Belgrade, April 9, 2014
On April 7, the first religious procession against abortions in Serbia and also in all other Orthodox countries took place in Belgrade. Holy Patriarch of Serbia Irineus blessed the procession. 250 Orthodox Christians took part in the procession in the center of Belgrade going around the building of Serbian Parliament (Skupshtina), carrying the slogans “Stop abortions” in Serbian and Russian and praying.
The procession was heatedly met and supported by passing pedestrians who prayed and bowed to the icon of Holy Mother (Virgin Mary) carried by the procession. Then people came to the ancient church of Saint Savva the Enlightener of Serbia where the Akathist to the icon of Holy Mother of God was read. Afterwards, Archpriest Dragomir Ubiparipovich pronounced the sermon in which he spoke about problems, sufferings and mischief experienced by Serbian people and especially pointed out that spiritual losses coming from abortions are much more tragic and horrifying than any losses in war time.
The procession was organized by “1389 Movement”, a name which recalls the heroic battle of Serbs against Turkish troops at Kosovo battlefield in 1389. The movement leader Radoyko Lubichich especially emphasized that the procession took place on the Day of Annunciation because this day is of special significance for all Christians as the day of God’s Incarnation.
Also participating in the procession was the president of International social technologies Festival in support of family values, “Yes to life” and “No to abortions” movement leader Sergey Chesnokov. He paid special attention to the fact that abortions can be considered as legalized infanticide, and all Orthodox Christians have to join in their common prayer and religious procession.
2013 was a year of activities by Orthodox community to save lives and stop abortions. Thus, last Easter the Georgian Patriarch called upon the Parliament to pass a law against abortions. In June 2013, the Serbian Orthodox Church supported the Serbian physicians’ declaration about abolishing abortion.
Now in Russia, 70,000 people have signed a petition against abortions.
