The Orthodox New Year in Podgorica

A Concert with the Patriarch and a General

A concert organized and financed by the FRY government in cooperation with the Socialist People's Party was an obvious attempt by unitarian forces to pressure he Montenegrin authorities, who had announced they would seek independence of the smaller member of the Yugoslav federation.

AIM Podgorica, January 15, 2001

Yugoslav flags and flags bearing the Serb coat of arms, a picture of Slobodan Milosevic here and there as well as those of renowned Chetnik World War II commander Draza Mihajlovic, several thousand hands flashing three raised fingers, cheers to Yugoslavia and Serbia, and slogans invoking the unity of the Serb nation, all this constituted the visual and audio background of a mass celebration of the "Orthodox" New Year held in downtown Podgorica on Jan. 13.

In this celebration, which archaically adheres to a long-abandoned, Julian calendar, and which Serb nationalists consider the "Serb New Year," there was nothing spontaneous or any similarity to customary New Year festivities.

This year's celebration in the Montenegrin capital was financed by the FRY government, and organized together with the Socialist People's Party, of which both the former (Momir Bulatovic) and incumbent (Zoran Zizic) Yugoslav prime ministers are top officials.

It was a truly Balkan concert, absurd throughout. It was a "music performance," a New Year's Eve meant for political and party supporters. Folk and pop singers who had arrived from Belgrade, before beginning the program all had brief political speeches to make, as if following a scenario prepared beforehand. They spoke of the unbreakable unity of Serbia and Montenegro, of one people and one flesh and blood, of the Serb Montenegro... From the stage, the singers greeted the audience, with a show of hands with three fingers extended, and one of them (Rade Jorovic), even appeared dressed in a Serb World War I uniform. All this was received with cheers to Serbia, and the flying of banners among which was a big one of Seselj's Serbian Radical Party. Flyers were distributed which wished a "Happy Serb Montenegro" to the celebrators, signed by the "Serb Orthodox Youth of the Council of People's Assemblies." They bore a remarkable resemblance to a well-known propagandist piece wishing the people a "Happy New Montenegro." The stage had no decoration or slogans, but some more temperamental Serbian songs, such as one entitled, "Wherever I go, I return to you, Kosovo," were accompanied by fireworks, fired from underneath the podium.

Politicians, top Socialist People's Party officials and certain prominent members did not appear on the stage. They stood or hopped to the rhythm of the music right next to it, throughout the night, which was unusually cold for Podgorica. Careful observers, however, did not fail to notice a certain figure, despite his civilian clothes. For about half an hour Gen. Milorad Obradovic, until recently head of the Yugoslav Second Army stationed in Montenegro, kept company to Momir Bulatovic, Zoran Zizic and Srdja Bozovic.

The star of the evening, however, was none other than Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle. This miniature old man was brought to Montenegro for the occasion, to add a spiritual touch to this musical and political performance. Shortly before his appearance, and half an hour before midnight, security people were distributing candles to those standing in the first rows, which they were supposed to light as soon as the patriarch spoke. His speech, however, was so brief that no one managed to light even a match. His speech, in fact, consisted of a single sentence blessing the crowd, after which he left with his escort, among whom was Amfilohije, metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coast, for the small church of St. George, were he served the midnight liturgy.

His presence, undoubtedly, was a message to the increasing number of supporters and members of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, seeking the return of church estates in Montenegro which some 80 years ago with a single decree, were turned over to the Serbian Orthodox Church. The conflict has as of recently become very fierce, and the Montenegrin authorities are being accused of siding with those the Serbian Church calls schismatic and outcasts.

A lengthy liturgy was held in the small church, one of the symbols of Podgorica, and not in the lavish, newly-constructed, Church of Christ's Resurrection, standing on the other bank of the Moraca River. It even tackled spiritual matters in its part not consisting of prayer meant to ensure the "return of erring souls to the only rightful and truthful faith."

The Jan. 13 concert in Podgorica, held in the presence of a general known for his numerous and persistent pressure on the current Montenegrin authorities during the Milosevic era, and the Serbian Patriarch, organized under the auspices of the strongest Montenegrin party which struggles for a "Yugoslavia without alternative," was undoubtedly an answer to the Montenegrin leadership's open opting for a path that should lead Montenegro towards independence. It is very indicative that this year there was no mass and organized celebration of Jan. 13, which was customary in the past.

It is obvious that the unitarian forces have not weakened after Milosevic's fall, either in Serbia, or in Montenegro. To the contrary. The celebration of the Orthodox New Year's Eve in Podgorica is a clear sign that the story has only begun.

Gordana Borovic

(AIM)