Bishop Maxim’s Archpastoral Visit to the Faithful in Seattle, WA

Seattle is in the top 5 rainiest U.S. cities by number of precipitations days, and it gets the least amount of annual sunlight of all major cities in the lower-48 states.

This city experiences moderate to heavy rain during the months of November, December, and January. However, during this last Archpastoral visit of His Grace our Bishop Maxim to his humble flock and parishes dedicated to St. Sava and The Protection of the Holy Theotokos, we had a sunny and crisp weekend.

Serbia in the Great War – Australian Testimonies

Response to the letter of His Eminence Stefan, Archbishop of Ohrid in schism

Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Nr. 1120 - September 9, 2014, Belgrade

To His Eminence Stefan, Archbishop of Ohrid in schism
Skopje

Subject: Your letter and Our reaction to it

Your Eminence,

We received Your letter SAS nr. 18 from July 25, 2014, through which You are informing us of the criminal activities – as You name them – of the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Dr. Jovan.

This letter was very saddening for us. We had expected that You inform us whether you had done something, and what exactly, for the release of His Beatitude, the imprisoned and suffering Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje. Instead, You are sending us “information” on some fictional criminal activities of this respectable Hierarch, and we also heard that You have sent such letters to other Prelates of the Orthodox Churches, and even personally to many Bishops around the world.

65th Annual Patronal Feast Day Celebration in Hobart

On Sunday, 28 September 2014 the Orthodox Community celebrated its 65th Annual Patronal Feast, the Elevation of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross at the Russian-Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Hobart, Tasmania.

The Patronal celebration began on Saturday evening with the Service of Vespers celebrated by the Very Rev. Mitred Protopresbyter Dr Michael Protopopov, Vicar General of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, in the presence of His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His Grace joined in the service for the carrying out of the Holy Cross and bestowed his blessings upon the gathered Russian, Serbian, Greek and Australian Orthodox Christians.

Obrenovac, Kladovo and Samac flood emergency response program

International Orthodox Christian Charities - IOCC and The Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand

Starting May 13, 2014, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina - BiH experienced sustained torrential rains - by some estimates several months of average rain fell on the region in less than week - that resulted in the worst floods in at least the last century.

Abbot Metodije visited Monastery of St. Paisius

Visit of His Grace Bishop Maxim with his honored guest, Abbot Metodije of Hilandar Monastery

With joy the sisterhood--headed by Abbess Michaila and the priests of the Monastery, Archimandrite Dorotheos and Protopriest David--awaited the arrival of His Grace and his honored guests at the pathway leading to the Catholicon. Before beginning the procession to the Catholicon, Abbot Metodije (at His Grace’s request) was clothed in a brightly colored mandiya, as is customary for those of his rank. Then began a formal procession into the Catholicon, and the Abbot and our Bishop ascended their thrones, where everyone came and received a blessing.  A litany was offered, and the choir of sisters chanted the “Polychronion” to Abbot Metodije, who shared with the Sisters very moving words, about how the atmosphere of the monastery church was such a beautiful echo of the Holy Mountain, and how the Mother of God’s presence was so apparent.