April 12, 2004

ERP KIM Newsletter 12-04-04

Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God in Lipljan begins to weep

In the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus (the new
church) in Lipljan, the icon of the Mother of God with Chris has begun to
weep. The local parish priest, Father Randjel Denic, observed a trace some
20 centimeters in length under the right eye of the Mother of God on an icon
that is part of the iconostasis.

"At the very moment I was saying a prayer in front of the icon - Most Holy
Mother of God, have mercy on us - I observed a trace that was not there
before. The trace , as if that of a tear, starts at the right eye and runs
across the cheek of the Mother of God," Father Randjel told Radio KIM,
adding that this was a sign and a blessing after the March pogrom given as a
gift by the Mother of God to her people.

After news of this miracle of God spread, the Serbs of Lipljan celebrated
the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ with their priest in great number
in the hope that they would survive and return to their destroyed homes. The
church of Sts. Florus and Laurus is surrounded by strong forces of Finnish
KFOR and most Lipljan church live in the area where the church is located
(from Radio KIM news, Caglavica)

<http://www.kosovo.com/bsuze2.jpg >

A tear on the face of the Most Holy Mother of God in the church
of Sts. Florus and Laurus in Lipljan (Photo Glas Juga)

Radio KIM, ERP KIM Info Service
Lipljan, April 12, 2004

On the eve of the Resurrection, on Holy and Great Saturday, while praying in
front of the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God on the iconostasis of the
church of Sts. Florus and Laurus, Father Randjel Denic, the parish priest in
Lipljan, observed an unusual trace in the form of a tear appearing from the
right eye of the Mother of God. In the tradition of the Orthodox Church,
tears very frequently appeared on icons during times of great suffering by
the Church, as a consolation to the faithful but also a call to repentance
and more intensive prayer.

Father Randjel Denic made the following statement for the ERP KIM Info
Service:

<http://www.kosovo.com/bsuze1.jpg >

Icon of the Mother of God on which the trace of a tear
can be seen from the right eye

"We served Holy Liturgy in the church on Great and Holy Thursday, Friday and
Saturday according to the usual custom. On Saturday after the service, prior
to dismissal I turned as usual toward the icon of the Mother of God on the
iconostasis and said: 'Most Holy Mother of God, have mercy on us.' At that
moment I observed an unusual trace in the form of a tear under the right eye
of the icon of the Mother of God. When I completed the service I inspected
the icon from up close and saw that there was indeed the trace of a tear
some twenty centimeters in length from the right eye across the cheek of the
Holy Mother of God. I am constantly serving in this church and I know that I
have never observed anything like this on this particular icon," said Father
Randjel.

In further conversation with the correspondent of the ERP KIM Info Service,
Father Randjel said that he and his congregation experienced this sign of
God as consolation and encouragement at a time when the Church and its
faithful people in Kosovo and Metohija are undergoing great suffering. "On
the very eve of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy
Mother of God has shown us that she has not abandoned us, that she is
protecting and looking after us, which encourages us all the more to remain
in our centuries-old homes. Last month, on March 17, this church and the
remaining Serb houses in Lipljan were attacked by a huge mob of Kosovo
Albanians, who burned down about thirty Serb houses and beat up a number of
Serbs, one of whom, Nenad Vasic, subsequently died. A hand grenade fell only
five meters in front of me and I was wounded from the explosion by several
pieces of shrapnel. Only the Lord saved my life," said the visibly shaken
Father Randjel. After he was wounded, the Orthodox priest was arrested by
Albanian members of the Kosovo Police Service under supposed suspicion of
tossing grenades at his own church. He was detained for several hours while
the Albanian mob looted and burned Serb houses throughout Lipljan.

<http://www.kosovo.com/bsuze3.html >

Father Randjel Denic shows the tears on the icon of the Most Holy Mother of
God in the Church of Sts. Florus and Laurus in Lipljan