Bishop Longin ordains deacon Nikolaj Kostur to holy priesthood

On Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014, His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America served Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Joliet, Illinois. Serving with Bishop Longin were Parish Priest and Hierachical Dean of Chicago, Archpriest-Stavrophor Nedeljko Lunich, Archpriest-Stavrophor Bogdan Zjalich, Protodeacon Milovan Gogic, Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow (ROCOR) and Parish Deacon Nenad Jakovljevic. REsponses were beautifully sung by the local choir and the church was filled with many, many faithful. After the Great Entrance, Bishop Longin ordained Diocesan Deacon Nikolaj Kostur to the Priesthood.

Fr. Nikolaj, son of Archpriest-Stavrophor Lazar and Protinica Mira Kostur, is a graduate of the Holy Trinity Seminary (BTh - 2005) and of Saint Vladimir's Seminary (MTh - 2009). On July 26, 2009, Fr. Nikolaj was married to Katherine Wolkow, daughter of Rev. Protodeacon Pavel and Anna Wolkow of St. Seraphim Russian Orthodox Church of Sea Cliff, New York, by His Grace, Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America. After his wedding, Fr. Nikolaj began his service to the Diocese, first as Librarian of Joe Buley Memorial Library at New Gracanica Monastery and then later as Manager of the Diocesan Bookstore. On the feast of St. Nicholas, December 19, 2009, His Grace Bishop Longin ordained Fr. Nikolaj to the Holy Diaconate. Fr. Nikolaj served as Diocesan Deacon from 2009 until his ordination to the Holy Priesthood, as well as Personal Secretary of Bishop Longin from 2009 until the present time. He and Popadija Katherine have three children: Lazar (2010), Kasijana (2012) and Marija (2014).

During his tenure as Diocesan Deacon, Fr. Nikolaj visited most of the parishes of the Diocese with Bishop Longin, as well as traveled with His Grace to the Eastern American and Western American Dioceses, the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Fr. Nikolaj will serve at the Diocesan See, New Gracanica Monastery, and continue working in the Diocesan Office until his appointment to one of the parishes of the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America.

Source: serborth.org