new ways, all the while having fun doing it.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bizic officially ended her elementary teaching\/library career\u00a0 in 2004, but not before hosting long-time friend,\u00a0Steve Wozniak,<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to her library, and receiving a school-wide, community surprise party.\u00a0 A magician brought forth long-time PA Senator, Rick Santorum who presented Bizic with a beautifully framed letter from First Lady Laura Bush, also a school librarian.

Mim formally retired from teaching June, 2004, but she didn\u2019t retire from education.\u00a0 She\u2019s too busy learning about her granddaughter\u2019s latest achievements and demonstrating the wonders of her new incredible iphone everywhere she goes!

Bizic continues to write on a variety of topics for the SRBOBRAN, a national Serbian newspaper, and several local magazines.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Steve Wozniak visits Edgeworth<\/strong><\/p>

Computer pioneer visits Quaker Valley<\/div>
to cap 19-year friendship with Edgeworth Librarian<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
An Apple for the Librarian<\/div>
Wednesday, May 26, 2004<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
By Amanda Michaels, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/strong><\/div>

After exchanging pleasantries and Christmas cards with Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak for almost 20 years, Edgeworth Elementary School librarian Milana ‘Mim’ Bizic had to threaten to retire to get him to visit the school.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette<\/span>
Edgeworth Elementary School librarian Milana Bizic, center, introduces old friend and Apple Computer Co. co-founder Steve Wozniak, right, to the school’s pupils during his visit May 18. Bizic and Wozniak became acquainted in the early ’80s, when Bizic received awards for her implementation of computers in elementary education. The pupils gave a presentation on how they use Apple computers at the school. Edgeworth Elementary is in the Quaker Valley School District.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I said ‘Steve, you always said you wanted to come to Edgeworth. Well, I’m retiring this year, so you’d better do it fast.’ And here he is,” said Bizic.<\/p>

And just how did the 62-year-old woman, dedicated to education for 41 years, come to be on a first-name basis with the California mogul who designed the first personal computer?<\/p>

“[I met Wozniak] at an awards presentation in 1985 [hosted by Apple Computer Clubs International], and I had this huge display up of these word processing, database and spreadsheet projects that the students did on the Apple II’s,” said Bizic. “He was impressed, and told me he always wanted to inspire kids like that, and that he wanted to send his son Jesse to Edgeworth,” which is part of the Quaker Valley School District.<\/p>

The unlikely friendship progressed from there. Bizic and her family took Wozniak on a whirlwind tour of Pittsburgh during a visit in ’88, and Wozniak gave Bizic one of the first 20 Apple GS’s to roll off the assembly line. And though his son never ended up at Edgeworth, Jesse Wozniak graduated from Carnegie Mellon University on May 16.<\/p>

Though Quaker Valley communications coordinator John Hanna credited the visit to Bizic’s personal relationship with Wozniak, Quaker Valley also was honored recently with the 2004 President’s Technology Award from the American Association of School Administrators for its use of technology in advancing teaching, learning and achievement.<\/p>

A 2001 technology grant from the state was used to create a digital school district: Beginning in fourth grade, all Quaker Valley pupils get laptop computers to use during the school year. All are Apple products.<\/p>

“When I ask how many of [the students] use Apple computers, all of their hands go up,” said Bizic. “So it’s just great that the inventor can come here and speak to them.”<\/p>

The “inventor” tag dates to 1975, when Wozniak teamed up with Steve Jobs, a friend from his job at calculator-maker Hewlett Packard and a member of his computer hobbyist group. The two came up with a preassembled computer with several key improvements over computer kits of the time, and launched the Apple I in 1976.<\/p>

The Apple I launched the personal computer revolution, and Apple Computer Co. made Wozniak a multimillionaire. He turned his attention to philanthropy and personal projects two decades ago.<\/p>

At Edgeworth on May 18, Wozniak was greeted warmly by a library filled with pupils. He was shown a PowerPoint presentation charting his early life through the Crayola renderings of one third-grade class. Second-graders sang a song about world peace and first-graders offered a slightly altered version of ‘This Land is Your Land,’ substituting computer terms in one of the verses.<\/p>

An Einstein cardboard cutout even donned a sweat sshirt bearing the words ‘Welcome Woz!”<\/p>

Wozniak then took the floor, telling the story of the birth of the Apple computer, from his persistence in designing and redesigning the machines on paper to the first model he and Jobs built and sold.<\/p>

He also encouraged the children to pursue their passions.<\/p>

“Know what direction you want to go. Others may try to direct you, but you’ve got to know inside what you want to do in life,” Wozniak said. “That’s why it’s important to be educated, so you can be a master … in control of your life.”<\/p>

Fourth-grader Nathan Pawlik, designer of a PowerPoint presentation shown during the welcoming ceremony, called the event “cool” and “really awesome.”<\/p>

“I use my computer a lot, and after my football career, I want to go into artistic engineering, and a computer will help me with that. So it’s great that I got to meet the inventor,” he said.<\/p>

This sentiment was echoed among other pupils, including fellow fourth-grader Emily Kuzma.<\/p>

“I was happy because we got to know [Wozniak’s] opinion of Apple and how he made computers,” she said. “I think I’m going to write about this in my diary.”<\/p>

As parent volunteer Donna Kosanovich said, the success of the day was thanks to the passion of Bizic, who “jazzed” up the children and made sure they knew the importance of their visitor.<\/p>

“Mim is just a wonderful lady, so full of enthusiasm. She not only motivates the students, she motivates me,” added volunteer Lori Kuny.<\/p>

“Mrs. Bizic took us into the age of computers long before the rest of Western Pennsylvania thought about it, and she was instrumental in getting our kids and the teachers acquainted with the computers. She will absolutely be missed,” said fourth-grade teacher Sandy Wilson, who will also retire at the end of the year.<\/p>

“This presentation was just fabulous … a beautiful way for me to retire,” Bizic said. “The children all came through, and got to learn about the magic Woz made possible.<\/p>

“And that’s just what it is: Magic.”<\/p>

First published on May 26, 2004 at 12:00 am<\/div>
Amanda Michaels can be reached at\u00a0amichaels@post-gazette.com<\/a>\u00a0or 412-263-1419.<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE! \u00a0Always had a good time in this Library before retiring in 2004.<\/div>
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Here’s a rare find!\u00a0 Read this article in Czech!<\/div>
\u00a0http:\/\/www.almalap.hu\/200407\/wozniak.html<\/a><\/div>
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A Letter from Pennsylvania Governor, the Honorable Ed Rendell @ the SERBS and the www.babamim.com website!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/div>
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\"\"On Sept. 7, 2011<\/span><\/strong>, Moon Township Commissioners formally presented me with a copy of the Proclamation given to the people of Serbia via Jugoslav Cosic at the Township \u00a0Building. \u00a0(See right hand column ——->) \u00a0Thank you, EVERYONE!<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Also present was\u00a0Carl Walpusk<\/strong><\/span>, one of the 500+ U.S. airmen rescued by General Draza Mihailovich and his Chetniks and Serbian villagers during WWII.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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I was able to show the Moon Township Commissioners and all Moon residents watching via live coverage of the proceedings, a book from 1946, where Carl and his Sergeant Mato were diligently trying to save the life of General Draza Mihailovich, who was shot by a firing squad in Yugoslavia by the Communists.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

New surprise from\u00a0Allegheny West Magazine<\/a>\u00a0edited and published by Pat Jennette in the November, 2011 issue.\u00a0 See p.13.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Click lower right hand corner to enlarge photo.)<\/em><\/p>

Thanks, Pat!\u00a0 I’m sure the American SERBS and those Serbs found around the world are grateful to you for this.\u00a0 I sure am!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Sorry to report that\u00a0Virginia Walpusk<\/span><\/span>, faithful wife of 68 years and mother to 3 wonderful children, was buried on Thursday, January 16, 2014. Memory Eternal,\u00a0“Vjecnaja Pamjat.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>

August 5, 2012<\/strong><\/h3>

Mim Bizic honored as\u00a0“Beloved Kuma”<\/span><\/p>

of St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church<\/p>

in Aliquippa, PA, 15001.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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