Monastery Marcha celebrates Slava

Richfield, OH - His Grace Bishop Mitrophan officiated at the Holy Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Saturday July 26, 2008, the feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, the monastery Slava of Monastery Marcha in Richfield, Ohio. His Grace was assisted V. Rev. Stavrophor Stevan Stepanov, Archpriest Peter Selenoi, V. Rev. Rodney Torbic, Rev. Zivojin Jakovljevic and Rev. Milorad Orlic. Deacons Milan Medakovic and Dragoslav Kosic also served. V. Rev. Stavrophor Dragan Filipovic and Rev. Milovan Katanic were also in attendance.

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Macheskee served as kumovi for this year's Slava celebration.

At the end of the service, after the Cutting of the Slava Kolach, His Grace delivered the homily in which he, with great archpastoral care and love, spoke about how no matter how abandoned and lonely we might feel God never leaves us and neither does our Holy Guardian Angel. In fact, our Guardian Angel only leaves us when we cease to follow God's commandments and become slaves of sin. And even in this case the Angel leaves us with great mourning and sadness, always awaiting our reptenance and return.

A Slava banquet was held afterwards.

Source: Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America