Attempt to form breakaway Serbian diocese thwarted

(SOC-Kosovo) - Тhe following report contains information about the latest dramatic events in the Diocese of Raska-Prizren. On November 18, former Bishop Artemije and a group of his followers who proclaimed a schism with the Serbian Orthodox Church attempted to occupy some monasteries of the Diocese and establish a schismatic church on the canonical territory of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren. Thanks to the prompt reaction of the Holy Synod of Bishops which defrocked Bishop Artemije and demoted him to the level of an ordinary monk, and the decisiveness of the new Bishop of Raska-Prizren Diocese Teodosije, the renagade former Bishop and his followers were prevented in their attempts. Both occupied monasteries were freed and are now under the control of the Diocese. Monk Artemije and his followers left Kosovo territory in early hours of November 20. As Patriarch Irinej of SOC has officially pressed charges against Artemije Radosavljevic for a criminal attempt to usurp the Church property, Serbian police is expected to detain the former bishop. Monk Artemije also illegaly falsified the official stamp of the Diocese and began issuing official documents while he was trying to impose himself as a Bishop despite the Church law. The usurpers used force, harassed the diocesan clergy in the two usurped monasteries and disturbed public order. The schismatic group of the followers of Artemije Radosavljevic was not supported by the Serbian people and all the diocesan clergy and monks remained completely faithful to the new Bishop Teodosije...

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