Patriarchal Liturgy in New Gracanica

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at New Gracanica Monastery on 22 July 2017.

The service was prayerfully attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America. After the Liturgy, His Holiness Irinej served a memorial service to Metropolitan Irinej of New Gracanica of blessed repose.

Meeting with Serbian youth in the New Gracanica Monastery

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, visited children's summer  camp in New Gracanica Monastery in the afternoon on 21 July 2017.

The Patriarch was accompanied by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwestern America.

Festal Liturgy at Saint Sava monastery in Libertyville

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the monastery of Saint Sava in Libertyville on the feast day of Saint Great Martyr Procopius, 21 July 2017.

His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral concelebrated in the prayerful presence of His Grace Bishop Longon of New Gracanica-Midwestern America. Students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Libertyville sang responses.

Biography of the newly-elected Bishop Atanasije of Milesheva

His Grace Bishop Atanasije (Rakita), elected Bishop of Mileshevo, was born on 7 November 1957 in Janje near Sipovo.

His got the baptismal name Svetko. After finishing primary school in Babici, he absolved  the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Krka monastery. He was tonsured in the same monastery as a graduate of the Seminary on 7 May 1977;  ordained a deacon on 9 May and as presbyter  on 18 December of the same year. He visited father Justin Popovic at Celije Monastery on 1 January r1978 and on 2 January he left for America, where he finished two intensive English language  courses  at the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh.  In September of the same year he enrolled the Saint Vladimir Orthodox Theological Academy in New York. His Professors were Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff, world-famous theologians. In September 1981 he began with a teacher’s career at the Krka Monastery Seminary. Two years later, in 1983, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church transferred him to the St. Cyrill and Methodius Seminary in Prizren, where he was teaching eleven years, until 1994. There he got better acquainted with  the then Bishop Pavle of Raska-Prizren, later Serbian Patriarch.

Patriarch served memorial service for late Serbian hierarchs

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, served memorial service for late Serbian bishops Hristofor, Firmilijan and Dionisije of blessed repose in the Saint Sava Monastery in Libertyville, ILL., USA, in the afternoon on 18 July 2017.

Liturgy in Saint Sava monastery in Libertyville

In the presence of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwest America celbrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Saint Sava monastery in Libertyville on 18 July 2017.

By the relics of the new-shown Saint Mardarije, Bishop Longin was concelebrated by protosyncellos Seraphim, abbot of the monastery; hieromonks Sergije and Nektarije from New Gracanica and Libertyville, as well as by protodeacon Slobodan Vujasinovic from the Diocese of Srem. Besides Serbian Patriarch, the service was attended by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral. Students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Saint Sava from Libertyville sang responses. During the Holy Liturgy Bishop Longin delivered a sermon.