Bp. Vasilije, accused of sexual abuse, retired to monastery

BELGRADE (in Serbia) – Bishop of Zvornik and Tuzla, Vasilije Kacavenda, who has been retired by Serbian Orthodox Church, will leave his lavish palace in Bijeljina and move into a cell of the male monastery Vasilije Ostroski in the center of Bijeljina or monastery Sisatovac on Fruska Gora, reports news magazine “Kurir”.

Recently, after the affair of sexual abuse of minors in which the bishop was allegedly involved and after news magazine “Kurir” has published part of the video on which, allegedly, bishop is kissing and enjoying a passionate moment with a boy, on Tuesday Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has stepped in and silently punished the bishop by retiring him and sending him to monastery.

How will Kacavenda, after being used to hedonism and luxury feel to live in a modest monastery, without friends, going outs, modern technology and luxury – many wonder.

The bishop has, in his palace in Bijeljina, enjoyed the most modern equipment for home, fireplace, hot tub, gold, antiques, servants and luxuries, of which an ordinary person can only dream of. The furniture in his home is made mostly of ivory, the salon is full of sculptures and artifacts, and his guests were served food in silver plates.

It has been estimated that his “golden salon” is worth at least EUR 300,000 ($390,000), and gilded mirror in it as much as EUR 20,000 ($26,000). The total value of the bishop’s house in Bijeljina, as “Kurir” learned, is estimated to more than a EUR 1,000,000 ($1,300,000).

Beauty in Kacavenda’s palace is seen only in movies. He loves music, especially jazz, and that is why he has one of the biggest collection of jazz records in the world, according to Kurir’s source.

All this will now be a past for the bishop, as in the monastery he is going to, strict rules are applied. The monks at the monastery get up early in the morning, sometimes as early as 4 AM, they go to matins, spend hours praying to God, and then work in the monastery courtyard, garden or vineyard, if there is any. After the evening prayer, in the summer and before the night, the monks go to their modest cells and there they continue prayer until they fall asleep. Punished enough?