Lenten Vespers in Youngstown

Great Lenten Vespers services of the Cleveland Deanery (Second Group) were held at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church on Laird Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio on March 19th, the third Sunday of Lent - Veneration of the Holy Cross.

Reverend Father Bosko Stojanovic, parish priest, welcomed clergy and parishioners from neighboring churches of the Deanery. Serving with host priest Father Bosko were Reverend Dragan Goronjic (Dean), Very Reverend Protosingelos Sava (Medakovich), Very Reverend Milan Pajic, Reverend Aleksa Pavichevich, and Reverend Vedran Grabic.

KSS Lenten Retreat Flyer & Registration Form for 2017

St. John of Damascus: On the Veneration of the Cross

From An Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book IV, Chapter 11: Concerning the Cross and here further concerning Faith.

The word “Cross” is foolishness to those that perish, but to us who are saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). For he that is spiritual judges all things, but the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit. For it is foolishness to those who do not receive in faith and who do not consider God's goodness and omnipotence, but search out divine things with human and natural reasonings. For all the things that are of God are above nature and reason and conception. For should any one consider how and for what purpose God brought all things out of nothing and into being, and aim at arriving at that by natural reasonings, he fails to comprehend it. For knowledge of this kind belongs to spirits and demons.

Metropolitan Amfilohije officiated at Golubovci

Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro celebrated Divine Liturgy in the church of St. Parasceve at Golubovci on March 19, 2017.

In his liturgical sermon after the Gospel reading, the Metropolitan pointed out that Christ’s Cross is the power the Lord revealed and granted us by His own Death and Crucifixion. It was Him Who first denied Himself, Who sacrificed Himself to the very end, Who was crucified for us and for our illumination and salvation sake. He was crucified and died in order to grant us eternal and never-ceasing life. Great Lent is just in that sign, in the sign of our purification, spiritual transformation… During the Liturgy he ordained into the priesthood deacon Blazo Petrovic, who is going to be pa parish priest in Zeta.

Patriarch Irinej paid a visit to the Diocese of Nis

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej visited the city of Nis on March 17, 2017. His Grace  Teodosije, Bishop of Raska-Prizren and Administrator of the Nish Diocese, welcomed the Head of the Serbian Church in front of  the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

The reason for this visit was the 80^th anniversary of the Institute for pneumatic deceases and tuberculosis in Nis. The Serbian Patriarch addressed participants of  the scientific symposium held on the occasion  of  this jubilee.

Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac marked his name-day

On Friday, March 17, 2017, on the Feast of Venerable Gerasim of  Jordan, which is also the name day of His Grace Gerasim, Bishop of Gornji (Upper) Karlovac, Croatia,  he was  visited by His Eminence Porfirije, Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana, and His Grace Fotije, Bishop of Dalmatia.

The Hierarchs were warmly welcomed by the host Bishop Gerasim in Karlovac. In a conversation that took place in Bishop's residence the life and work of the clergy, the state of Orthodox monasteries and churches as well as the life of Orthodox faithful in Croatia were discussed.