Serbian True Orthodox Church
| Serbian True Orthodox Church Српска истинска Православна црква Srpska istinska Pravoslavna crkva | |
|---|---|
| Type | True Orthodox |
| Primate | Bishop Akakije (Stankovic) |
| Language | Serbian |
| Headquarters | Ralja near Belgrade |
| Territory | Serbia |
| Independence | 1996 (Traditionalist schisms) |
| Separated from | Serbian Orthodox Church |
| Members | 350-700+ (2010–14)[1][2] |
| Official website | serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.com |
The Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC;
History
The Serbian True Orthodox Church originated in the 1990s, when three Serb monks returned from the
As of 2014, the number of followers of the church is estimated to several hundred.[1] In a 2010 interview, hegumenia of Novi Stjenik monastery stated that "there is 350 of us, but the number of sympathizers is much larger".[2]
The relationships of the STOC and the mainstream Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) have been tense. The SOC considers the members of the church to be "schismatics, fundamentalists and heretics".[1] In an article in Svetosavlje, official magazine of the SOC, bishop Atanasije Jevtić analyzed history and theology of the STOC, refuting their "theological blunders", as he puts it.[4]
Churches and monasteries
In 2007, sisterhood of
A former weekend house on Fruška Gora was turned into a men's Monastery, called "Church of Saint Cyril and Metodius". As of 2010[update], the monastery had three monks.[2]
Since 2012, the STOC has been building a church of Utešiteljevo near Ralja, south of Belgrade. The church is its formal episcopal seat.[5][6]
All STOC monasteries and churches hoist a black flag with inscription "Orthodoxy or death!".[2][1]
Child camp controversy
In August 2014, the Serbian True Orthodox Church organized the second "Holy Lazar Orthodox Youth Camp" on Kučaj mountains, that gathered a number of 12- to 18-year-olds. They came in the focus of Serbian public after it was revealed that the children were taught how to operate air-soft replicas of
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Beoković, Jelena (1 May 2010). "Ko su ziloti, pravoslavni fundamentalisti" [Who are Zealots, Orthodox Fundamentalists]. Politika. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Liturgije u pećini" [Liturgies in a cave]. Večernje Novosti. 14 August 2010.
- ^ "Bishop". Serbian True Orthodox Church official website. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ Atanasije Jevtić (2004). "Zablude raskolnika, tzv. "Starokalendaraca"" [Blunders of schismatics, aka "Old Calendarists"]. Svetosavlje.
- ^ "Utešiteljevo". Serbian True Orthodox Church official website. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Parohije i manastiri" [Parishes and Monasteries]. Serbian True Orthodox Church official website. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Spavanje u pećinama, sklekovi i "kalašnjikovi": Sekta na Kučajskim planinama sprema decu za rat" (in Serbian). Blic. 3 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Igumanija spremna za saslušanje" [Hegumenia ready for hearing] (in Serbian). Vesti. 7 August 2014.
- ^ "Kalašnjikov u ime Hrista" [Kalashnikov in the Name of Christ] (in Serbian). Vesti. 5 August 2014.