SOLEMN HIERARCHICAL LITURY IN BELGRADE ON CHRISTMAS

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of Holy Prince Lazar ин the crypt of the Saint Sava Memorial Cathedral in Belgrade on the joyous feast-day of the Nativity of the Lord – Christmas, 7 January 2018.

In addition to lots of faithful people, the solemn festive service was attended by Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic and Princess Katherine; Mr. Nikola Selakovic, envoy and Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Serbia; Mr. Ivica Dacic, First Vice President of the Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Aleksandar Antic, Minister of Mining and Energy; Mr. Goran Vesic, City Manager; Mr. Marko Nikolic, Phd, Deputy Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities; Apostolic Nuncio Luciano Suriani; Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hocevar; representatives of the traditional Churches and religious communities, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as by people from the cultural and public life of the capital.

St. Nicholas in Steelton - Hierarchical Visit and Ordination

This year, for the Feast of St. Nicholas, His Grace, Bishop Irinej once again increased our joy by visiting our St. Nicholas community.  

The festivities began with the Church School St. Nicholas Project, which included our children offering their time and talents as they mounted icons in order to sell in support of Princess Katherine’s LIFELINE charity.  Lifeline is an organization dedicated to easing the suffering of the orphaned children of the recent wars in the lands of former Jugoslavija. 

Bishop David and Metropolitan Porfirije served on Mother’s Day in Ljubljana

On the Sunday of the Forefathers, when the Mother’s day in the Serbian Church is celebrated, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Krusevac served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije, PhD, of Zagreb-Ljubljana, inthe church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The local clergy concelebrated with the Hierarchs. Many beliviers attended the service.

Patriarchal Nativity Encyclical 2017

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Christmas, 2017

+IRINEJ

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Christmas greeting:

PEACE FROM GOD! CHRIST IS BORN!

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new!”

 (II Corinthians 5:17)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The foundation of God's New and Eternal Covenant was laid on this very day, the first Christmas in history. Because today, our beloved spiritual children, the preeternal God accomplished a work greater than the creation of the universe and fulfilled the promise given to our first parents, the promise that the prophets had foretold from time immemorial, and which the Most Pure, the Most Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary accepted in peace. God the Logos became man and dwelt among men. (cf. St. John 1:14) The Son of the Heavenly Father became a contemporary of mankind so that man could become co-eternal with God. The Lord Almighty “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7) and became one in body with our lowliness, so that he could make us equal to the image of His glory. That is why the Godly-wise Apostle Paul elatedly said: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past understanding!” (Romans 11:33)

Repose of Saint John of Kronstadt

Saint John of Kronstadt was born in the village of Sura in Archangel province on October 19, 1829, and was called John in honor of Saint John of Rila (August 18). His parents were very poor but were very devoted to the Church. Even though he was poor, as a young boy John learned to feel compassion for others in their misfortune. His neighbors frequently asked him to pray for them, as they noticed this special grace-endowed gift in him. When John was ten, his parents were able to raise some money and send him to the local school which was attached to the church. At first, the boy had an extremely difficult time with his studies. He worked for days on end, but still failed to keep up.

The Patriarch serves at the church of Saint Basil of Ostrog

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the church of Saint Basil of Ostrog on Bezanijska Kosa on 31 December 2017.

On Sunday, before the feast day of the Nativity of Christ, the Patriarch was concelebrated by protopresbyter-staurophors Savo Jovic, PhD; Bozo Bakajlic, Branko Mitrovic, Stojadin Pavlovic and Dragoslav Stikic, protodeacons Stevan Rapajic and Igor Davidovic and deacons Nemanja Radicevic and Igor Gracun.