On the sixth Saturday after Holy Pentecost, July 19, 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand served Divine Hierarchical Liturgy with the concelebration of clergy from the Metropolitanate at the Monastery of Saint Sava, New Kalenic, near Canberra. After the post-communion prayer, the Metropolitan, together with the priests, served a memorial service for General Dragoljub and all those who, alongside him, laid down their lives in defense of the homeland—for the honourable Cross and golden freedom.
Blessing the faithful people, members of the patriotic Chetnik organisations, mothers, and little children, the Metropolitan gave an inspired Archpastoral sermon, spiritually strengthening all those present. His Eminence emphasised that the Holy Church—Liturgy—is the central gathering place where every true Serb, follower of Saint Sava, patriot, Chetnik, and Orthodox Christian should be. “There is no Serb, Chetnik, or patriot without Christ!” he declared. On this day, we prayerfully remember a great man, a courageous commander, patriot, and God-loving man, a husband of one wife, one who celebrated his patron saint (Slava) and partook of the Gifts, the Holy Chalice—General Dragoljub. He was a true beacon in the darkness of savagery, atheism, and war in occupied 20th-century Europe. When the enemy’s boot stepped onto the sacred soil of Nemanjic Serbia, God raised up a national knight and general, a leader of the third Serbian uprising. When the red star sought to trample the Holy Cross, and when the three-headed dragon of Darwinism, Marxism/Communism, and Fascism/National Socialism threatened to crush all that was Serbian, General Dragoljub courageously stepped forth before the beast and declared that the word “capitulation” does not exist in the Serbian vocabulary.
The Metropolitan emphasised that this struggle was not merely a battle for bare territory, but a battle for human souls. He placed special emphasis on the unity and conciliarity of the Serbian people, stating that all our Holy Martyrs, from Kosovo to the present day, call us to love and harmony—as do the great and honourable men of our glorious Serbian history, such as General Dragoljub Mihailovic. The path of unity and love is the path of the Serb!
After the Holy Liturgy, wreaths were laid by patriotic and national organisations in front of “Čiča’s Hut.” Following this solemn act, a communal meal was held, once again bringing everyone together in love and harmony.
During the gathering and meal in the large monastery hall, representatives of Serbian National Patriotic Chetnik organisations across Australia spoke first. This was followed by a special program including choral and dramatic performances, through which the Fatherland and the sacred ideals of the Serbian struggle and suffering were honoured in prayer—ideals which, with God’s help, are freedom, truth, and justice. In his closing remarks, Metropolitan Siluan once again reflected on the meaning of the prayerful day and memorial, highlighting the evident unity and harmony.
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