Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service in Cleveland

On Saturday, March 18th, His Grace Bishop Irinej, together with many clergy from the Cleveland Deanery, led the faithful parishioners of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, for Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service.  

During the Divine Liturgy, His Grace offered a sermon that spoke directly to the human challenge of losing the earthly presence of those we love.  He reminded the gathered community that “our God is the God of the living”, and that those who die in Christ are alive in Him. He continued, offering that when we celebrate the Divine Liturgy we step outside of time itself - into the very Kingdom of God made manifest, in the presence of the Holy Angels, the Saints, and those who have taken up their abode in the mansions of the righteous.  

Toward the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, all those present joined His Grace Bishop Irinej in offering a Memorial Service (“Parastos”) for the faithful servants of the St. Sava Cathedral community departed this life, including the newly-departed servant of God, Dragan Cupkovic, God-father to His Grace Bishop Irinej.  His Grace thanked his beloved clergy for the love and support offered to him through their presence and their prayers.   Following services, the faithful gathered in the St. Sava social hall for a Lenten repast in memory of Dragan Cupkovic. Many members of the community stood and offered a powerful witness both to his character, and to his faithful service in God’s Holy Church. His Grace Irinej spoke with great personal affection of his departed kum, and further commended the St. Sava Cathedral for its long tradition of producing such faithful servants of God.  

Joining His Grace Bishop Irinej were eleven clerics from the Cleveland Deanery, included the Rev. Presbyter Dragan Goronjic, Dean of the Cleveland Deanery and parish priest at Holy Trinity in Youngstown; Archimandrite Leontije (Alavanje) of St. Mark Monastery; the Very Rev. Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Djordje Mileusinic of St. Demetrius in Akron; the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Mijoljub Matic of St. Sava in Broadview Heights; the Ven. Protosindjel Sava (Medakovic) of New Marcha Monastery; the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Milan Pajic of Holy Archangel Michael in Akron; the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Dragoslav Kosic of St. Sava Cathedral in Parma; the Rev. Presbyter Aleksa Pavichevich of St. George in Canton; the Rev. Presbyter Bosko Stojanovic of Holy Trinity in Youngstown; the Rev. Presbyter Sinisa Hrvacevic of St. George in Lorain; and the Rev. Protodeacon Ljubisa Mitrovic of St. Sava in Broadview Heights. Sister Anastasije from New Marcha Monastery was also in-attendance, reading the Epistle and offering prayers. The renown Njegosh Serbian Singing Society, under the capable direction of Milan Damljanovic, offered truly uplifting responses.

Source: easterndiocese.org