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The All-Orthodox Celebrations of the 1,700 th Anniversary of the Edict of Milan

6-10-2013 NIS, Serbia (Reuters) - Eight Orthodox Christian leaders, dignitaries
from other faiths, politicians and thousands of others on Sunday celebrated the
anniversary of the Edict of Milan, which established toleration for Christianity in
the Roman Empire 1,700 years ago.Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was flanked by
patriarchs Theophilos of Jerusalem, Kiril of Russia, Irinej of Serbia, and their
counterparts from Albania, Cyprus, Poland, Slovakia and other smaller Orthodox
churches, as he called in a sermon for more religious freedom and reconciliation.
10/4/2013 3:26:00 PM
Patriarchs Bartholomew,Kirill at Edict of Milan celebrations BELGRADE - The
celebrations of 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan will bring together seven
heads of Orthodox Churches, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch
Theophilos of Jerusalem and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in Nis on
Sunday.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, government

officials, President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and Montenegrin President
Filip Vujanovic will attend the celebrations.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej called on Thursday on all believers and people of goodwill
to join in the final part of the marking of this great historic event.

Bishop of Backa Irinej Bulovic has said at a press conference that the celebrations
will begin as soon as delegations arrive on Friday.The central ceremony will take
place on Sunday, when a liturgy will be held in front of the newly-built Church of
Sts. Constantine and Helen in Nis.

According to Bulovic, archbishops of Cyprus and Greece, Metropolitan of Warsaw, a

delegation from Bulgaria and representatives from Alexandria will also attend the
celebrations.

The delegation of the Roman Catholic Church will be headed by Cardinal Jozef Tomko,
and representatives of the Armenian Church will also be present.

Thanks to the Edict of Milan, the Christian faith and Church got the freedom of
worshipping, which changed the face of Europe in terms of culture and civilization,
Bulovic said.

"Thus, the foundations were laid for Christian Europe that now lasts 1,500 years,"
Irinej Bulovic underlined.

Irinej thanks Kirill for support and love for Serbia

Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarch Irinej Friday thanked Patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia Kirill for the love he has shown for the Serbian people and for
feeling the pains of Kosovo-Metohija as if they were pains in his own heart.

You have visited Kosovo several times. We know that the problem of Kosovo is not
only ours but also yours. You are able to solve the problem in the most appropriate
way, Irinej said while welcoming the Russian patriarch, who arrived in Serbia for
the celebration of 1,700 years of the Edict of Milan, at Belgrades Nikola Tesla
airport on Friday.

Patriarch Irinej said that the celebration of 17 centuries since the adoption of
the Edict of Milan is an opportunity for Orthodox nations to come closer to each
other, and also to extend their brotherly hand to other close churches and
religions.

Patriarch Kirill said that the Milan Edict celebrations in Serbia are also an
opportunity to analyze all issues of importance to the Russian and Serbian Orthodox
Churches.

Patriarch Kirill said that the Edict of Milan defines the relationship between the
church and state, which is the Christian foundation for the development of European
civilization, and pointed to the need to constantly remind everyone about it when
they try to deny the importance of the Edict of Milan.

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest Orthodox church in the world and an Old
Calendarist just like the Serbian Orthodox Church.

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