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In the ten years he spent at the helm of the Serbian Orthodox Church, according to numerous estimates, Patriarch Irinej strengthened the connection between the State and the Church. While representatives of state bodies emphasize their work on the unity of the state and the church, analysts recall that Serbia is a secular state according to the Constitution.
The former Secretary General of the President of Serbia, current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, affirms that Patriarch Irinej was a man who felt the pulse of the people and of time.
He claims that Irinej, despite being the head of the Church, understood well the importance of the state.
“He is a man who fought for national unity. And all these other things you said, he is Kosovo and Metohija, he is Montenegro, he is the Republika Srpska, all his decisions in that area and on those issues are exactly what I said. : national unity, and that national unity was achieved through the unity of the Serbian state and the Serbian Orthodox Church … These are things he did together with President Aleksandar Vučić, “said Selaković.
Religious analysts agree that the connection between the state and the church marked the period when Irinej was the patriarch, and they point out that the church became more present and had a greater influence on the society of his time.
“Although Serbia is a secular state, what we can definitely see is that a church-political alliance was formed, so to speak, and that’s what many resented and on the other hand gave the church some other privileges. As for Kosovo, the state has ‘bought’, so to speak, the favor of its decisions when it comes to the Church with various budget allocations for the Serbian Orthodox Church. things, “says religious analyst Draško Đenović.
Source: H1
Draško Đenović
Precisely because of the great influence and importance that religious communities, and especially the Serbian Orthodox Church, have in Serbia, journalist Jelka Jovanović believes that the death of Patriarch Irinej could have an impact on the socio-political life of the country.
“It seems to me that there will be certain disturbances in society and what can be most reflected is – in some continuation of the negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade, because President Vučić, who is leading them, had absolutely, without any doubt, a great ally. in the patriarch “, evaluates the journalist Jelka Jovanović.
Analysts note that the future relationship between the state and the church will depend on who is elected patriarch after Irinej. According to the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, that should happen within three months.
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