Theophany Feast on the Nera River

Bishops Lukian and Nikanor headed a festal gathering on the Nera River

On the feast of Theophany, January 19, 2020, His Grace Bishop of Budim and administrator of Timisoara Lukijan traditionally celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Church of the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas at Sokolovac, Romania. Local clergy concelebrated to the Bishop.

After the worship and a short break, the clergy, monastics and the present faithful walked in a procession to the river Nera, where the locals of Vracev Gaja and the surrounding villages were already standing on the other river bank along with Bishop Nikanor of Banat and the clergy. There was a Serbian tricolor and some procession flags ahead.

After the solemn rite of blessing the river, several young men jumped into the river to catch the Holy Cross thrown from the Serbian side of the river. The gathering was addressed by Bishops Nikanor and Lukijan.

Hierarchal blessings, prayers, greetings, and messages of peace echoed over the water. “God revealed Himself!” – “Indeed He revealed Himself!”

The Theophany on the Nera River was attended by Mr. Vladan Tadic, Consul of the Republic of Serbia in Timisoara, Romania, Mr. Ognjan Krstic, President of the Union of Serbs in Romania, and Mr. Olgica Gica, Mayor of the Municipality of Sokolac.