New Serbian Stars have shone upon Australia and the World!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize (I Cor 9:24).

These days, not only the eyes of Serbian-Australians, but the eyes of the world were fixed on the Australian Open in Melbourne watching our Serbian athletes, our finest ambassadors to the world compete in a record tennis tournament!

Indeed, God has smiled upon the Serbian people as a whole through our magnificent athletes; but in particular, our Serbian-Australian community was blessed with the boundless joy of seeing and experiencing our "New Serbian Wave" here in our midst on the Fifth Continent!

Speaking on behalf of the Serbian-Australian community, We herein offer Our most sincere congratulations and appreciation to Novak Djokovic for his unbelievable St. Sava Day Victory, becoming Serbia's first Grand Slam singles champion and the youngest man to hold aloft the silver since 1987, the year of his birth and by claiming the men's crown, in the words of the Australian media, a "striking prince of the courts"; to Nenad Zimonjic for winning his second title in the mixed doubles; to Ana Ivanovic, who assumed a career-high second place on the ATP list; to Janko Tipsarevic and Jelena Jankovic for their outstanding matches played, and their true and admirable sense of competition.

Thank you all for rewarding us, and most importantly, for inspiring our Serbian-Australian Youth!

Ж И В Е Л И !!!

With Archpastoral blessings and paternal love,

+IRINEJ
Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Australia and New Zealand