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Zoran Zivkovic, former Prime Minister of Serbia, former mayor of Nis, recalls in a conversation with Danas how he met Patriarch Irinej in Nis, mutual cooperation and personal intimacy.
Photo: Fonet / Marija Djokovic– I knew Irinej a long time ago, if I remember correctly in 1992, when I entered politics, he showed interest in meeting me. He was a man fully aware of what was going on around him. Of course, he was loyal to the church and the faith, but he also had good communication with people who were not believers. I met him inviting me to his glory: Flowers. Later, I had the privilege of baptizing my son and daughter and marrying me. I am honored to have two decorations that I received from him: the Order of Saint Sava of the second order and the Order of Saint Roman from the Diocese of Nis, says Zivkovic in support of how well he knew the late patriarch.
Together, he says, they participated in various challenging situations for Serbian society, from war and bombings to building temples.
– When the government in the rest of Serbia organized that mindless game on the bridges, then under the bombs we started the construction of the Temple of the Holy Emperor Constantine and Empress Jelena. I put the cornerstone in uniform. It is important to remember the beginning of the civil protests in 1996 after the robbery in the local elections, when I asked Irinej to find a way to help us. He sent the most popular priest in Nis to speak at the protests, and as we passed the Cathedral the bells rang, although it was not according to protocol. When a fire broke out in Nis Cathedral in 2001, he was in a position to help with rebuilding, recalls Zivkovic.
He also notes that they have moved in the past few years, even if they were regular guests at each other’s celebrations until three years ago.
– Away from the people around him, he began to make mistakes in his evaluation, especially those people who now have power in this country. Not wanting to say anything bad, it just wasn’t the Irinej I knew 30 years ago. I think he surrounded himself with people who were more greedy than admirers of the faith, the truth and the parts, Zivkovic emphasized.
Let us remind you that the Government of Serbia yesterday made the decision to declare three days of mourning in Serbia on the occasion of the death of Patriarch Irinej.
The Holy Liturgy and the funeral of Patriarch Irinej will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2020.
According to the recommendations of the Crisis Staff and due to the application of epidemiological measures, it will not be possible to kiss the body of Blessed partisan Irinej, but people will be able to approach a few meters from the scaffolding, bow down and leave the Temple on Sunday, he told RTS this night. the priest Dragan Shovljanski.
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