Cardinal Skola, who resides in Serbia on the occasion of the celebrations marking the Central 1700. anniversary of the Edict of Milan, together with the Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar and dignitaries of Catholic Church visited the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate where he held a meeting with the leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
At the beginning of the meeting Patriarch Irinej expressed his welcome and pleasure at the arrival of the Pope’s representative to Serbia to participate in the celebration of the Edict of Milan and added that the Catholic and Orthodox churches are one church.
Special envoy of Pope Francis pointed out that the anniversary is "an opportunity to thank God for the gift of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.”
"The celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan is an opportunity to look into the future and we accept our responsibility to build a society with a human face , in which all people of any religion, and similar views are able to collaborate on the construction of a new humanity," said the cardinal Sokola.
Representatives of the Catholic Church after the meeting in Belgrade, went to city Nis where they will tomorrow, during the religious ceremony mark the anniversary of the Edict of Milan.
In Serbia, this year is celebrated as 1700th years since the proclamation of the Edict of Milan. In Milano in 313, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great and Licinius brought the laws that were declared religious equality and ending the persecution of Christians, which lasted three hundred years. This has allowed a public profession of the religion.
Serbia this year will be the central place of celebration of the anniversary of that past event. Emperor Constantine was born in the Roman city of Nis (today In Serbia), and he was the one who issued the Edict of Milan, state act on understanding and tolerance.
Edict of Milan 313 – 2013 is the national project in Serbia and central celebration is scheduled for the 6th of October.
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