Feast of the Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of Serbia at Orasac
The feast-day of the Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia also this year was traditionally celebrated in the village of Orasac, near Arandjelovac, Serbia.
The celebration of the Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia began with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy celebrated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija with the concelebration of the clergy of the Diocese of Sumadija.
The eucharistic gathering was enhanced by chanting of the choir of the Theological Seminary of Saint John Chrysostom, conducted by Professor Nemanja Starovlah.
After of the Holy Gospel reading, Bishop Jovan delivered a sermon indicating to the congregation the significance of the feast of the Meeting of the Lord. His Grace then blessed the slava cake with slava hosts – the administration of the local community of Orasac and the management of the Museum “First Serbian Insurrection”.
With concelebration of the clergy of the Diocese of Sumadjia, Bishop Jovan also served a memorial service for the insurgents who fell while defending their holy Serbian homeland.
The solemn observance of the feast-day of the Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia was continued at the monument of Vozd Karadjordje, where thePrime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia Ms. Ana Brnabic laid a wreath in honour of the killed Serbian warriors, what President of the Republic of Srpska, Mrs. Zeljka Cvijanovic, did as well. The national anthem of the Republic of Serbia God of Justice was performed by the orchestra of the Guards of the Serbian Army. After the anthem, the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and President of Republika Srpska Zeljka Cvijanovic held addresses.
At the end of the celebration, there was an art program created by Vojislav Milina.
Following the state ceremony, Bishop Jovan of Sumadija held a memorial service for Vozd Djordje Petrovic, leader of the First Serbian Insurrection in 1804, in the church of Holy Great Martyr George at Oplenac.
