Embodying the Truth in Montana

The summer feast day of St. Herman was especially marked this year at St. Herman’s in Kalispell, Montana, with a remarkable visit by His Grace, Bishop Maxim, and the very special guests Fr. Stamatios and Presvytera Marina Skliris of Athens, Greece.

The four-day visit was crowned with a glorious Liturgy on Sunday, August 11th, with a full temple of many joy-filled faithful. The Liturgy was preceded the evening before by a special Vespers and Liti in honor of St. Herman, in which the wheat, wine, and oil were blessed and distributed to the faithful. As Sunday Liturgy came to a close the Slava bread was lifted aloft. And as the celebrants and faithful chanted the hymns the community truly felt the blessings and joy of her holy Orthodox Faith and the presence of Appa Herman and the choir of the saints.

The First Serbian Benevolent Society’s Slava in Colma, CA

On Saturday, August 24 Bishop Maxim traveled to the Serbian Cemetery in the City of Colma near San Francisco to celebrate the Slava (the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos) of the First Serbian Benevolent Society (FSBS).

This organization was established in 1880 in San Francisco, California. The church dedicated to the Mother of God was built in 1929.  The first St. Sava celebration in the U.S. was in 1881. His Grace Russian Bishop Nestor sent an archimandrite, a priest, and two singers to represent him and the consistory at this first Serbian social event in America. The majority of well-known representatives of the Slavic community also attended. In 1901, Russian Bishop Tihon and Serbian priest Sebastian Dabovich consecrated the new Serbian cemetery.

Patriarch Bartholomew at the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Lindau (Germany) from 20-23 August 2019 where he delivered the keynote address. 

Religions for Peace, in partnership with the Foundation Peace Dialogue of the World Religions and Civil Society, is the world’s most representative, multi-religious gathering of religious communities.

Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord in New York City

His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America presided over the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the Great Feast of Transfiguration with the Serbian Community at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Eleftherios.

Concelebrating with him was the Very Rev. Stavrophor Zivojin Jakovljevic, St. Sava Cathedral Parish Priest, and assisted by Protodeacons Milos Zdralic, Diocesan Financial Secretary, and Jovan Anicic, Diocesan Education Director, together with newly-ordained Deacon Djordje Tomic. The responses were rendered by Reader Milovan Jovanovic, Diocesan Episcopal Secretary, together with Miroslav Miljevic, graduate student of Theology at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in Yonkers, and members of the Saint Sava Choir.

Patron Saint-day of the church of Transfiguration of the Lord at Pashino Brdo

On the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, 19 August 2019, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Liturgy in the church dedicated to this great Lord’s feast day at Pashino Brdo, district of Belgrade.

During the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness Irinej ordained Dr. Zoran Rankovic, professor of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade to the rank of deacon.

Feast Day celebrated in Saint John Chrysostom Monastery in Bitola

On the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Lord,His Beatutude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in stauropegic monastery of Saint John Chrysostom in Bitola.