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In Serbia, in the aftermath of 5 October 2000, the process of desecularization, including the revitalization of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), overlapped with the democratization of its political institutions, as well as with the political and social pluralism. The desecularization of the Serbian society had already started in the socialist Yugoslavia, but the process itself intensified in the early period of political pluralism and establishment of the democratic political institutions. Is Orthodoxy compatible with democracy, viewed not only as the will of the majority or an election procedure, but also as a political culture of pluralism and rule of law? Is Orthodoxy possible as a “civic” church, in line with the European political tradition of democracy and pluralism? The author contends that the contemporary Orthodoxy, including the SOC, accepts globalization in its technical, technological and economic sense, with a parallel tendency towards cultural fragmentation. Thus one needs a consensus between the SOC, state and society in Serbia concerning the basic values, such as: democracy, civil society, pluralistic discourse, secular tolerance and individual human rights., In Serbia, in the aftermath of 5 October 2000, the process of desecularization, including the revitalization of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), overlapped with the democratization of its political institutions, as well as with the political and social pluralism. The desecularization of the Serbian society had already started in the socialist Yugoslavia, but the process itself intensified in the early period of political pluralism and establishment of the democratic political institutions. Is Orthodoxy compatible with democracy, viewed not only as the will of the majority or an election procedure, but also as a political culture of pluralism and rule of law? Is Orthodoxy possible as a “civic” church, in line with the European political tradition of democracy and pluralism? The author contends that the contemporary Orthodoxy, including the SOC, accepts globalization in its technical, technological and economic sense, with a parallel tendency towards cultural fragmentation. Thus one needs a consensus between the SOC, state and society in Serbia concerning the basic values, such as: democracy, civil society, pluralistic discourse, secular tolerance and individual human rights.

This paper is based on the earlier works of the author (incurred mainly on the analysis of the press of state and Church provenance), surveys of sociologists of religion, and findings of other researchers dealing with the issues of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Several characteristic points could be drawn that marked the history of the Church in the late 80s and throughout the 90s: the Church’s return from the margins and its more significant presence in society; accelerated process of desecularization; complicated relationship to authorities, ranged from the first closeness to the complete break and disappointment over unfulfilled expectations of the Church; refusal to admit the divisions and the creation of new states formed into the wars on 90s, which for the Church constituted acts of violent secession to detriment of the Serbian people; negative attitudes to the West, ecumenism, Vatican and interfaith dialogue; efforts to resolve the issue of schism within the Church; and growing internal contradictions in the episcopate. Entering unprepared for transition processes that led from one political system to another, followed by the wars and the collapse of the state, and movements into the Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church has tried to oscillate between maintenance of the traditional role of the national Church, and a gradual adjustment to the changes, in aim to avoid major consequences for ecclesiastical organization., This paper is based on the earlier works of the author (incurred mainly on the analysis of the press of state and Church provenance), surveys of sociologists of religion, and findings of other researchers dealing with the issues of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Several characteristic points could be drawn that marked the history of the Church in the late 80s and throughout the 90s: the Church’s return from the margins and its more significant presence in society; accelerated process of desecularization; complicated relationship to authorities, ranged from the first closeness to the complete break and disappointment over unfulfilled expectations of the Church; refusal to admit the divisions and the creation of new states formed into the wars on 90s, which for the Church constituted acts of violent secession to detriment of the Serbian people; negative attitudes to the West, ecumenism, Vatican and interfaith dialogue; efforts to resolve the issue of schism within the Church; and growing internal contradictions in the episcopate. Entering unprepared for transition processes that led from one political system to another, followed by the wars and the collapse of the state, and movements into the Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church has tried to oscillate between maintenance of the traditional role of the national Church, and a gradual adjustment to the changes, in aim to avoid major consequences for ecclesiastical organization.

The aim of this article is to present the idea of divinity of power on an example of the medieval service, dedicated to the Serbian despotess Angelina Branković. The image of a ruler and a concept of power presented in the text are based on the perception of Angelina as a participant and a heiress of the sacred tradition of Branković dynasty. The service has played an important role in the creation and strengthening of the ruler image in the spiritual culture of the Orthodox Serbs. In addition to strictly liturgical function, it also served as a way of transmission of the elementary set of national religious and political ideas. Hymnography dedicated to St. Angelina was a response to the social and religious needs to canonize the native saints who certify God’s care for Serbia in the period of slavery, strengthen the national spirit, contribute to stabilizing the situation in the country., The aim of this article is to present the idea of divinity of power on an example of the medieval service, dedicated to the Serbian despotess Angelina Branković. The image of a ruler and a concept of power presented in the text are based on the perception of Angelina as a participant and a heiress of the sacred tradition of Branković dynasty. The service has played an important role in the creation and strengthening of the ruler image in the spiritual culture of the Orthodox Serbs. In addition to strictly liturgical function, it also served as a way of transmission of the elementary set of national religious and political ideas. Hymnography dedicated to St. Angelina was a response to the social and religious needs to canonize the native saints who certify God’s care for Serbia in the period of slavery, strengthen the national spirit, contribute to stabilizing the situation in the country.