The news that the enthronement ceremony of the new Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serb Orthodox Church, Joanikije, will be held in the Cetinje Monastery in early September has caused a revolt among Montenegrins.

Montenegrins see the organisation of such an event in Montenegro’s capital as a provocation and immediately after the news was published, patriotic organisations said they would not allow “a Serbian patriarch to desecrate the throne of St Peter of Cetinje”, a Montenegrin saint from the ruling Petrovic-Njegos family.

“You can do whatever you want in your churches. In our spiritual centre, the freedom of which was paid in the blood of our ancestors, you will not be able to enthrone someone who does not recognise the Montenegrin church, Montenegrin state, Montenegrin tradition, Montenegrin language, Montenegrin culture,” members of associations of Montenegrin patriots said in the press release.

Joanikije, Bishop of Budimlja-Niksic, was elected Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral at the Bishops’ Council in Belgrade in May, to succeed the late Metropolitan Amfilohije, who died of coronavirus infection late last year. The enthronement ceremony should take place in Cetinje on 4 September, the Serb Orthodox Church (SPC) said.

Montenegrin opposition parties also oppose Joanikije’s enthronement in Cetinje, and they are telling the SPC to hold the ceremony anywhere but in the Montenegrin capital.

On the other hand, Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, who became prime minister at the suggestion of the SPC, said that the enthronement of the new Montenegrin metropolitan bishop would take place in Cetinje, adding that he will attend the ceremony without a bodyguard.

Some may oppose it, but I cannot interfere with events that will take place, I tell you, Krivokapic said, stressing he will come to Cetinje without security.

The Serb Orthodox Church has greatly contributed to the change of government in Montenegro and to the first defeat of Milo Djukanovic in the election in three decades. Many leading positions in the state have been filled by those close to the SPC.