The clergy and faithful of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Mihailo, lit the badnjak today in front of the Bishop’s Residence in Cetinje.

This year’s Montenegrin badnjak, with the blessing of the Metropolitan, was lit by the Cetinje families Roganović, Kaluđerović, and Lagator. On that occasion, the Christmas Epistle of the Metropolitan of Montenegro was read, and Metropolitan Mihailo personally addressed the gathered faithful and citizens.

In his address, the Metropolitan pointed out the fact that today in Cetinje badnjaks are being lit at four different locations.

In front of the buildings of the Serbian Orthodox Church, reference is made to a “traditional badnjak,” although it is widely known that the lighting of the badnjak in that form is not an original tradition of that church, but primarily an authentic custom of the Montenegrin people—this was stated by the Montenegrin Orthodox Church for Cetinjski list.

It was particularly emphasized that the Borilović and Martinović brotherhoods, of their own free will, independently lit a badnjak, which the Montenegrin Orthodox Church respects, with the message that they may continue such a practice in the future.

The third badnjak, unfortunately, was organized by those who have fallen away from the Church, which is seen as part of contemporary reality and the political choices of certain individuals, since throughout history there have always been those who distanced themselves from the Church. The true Montenegrin badnjak belongs to the Montenegrin Orthodox Church and to the families who, with its blessing, traditionally light it. This year, these are the respected and prominent Cetinje families Kaluđerović, Lagator, and Roganović, one of which gave a distinguished Metropolitan of the autocephalous Montenegrin Orthodox Church, whose grave is located in front of the Vlaška Church—stated representatives of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

As they emphasized, the Montenegrin badnjak is one and indivisible, just as there is one Montenegrin badnjak and one Montenegrin Orthodox Church in its canonical, spiritual, and historical continuity.

This is how it has been, and this is how it will remain in the future, with the hope that the spirit of Christmas will be born in all of us, so that, in unity, we may overcome the challenges and trials of modern times, for the salvation of all Montenegrins, as well as of all people of other nationalities who experience Montenegro as their homeland—concluded representatives of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

Source: Cetinjski list