Bishop Maxim celebrates Christmas Eve in Salt Lake City

Оn Saturday, January 6, 2018, His Grace Bishop Maxim, together with neighboring clergy and many parishioners of the St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Salt Lake City, celebrated Christmas Eve (Badnje Vece), the eve of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Following the beautiful Christmas Eve service,  everyone was ushered outside for the traditional lighting of the Badnjak, with each having the opportunity to break off a small twig to take to their own homes. 

Orthodox Christians in Seychelles celebrate Christmas

While the rest of the country is recovering from the seasonal festivities, the Orthodox Christians in Seychelles celebrated their Christmas with a Holy Liturgy held at the Berjaya Bay Resort yesterday.

The delay in celebrations is caused by the fact that the Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, instead of the widely used Gregory calendar which other Christian churches have adopted.

Bishop Irinej visits Florida

Christmas for Serbians is a family holiday, and the three Sundays prior to Christmas are dedicated to celebrating members of the family. The third Sunday before the Christmas is dedicated to children, the second to mothers and the first to fathers.

This year, children, mothers and fathers will be honoured on December 17, December 24 and December 31 respectively.

State Day and Patron Saint-day of Republic of Srpska

On the occasion of the Patron Saint-day and the State Day of the Republic of Srpska, His Holiness Irinej, the Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedal church of Christ the Saviour in Banjaluka on the feast-day of H0ly First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen, on 9 January 2018.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia, Bishop Jefrem of Banjaluka, Bishop Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla and Bishop Sergije of Bihac-Petrovac and local priests.

His Holiness said that the Republic of Srpska has to be preserved, because it is the only way that the Serbian people on these areas could protect their name and cultivate their culture.

According to Tanjug, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch stressed: - People can talk many things, but we see how much President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, with associates,  fights to save Kosovo and Metohija, that the holiest part of our country, our Jerusalem, our Palestine, our Holy Land, with all those numerous, great and glorius sanctities.
- We thank the Lord for granting us a man who fights as a lion for the Serbian people, and especially for martyred and tormented Kosovo and Metohija, Patriarch Irinej said.

The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was attended by President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik, President of the National Assembly of Srpska Nedeljko Cubrilovic, Prime Minister of the Government Zeljka Cvijanovic, ministers in the Government of Republic of Srpska, other high officials of Srpska, as well as presidents of political parties in Republic of Srpska.The Holy Liturgy was also attended by Secretary General of the President of Serbia Nikola Selakovic as Mr. Vucic’s special envoy, ministers of the Government of Republic of Serbia Nebojsa Stefanovic and Aleksandar Vulin, Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic and Princess Katherine and lots of faithful people.

After the Liturgy, for the glory and honour of Holy First Martyr and  Archdeacon Stephen, the Patron Saint-day of Republic of Srpska, the slava wheat and cake were blessed.

 phоto gallery no. 1, phоto gallery no. 2

Patriarchal Liturgy at the church of Nativity of Mother of God in Zemun

On the second day of the feast day of the Nativity of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, 8 January 2018, when our Orthodox Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Mother of God, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Zemun (photo gallery ).

Christmas Holy Liturgy at Visoki Dečani

Christmas Holy Liturgy at Visoki Dečani Monastery today. Beside our guests and pilgrims we hosted today at the celebration the KFOR Commander the Italian General Cuoci with his officers and representatives of the Italian and Slovenian KFOR.