by Mladen Aleksic
From the hospital, during his last days, Bishop Atanasije Jevtic, who reposed in the Lord due to COVID-19, referred to the last words to Serbian Patriarch Porfirije.
In the beginning, he addressed the Serbian Patriarch with the title: “Your Holiness, Archbishop of Pec and Zica, Patriarch of Belgrade and of all the Serbian and coastal lands“
He congratulated Serbian Patriarch Porfirije on his election and his first Patriarchial speech during the enthronement. Bishop Atanasije said he was amazed by Patriarch’s words, especially by his reference to Kosovo and Metohija.
Also, he added that the predecessor of Porfirije, Patriarch Irinej, courted Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Bishop Atanasije addressed the Serbian president as “Kosovo traitor.“
In his last speech from the hospital, Bishop Atanasije said that he was working on some new books.
Bishop Atanasije was the loudest voice in the Serbian Orthodox Church against Vucic’s Kosovo policy. He used very negative, rough words for Vucic in the last years, especially for his Kosovo policy.
Just like he said in this video, Bishop Atanasije sent more letters to the Serbian president and Serbian Patriarch Irinej to warn them about the situation in Kosovo.
in 2013, Bishop Atanasije and late Metropolitan Amfilohije served a memorial service for the Serbian government (Vucic was the vice-president of government). This happened after Serbian authorities had signed the Brussel agreement with representatives of so-called Kosovo.
These two Serbian hierarchs, Atanasije and Amfilohije, had always rough words for Vucic and were known for Vucic’s opposition in the SOC.