Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Milos Vucevic was awarded the Order of St. Stefan Stiljanovic, the highest decoration of the Diocese of Osijek-Polje and Baranja, which was presented to him on Wednesday at the Monastery of the Ascension of the Most Holy Mother of God in Dalj, Croatia, by Bishop Heruvim of Osijek-Polje and Baranja.

The Serbian Orthodox Church and the Diocese of Osijek-Polje and Baranja awarded this decoration to Minister Vucevic as a token of gratitude for his great devotion to the Holy Church and active love expressed by giving his wholehearted support to the Diocese, said the Defense Ministry in a press release.

In his address, Minister Vucevic expressed his gratitude, saying that this recognition belonged to both him and the people who had gathered around him and made certain they were with their brothers and sisters “on this side of the Danube”.

“My words are too weak for this temple and for today’s feast dedicated to the great apostles. It is inappropriate and wrong to rank the apostles of Christ, but if we dared to do so, Peter and Paul would be first among equals. Peter, who, like a rock, strengthened the faith in Christ and the Christ’s Church, and Paul, whose name means ‘small’, ‘small before God’, showing his greatness as a man, understanding what obedience means, that obedience is not a weakness but a man’s virtue and strength,” said the Serbian Defense Minister.

Speaking about the Holy Despot Stefan Stiljanovic, after whom the award is named, Minister Vucevic said that he “ruled Srem, respected God and lived for his people” and that according to tradition, “occasionally, a strange light shines upon the relics of Saint Stefan Stiljanovic, as a sign and call for our people to gather around Christ and in Christ”.

“I believe that we will continue to work together to preserve our national, cultural and political identity, which is the human and natural right of every nation and every individual, in their efforts to preserve individual and collective rights. Your Grace, your diocese is by all means a pillar of unity and spiritual community, and you have great responsibility, brothers and sisters who have been elected by our people in this part of Croatia to represent them and to be responsible to them, to be united, to stand together, to respect the Republic of Croatia and of course to love your Serbia. I wish you a very happy feast day and I hope I will be worthy of this decoration,” the Ministry quoted Vucevic as saying.