"Liturgy for repose" served for govt., parliament

Metropolitan Amfilohije was taking part in a protest rally in Belgrade organized by Serbs from Kosovo who are opposed to the recently initialed Brussels agreement.

At the same government, retired Bishop Atanasije spoke about the country's top officials to say, "those three in power (are) traitors who trust NATO's guarantees."

"(PM Ivica) Dacic says he's in favor of the worldly politics, he's not interested in the celestial, thus also spoke (assassinated PM Zoran) Dindic - and let God be the judge of how he ended up," Atanasije was quoted as saying.

He also told the rally that the authorities did not believe in God, but instead in "the devastating mythology of the European Union."

Religious affairs analyst Zivica Tucic told the news that he was shocked by Metropolitan Amfilohije's act, and explained:

"A prayer for the repose can only be said for those who are no longer living. It's an expression used in requiems and memorial services. A prayer cannot be said for somebody alive to be reposed. This statement is simply shocking to me. I don't know what else to say. It should not have happened, too much has been said with it, and I think it should not have been said in that way. Somebody could interpret it as a call for somebody not to be in power and alive any longer. I'm too surprised by this statement to be able to comment on what the metropolitan actually meant to say."

Tucić added that the Church should explain the words and the participation of Metropolitan Amfilohije in the rally - "considering that he comes from a different eparchy and should not speak or perform religious rites in the territory of an eparchy other than his own."