Belgrade, April 16, 2012
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In the epistle delivered on the occasion of the most important Christian holiday, Patriarch Irinej called on believers to pray for their brothers and sisters in Kosovo-Metohija on Easter Sunday, the day of Christ's resurrection which binds us by its meaning and message to preserve and profess the Orthodox religion properly.
We call on them not to allow their spirits to fail and we are asking them to be faithful to their Orthodox religion in their homes and the homes of their ancestors, the patriarch stated in the Easter epistle.
He noted that Easter instructs that life should be spent with full responsibility and duty which we are performing adequately and responsibly, whether we are in our homes, in the fields, factories or hold offices as statesmen and leaders of the nation.
We have the utmost obligation of preserving human dignity in every individual and ourselves, the patriarch stated.
He called on citizens to respect and preserve the sanctity of marriage because, as he said, it constitutes the basis of a supreme, healthy and decent family.
The celebration of Easter started by midnight liturgies in all churches, and continued by morning services.
