Culture

Life of Our Holy Father Sava I

The Serbian Grand Zhupan (Patriarchal leader) Stephen Nemanja had two sons, Stephen and Vukan; yet, he and his wife Anna desired, if it be God's will, to have another child. Their pious prayers ascended before God, Who heard their petition and blessed them with their last child, a son who was born in the year of our Lord 1175.

At baptism the child was given the name Rastko, a name derived from the Old Slavonic verb "rasti" which means "to grow." And grow divinely he did. There were many special things about Rastko: he was a lovely child, with pronounced features and smooth skin, and possessed, already in his childhood, an unusually alert and pious demeanor. Little did Rastko's parents and all those of the Royal Court (and even the entire Serb nation) realize that his birth and baptism into Orthodoxy would providentially set in motion their own historical and spiritual journey, which would result in the blossoming of their Christian faith, nation hood and total Christian cultural orientation. This young child, Rastko, whose monastic name later was Sava, became and still remains the most beloved of all Serbian Orthodox saints, considered by all Serbs everywhere and at all times as the ultimate expression and example of what it means to be fully human, that is, what it means to be a devout and committed follower of Jesus Christ.

New Year's Concert of Cathedral Church

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch attended the traditional New Year's concert of the Cathedral church in the National Theatre in Belgrade. (phоto gallery).

Eastern American Diocese: Over There, So Far Away

Visual-Literary Exhibit - "Over There, So Far Away: 1918-2018"

In commemoration of the 100^thAnniversary of the Break Through of the Salonica Front (September 14^thto 30^th, 1918), which led to the ensuing liberation of Serbia and Montenegro (September 29^thto November 13^th, 1918), and the conclusion of the Great War November 11^th, 1918),His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America, has given his Archpastoral blessings for the Department of Christian Education of the Eastern American Diocese, in cooperation with the non-profit organization Art Exchange, and the Society for the Cultivation of Tradition and Culture of Valjevo, to present avisual-literary exhibit “Тamo Daleko: 1918-2018” / ”Over There, So Far Away: 1918-2018”,in all church-school congregations of the God-protected Eastern American Diocese, from September 16^th, 2018 until June 16^th, 2019. Please contact your local church-school congregation for further information- see more at easterndiocese.org.

“Come To Us, To Sakhalin!”

Archbishop Tikhon (Dorovskikh) of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kuril Islands, a native of the city of Voronezh, has served in the grace-filled Sakhalin region with its harsh climate for fifteen years: first as a priest, and since 2011 as the ruling hierarch. We are talking with Archbishop Tikhon about the life of residents of Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands, whether Orthodox or non-religious; about the issues, challenges and joyful events of the diocese which has celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary this year; and the region’s spiritual make-up. But, first of all, we asked His Eminence to speak about his family as all three brothers in that family became monks and chose to serve the Church.

Half a Century with Svetosavsko zvone

First five decades of the mutual walk through childhoods. - New life paths of St. Sava’s Little Bell (Svetosavsko zvonce) and its school readers announced.

On the Sunday of December 16^th, 2018, in the full Kombank Hall in Belgrade St. Sava’s Little Bell (Svetosavsko zvonce) and the Church Charity Stewardship  - with the blessing of His Holiness Irinej – there was held a solemn academy on the occasion of celebration of the feast-day of Saint Nicholas and marking of the great jubilee of this children’s periodical– the 50^th anniversary of its existence and work.

Singing to the Accompaniment of the Gusle

As stated in the official UNESCO’s report, Singing to the Accompaniment of the Gusle was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.

During the thirteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that took place at Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius, from Monday 26 November to Saturday 1 December 2018 at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre (SVICC), it was decided that Singing to the Accompaniment of the Gusle will enter UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Over the six days, the twenty-four States Members of the Committee, elected by the General Assembly of the 2003 Convention, have discussed a number of issues that are important for the safeguarding of living heritage around the world. On this occasion, the agenda of the meeting included the issue “Inscriptions on the Lists”, which led to the expansion of the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.