Prayer request for non-Orthodox

[Bogdan]

I have a mildly strange prayer request for all of you. A man who was a Serb; but a communist. He exemplified many of the great Serbian traits, but unfortunately none of the Orthodox ones. He did however in the last part of his life realize that fighting for his Serbdom was worth even his life itself. He died today, only because he was a Serb, and the fact that he was right. Perhaps he is not Orthodoxy, perhaps he has done many things which should not and can not be mentioned. However, deep inside of me I feel a need to pray for this man, a man who although a communist, I felt as a lost Orthodox brother.

Let us pray:

Slobodan Milosevic, August 20 1941 - March 11 2006

~Bogdan

[Aleksandar Zatezalo]

Bogdane,
S.M. has been baptized in Orthodox Church, although he considered himself to be an atheist. (His father was orthodox catechism teacher.)

Aleksandar

[Vasilis Kirikos]

[I have a mildly strange prayer request for all of you. A man who was a Serb; but a communist. He exemplified many of the great Serbian traits, but unfortunately none of the Orthodox ones. He did however in the last part of his life realize that fighting for his Serbdom was worth even his life itself. He died today, only because he was a Serb, and the fact that he was right. Perhaps he is not Orthodoxy, perhaps he has done many things which should not and can not be mentioned. However, deep inside of me I feel a need to pray for this man, a man who although a communist, I felt as a lost Orthodox brother.

Let us pray:

Slobodan Milosevic, August 20 1941 - March 11 2006

~Bogdan]
I fully agree.
It seems he was a man who was made into an enemy, an invention by those with whom he or "they" had no real quarrel for purposes not yet fully understood. Let us pray for him and for those who used/hated him.

[Bogdan]

Maybe that is why I felt him as a lost Orthodox brother. Interesting fact I will have to look up in the near future. Thank you for the info.

~Bogdan

[Alec Lowly]

Dear Bogdan,

I did indeed pray for the soul of Milosevic at Liturgy today. I am not a Serb, and certainly no expert on Balkan affairs. I acknowledge that great crimes were committed. But Milosevic, too, is not beyond the love of God.

May Christ our God bless, defend and preserve the Serbian people, especially those in Kosovo and Metohija. Most Holy Theotokos, pray for them. St. Sava, pray for them.

In XC,
Alec Lowly

[James Morton]

I must say, when I first read the request to pray for Milosevic, I was very surprised. Indeed, my first thought was "You can't say that!"

I find it breath-taking that it is possible to say that Milosevic died only because he was a Serb and because he was right. Firstly, I must emphatically disagree with the statement that he was 'right'. Furthermore, are you not perhaps forgetting that he was on trial because he was responsible for mass murder? Is that really a great Serbian trait? I hope not!

Moreover, not only did he start four wars, but he lost them all!

I think it absolutely right that prayers should be said for him. However, I can hardly see why we should be proud of what he did.

I also agree that we should pray for the Serbian people. Pray that never again are they ruled over in such a way. Milosevic' acts were not only inhumane, but they brought disrepute on the great people of Serbia right across the world. I'm not saying that the Serbian people have never been victims, because they have, but under Milosevic there were some appalling atrocities committed. Thus I believe that we should pray for the man's forgiveness for his acts.