Vidovdan service at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago
June 28, 2013
Vidovdan—Chicago 2013
Commemorating all Defenders of Kosovo, and
the Serbian Orthodox Christian Faith and Nation
The Vidovdan Academy was held at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church in Chicago on June 28th, 2013 following church services commemorating all Serbs who gave their lives in battle to defend their people--from the Kosovo battle of 1389 to today. Speakers included Dr. Porfirije Peric, Abbot of the Monastery in Kovilj, Archpriest-Protopresbyter Dr. Vojislav Bilbija from Holland and Danielle Sremac of the Serbian Institute. Special guests also included their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine.
“VIDOVDAN” Speech
Danielle Sremac, Chicago 2013
Your Most Reverend Excellences, Your Royal Highnesses, honored
fathers and guests, brothers and sisters, it is a great pleasure to be with you
today especially on Vidovdan—the day on which incredible things happened throughout
history and which has such special historical and spiritual meaning for all
Serbian people. It is on Vidovdan that Tzar Lazar led his knights and
soldiers in the Battle of Kosovo. On Vidovdan, Gavrilo Princip sacrificed
himself by assassinating Frank Ferdinand prior to World War I which started
events that led the Serbian people to freedom. On that day, the Vidovdan
Constitution was created under our monarchy headed by the Karadjordjevic family.
On Vidovdan, during the 600 hundred year anniversary commemoration of the
Battle of Kosovo, the Serbian people gathered at Gazimestan to demonstrate that
the Serbian national spirit had been reawakened after decades under Communism.
What do all these events and Vidovdan itself mean for the
Serbian people? Vidovdan is not only history, but lessons form history.
Vidovdan tells us that our ancestors were very brave and that the same bravery
flows through our own blood, that God created this bravery within us for a
reason, that history is long, that the future is unknown, that justice means a
great deal to the Serbian people, and that the Serbian people are not a nation
that surrenders easily.
I hope that all those lessons are deeply imbedded within us
because there are more battles ahead of us. Maybe they are not battles
with weapons, but battles that are conducted in modern times with words, media
communications, television, strategic planning, and convincing.
This is the essential reason why we created the new Serbian
Institute in Washington D.C.—so that the Serbian people can also have a voice
like others in this very important city where decisions are made every day that
effect the lives of our people in Serbia, Republika Srpska and Krajina.
Up to now, all ethnic groups from the Balkans, except for Serbs, have had their
significant offices and presence in Washington and have promoted their views
every day to the US government, Congress, at universities and with the media.
We need to be part of that struggle to present our views in Washington.
Our goal is to regularly communicate information which supports
the interests of the Serbian people and which relate to our history, culture
and current events. It is very important to present the right positions
to members of the US government and to support rights for our people in our
homeland regardless of whether Serbian leaders support them or not. We
would communicate these positions to members of Congress and others in the US
government, to all the media and academic institutions in Washington which influence
US foreign policy. We would accomplish this through books, information on
the internet, through meetings and videos that address specific issues and that
would be available online through the Serbian Institute TV channel.
In addition, we need to prepare for what could be described as a
major “battle” about to take place next year with the 100th year
anniversary of World War I—and that’s the battle to fight against attacks on
our history. There is a vocal anti-Serbian group that claims that Serbs
were responsible for that war. We want to oppose this falsehood which
requires substantive work. Next year, in the days prior to Vidovdan, we
would like to lead a group of Serbian Americans through the halls of Congress
on Capital Hill, to meetings with members of the media and others in Washington
so that they would understand our history and rights of the Serbian people to
their historical lands.
We should not accept unfair
and arbitrary decisions of certain American politicians who initiated a number of
injustices in the Balkans in the 1990s. This Vidovdan reminds us that the
Serbian people are very well aware of their national rights. We just need
to make others aware of our rights as well. On this Vidovdan, may we be
inspired by the spirit of our ancestors who died in a struggle for freedom and
to preserve our people and our identity as Serbian Orthodox Christians, so that
we too may do what’s right for our people and in support of principles I know
we all share. Thank You.
Danielle Sremac, Chicago 2013
www.serbianinstitute.com
"Vidovdan Academy held at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church in Chicago on June 28th, 2013 following church services commemorating all Serbs who gave their lives in battle to defend their people--from the Kosovo battle of 1389 to today. Speakers include Gospodin Dr. Porfirije Peric, iguman manastira Kovilja, Protojerej-stavrofor dr Vojislav Bilbija iz Holandije, I Danijela Sremac, Predsednik Srpskog Instituta"
http://youtu.be/7b2TupowFqc
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If you would like to get in touch with me, Aleksandra, please feel free to contact me at heroesofserbia@yahoo.com
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