Bishop Luka Kovacevic of Western Europe (1950-2021)

His Holiness Porfirije, the Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Requiem Office for the Dead in front of the catafalque of Bishop Luka of Western Europe of blessed repose in the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God on 27 December 2021.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Their Graces Bishop Vasilije of Srem, Nikanor of Banat, Irinej of Backa, Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, Pahomije of Vranje, Jovan of Sumadija, Ignatije of Branicevo, Atanasije of Milesevo, Teodosije of Raska-Prizren, David of Krusevac, Arsenije of Nis, Isihije of Valjevo, Metodije of Budimlje-Niksic, Jerotej of Toplica, Justin of Hvosno, Damaskin of Mohacs, Sava of Marca and Jovan of Hum.

After the Holy Liturgy, the Patriarch and the hierarchs served the funeral service for the newly departed Bishop Luka. The body of Bishop Luka was buried in the cemetery of the monastery of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God on Senjak, Belgrade.

Bishop Luka (Kovacevic) reposed in the Lord in Paris on 17 December 2021. Bishop Luka (Kovacevic) of Western Europe was born in Piskavica near Banja Luka on October 30, 1950. He graduated from the Theological Seminary of the Holy Three Hierarchs at the Krka Monastery in 1971, and studied theology in 1982 at the Saint Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris. He was tonsured on June 26, 1976, and in the same year, on the feast of the Holy Prophet Elisha, he was ordained a hieromonk by Bishop Nicholas of Australia and New Zealand. From 1982 to 1992, he was a brother of the monastery of St. Sava in Eilane, Australia. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, at its regular session in 1992, elected Archimandrite Luka Bishop of Australia and New Zealand.

The act of episcopal ordination in the monastery of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God in Belgrade on August 17, 1992, was performed by Serbian Patriarch Pavle with the participation of a large number of archbishops. In the same year, he was enthroned on the throne of the Bishops of Australia and New Zealand in the monastery of St. Sava in Elaine. In 1997, he was elected Bishop of Western Europe, based in Paris, and at the same time he was the administrator of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand until 1999.

Source: Radio Slovo Ljubve