Metropolitan Amfilohije

Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Joanikije and Patriarch Porfirije. Photo: Serbian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Joanikije and Montenegrin PM Zdravko Krivokapic. Photo: Serbian Orthodox Church

"This government and its prime minister didn't fulfill promises given to the Serbian Orthodox Church or our expectations, and they don't have our trust. We have to talk within the ruling majority," Mandic told media.

It also presents the Church's Belgrade leadership with an opportunity to elect a successor more in sync with Serbian state policy under President Aleksandar Vucic, analysts say.

Metropolitan Amfilohije Radovic died on October 30 of complications from COVID-19. He was 82 years old.

He will, along with Metropolitan Amfilohije, head the liturgy in Podgorica tomorrow to protest the adoption of the Freedom of Religion Act.
As announced on Friday, he will visit the Cetinje Monastery.

Mass protests of Serbian Orthodox Church clergy and their supporters continued across Montenegro at the weekend as the government and Church negotiate about the fate of the Freedom of Religion law adopted in December. 

Tensions in Montenegro could be heightened after the Serbian Orthodox Church holds an assembly and a protest rally in Niksic on Saturday against a controversial new law on religion.

It is not known whether Serbian Orthodox Church representatives will take part in the Brussels dialogue when the SPC heritage in Kosovo makes it to the agenda.

This has been stated by SPC Metropolitan Amfilohije, who, speaking during a news conference called to promote a book on St. Sava on Monday, added:

Pope Francis received on Saturday a SPC delegation that included Metropolitan Amfilohije, Bishop Irinej and former Ambassador to the Vatican Darko Tanaskovic.

Thaci's planned Montenegro lecture canceled

PODGORICA -- Kosovo Deputy PM Hashim Thaci's lecture, scheduled for Thursday in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, has been canceled for security reasons.

Thaci was to speak about "NATO integrations."