Metropolitan Amfilohije payed a pastoral visit to Argentinian province of Chaco

His Eminence Amfilohije, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, as the administrator of the Diocese of Buenos Aires and South-Central America of the Serbian Patriarchate, visited the Argentinian province of Chaco from 27 until 30 November 2015.

The Metropolitan was accompanied by Venerable Archimandrite Kirilo (Bojovic), Bishop\s deputy of His Eminence; protodeacon Nikola Radis from Buenos Aires and protodeacon Igor Balaban. They were welcomed by the parish priest of the church of Saint Nicholas in Machagai Branko Stanisic and few Orthodox believers at the airport in Resistencia, on Friday, 27 November 2015.

After the cordial welcome, the Metropolitan with his entourage visited the monastery of Saint Nicholas in Machagai, where they were welcomed by venerable nun Maria (Oliveira), abbess of the monastery; Mr. Juan Vulekovic, president of the Church Board of the church of Saint Nicholas; Vasilije Garcia de Vulekovic, vice president of the Church Board.  On the same evening the Metropolitan visited construction works on the plot of the newly built parish hall.

On Saturday, 28 November, His Eminence visited Ukrainian church of Holy Trinity in San Bernando, where he was welcomed by abbot of the Sretensky Monastery (under jurisdiction of the Ukrainian diocese for South America of the Ecumenical Patriarchate) in the town of Encarnación (Republic of Paraguay) hieromonk Dimitrios, with the faithful of this parish. The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was officiated in the church, and the Metropolitan was concelebrated by: Archimandrite Kirilo, hieromonk Dimitrios, priest Branko Stanisic and protodeacon Igor Balaban, wheras nun Marija (Oliveira) sang responses. In his liturgical sermon the Metropolitan commended the restoration of churches in San Bernando and La Tigra. The church of Holy Trinity recently received a new iconostasis and the restoration of the altar space was finished, while the church in La Tigra recently was completely renovated.

Later, His Eminence Metropolitan went to La Montenegrina, a place where the Yugoslav Club “Durmitor” and the cemetery is located. He was welcomed there by Mr. Branko Kapitanic, Mrs. Marta Kapitanic and Mrs. Norma Kosanovic, members of the steering committee of this club. In conversation with them the Metropolitan expressed his satisfaction due to the complete restoration of this oldest Serbian school in South America and the oldest school in South America and the oldest association of descendants of our emigrants from the region of former Yugoslavia.

On Sunday, 29 November 2015, His Eminence served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Saint Nicholas in Machagai. He was concelebrated by archimandrite Kirilo, hieromonk Dimitrios, priest Branko Stanisic and protodeacons Nikola Radis and Igor Balaban. Nun Marija (Oliveira) sang responses.

On 30 November, the high delegation of the Diocese of Buenos Aires and South-Central America was invited to the seat of the province of Resistencia. There they were welcomed by Governor of the province of Chaco, Mr. Jorge Milton Kapitanic.

His Eminence thanked Mr. Kapitanic for the efforts he invested in the renovation of the churches in Machagai, San Bernardo and La Tigra, as well as in the renovation of the Yugoslav club “Durmitor”. During cordial talks His Eminence Metropolitan congratulated Mr. Kapitanic for his election as mayor of Resistencia and invited him to visit Montenegro again. They also discussed future plans towards erection of a new church in Resistencia as well as in La Montenegrina.

The same day Bishop Amfilohije was received by Roman Catholic Archbishop of Resistencia Mr. Ramon Alfredo Duz. They have cordial talks during which Archbishop Duz asked Metropolitan Amfilohije to give a blessing to him and his flock, and presented him a new edition of the New Testament in Spanish.

Source: Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral