The Serbian Patriarch consecrated Sts. Cyril and Methodius church in Bern

The Serbian Orthodox Community in Bern as well as in the whole of Switzerland had an exquisite honour and the blessing to attend an historical event – consecration of the church of Saints Cyril and Methodius at Belp near Bern, the first ever built Serbian Orthodox Church in Switzerland on 2 September 2018.

On this occasion His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej paid a canonical visit to this church and officiated the so-called great consecration of the church with concelebration of Metropolitan Ignatije of France, Western and South Europe (Patriarchate of Antioch); Metropolitan Joseph of Western Europe (Romanian Patriarchate), Bishop Andrej of Austria-Switzerland, all the parish priests from the Hierarchal Deanery for Switzerland, as well as of priests and deacons from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Romanian Orthodox Church. After the church consecration the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was celebrated.

The Dormition of the Theotokos in Windsor - Slava of Windsor's Gracanica

His Grace Kyr Mitrofan Bishop of Canada visited the city of Windsor on the occasion of the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos – Slava of the glorious Gracanica of Windsor. On that occasion, His Grace served the Hierarchical Liturgy, with the concelebrating clergy Very Rev.  Jovica Cetkovic, parish priest at the St. Dimitrije in Windsor, and Rev. Vladimir Vranic.

The honorable people of Windsor welcomed their Hierarch with great joy and took part in the prayerful gathering, all to the glory of the Most Holy Theotokos, the heavenly intercessor of our celebrating church. Following the Liturgy, a traditional festal procession was done around the church, after which His Grace blessed the Slava cake and kolyvo, in the presence of this year’s Slava godfather Mr. Jovan Urukalo and godmother Mrs. Janja (Jean) Urukalo, whom we congratulate and express our gratitude to them. After the Liturgy His Grace addressed the faithful people in church about the significance of the Feast, but also about the example of diversity of service to God, found in the gospel account on Mary and Martha. A warm welcome on behalf of the entire community, and a gratitude for His Grace’s presence at Slava in Windsor, was expressed in the church by Fr. Vladimir Vranic.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej consecrated a new church in Berne

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, during his canonical visit to the Diocese of Austria-Switzerland, consecrated a new church dedicated to Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Berne, and had an opportunity to visit several Church and state representatives, on 3^rd September 2018.

At the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, His Holiness Irinej was received by Dr. Snezana Jankovic, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbian to Switzerland, who informed the Patriarch on the status of the Serbian community in this country, about activities of the Embassy in preserving national and cultural identity, which is evident in organizing a Serbian Sunday school for children and very frequent cultural manifestations. The Serbian Patriarch thanked Mrs. Jankovic for all that the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia had been doing while supporting mission of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Switzerland  and the position of the Serbian people.

The First Serbian Bishop of Buenos Aires and South-Central America Kiril (Bojovic) enthroned

The First Serbian Bishop of South and Central America, His Grace Kirilo (Bojovic) enthroned in the Cathedral church of Nativity of Virgin in Buenos Aires, Argentina

The decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, brought in May 2018 saying that Bishop Kiril was elected Bishop of Buenos Aires and South-Central America was read at the Lirurgy by His Grace Vicar  Bishop Metodije of Dioclea.

Martyr Gorazd of Prague, Bohemia and Moravo-Cilezsk

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” [John 10:11].

“O Lord, make this man also, who has been proclaimed a steward of the episcopal grace, to be an imitator of You, the true Shepherd, Who laid down Your life for Your sheep....” [Prayer of Consecration of a Bishop]. On September 25, 1921, these words were prayed over Father Gorazd Pavlik as he was consecrated the Bishop of Moravia and Silesia. It is doubtful that anyone in attendance that day, including the new bishop, expected that he would be called upon to live that prayer in a literal way.

Matthias Pavlik was born in 1879 in the Moravian town of Hrubavrbka in what would later become the Czech Republic. He was born into a Roman Catholic family, completed the Roman Catholic seminary in Olomouc and was ordained a priest.

New Bust in Serbian Cultural Garden

On Sunday, August 19, 2018, the Great Feast of Transfiguration, His Grace Irinej, Bishop of Eastern America, blessed the newly erected bust of Nadezda Petrovic, famous Serbian painter and philanthropist of the 20th century, in the Serbian Cultural Garden in Cleveland, Ohio.

After the Service of Blessing, Bishop Irinej reminded everyone of certain details from the biography of this remarkable woman. Nadezda was a great artist, someone who advanced new trends in Serbian art, but other than that, she was a woman filled with love towards others. She eventually died serving others as a nurse in World War I. Her paintings are not her only legacy - she was also the founder of the Circle of Serbian Sisters.