BISHOP GRIGORIJE PRESENTS NEW NOVEL IN CHICAGO: “Books Help Us Understand Our Souls Through Other People’s Destinies”

“Chicago’s Church of the Resurrection of Christ was packed last night for the launch of Metropolitan Grigorije of Germany’s new novel, ‘A Stranger in the Forest’. The crowd came to hear from the beloved author, whose latest work is the third in his series of novels.

Before Grigorije took the stage, Metropolitan Longin of Chicago and the church’s parish priest, Father Darko Trifunović, offered their greetings. Father Jovan Aničić, who heads up education and cultural affairs for the diocese, served as the evening’s moderator.

Metropolitan Longin praised Grigorije’s ability to connect with people on a deep level, comparing him to the late Metropolitan Atanasije.

-There are various priests and bishops, each with their talents, but Bishop Gregory is a man of many talents and also very hardworking. Through his work, he has managed to multiply these talents. And there is another side to him. When I compare him to others, I usually say: that Griša is one of our own, a Herzegovinian spiritual leader who follows in the footsteps of Metropolitan Athanasius. He is always wise, reasonable, and rational, someone you can talk to about various topics. At the same time, he is a man of love, kindness, and joy, which he carries with him everywhere.’”

Father Darko Spasojević explored the idea that books can help us find meaning in our own lives, drawing on the work of Mikhail Bakhtin.

-He was a Russian philosopher, who gained popularity in America in the 1970s. His theories of intertextuality are particularly renowned. These theories suggest that every written text escapes its author and that each individual, each reader, finds themselves within that text. Words cannot be controlled or stopped. The same applies to humans. There is also a psychological interpretation: each person lives this word through themselves and their relationships with others, and this defines our being, our identity, and our search for ourselves, Father Darko emphasized.

In his speech, Grigorije discussed the power of literature to transport us to different worlds and help us better understand ourselves and the people around us.”

-Why is it so important to read books? And it’s more important to read than to write… Because our vision of everything expands infinitely. Most importantly, we identify with the characters in novels, who are tragic and comic, unhappy and happy, successful and unsuccessful, and who are simply living people. Our microcosm becomes a macrocosm, and through these characters, we begin to understand ourselves, because we empathize with them, we identify with them, and we feel with them.

-So we can understand that a young man who murders his grandmother for money can repent, that a girl who sells her body on the street can be saintly, and that she can save his life and lead him to repentance. We can understand how Ivan and Alyosha, one a believer and the other an unbeliever, can love each other deeply, even as they argue about God,” said Metropolitan Grigorije.

The audience could ask questions, which the author answered with enthusiasm. After the presentation, a book signing was held. Having attended all of Metropolitan Grrigorije’s book launches, this reporter can attest to the author’s unique ability to connect with his readers on a deep emotional level. His latest novel, “A Stranger in the Forest,” is no exception.