Saint Sava, First Serbian Archbishop and Enlightener

Rastko Nemanjić the third son of Zupan Stefan Nemanjić and his wife Ana. Rastko was tonsured a monk in 1192 and was given the name of Sava at the monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos. Soon after he went to the monastery of Vatopedi.

In 1196 Zupan Stefan Nemanja left his kingdom of Raska and became a monk and took the name Simeon where he was tonsured at the monastery of Studenica which he had endowed some years earlier.

Patriarch Irinej consecrated the chapel at the Military Academy

On the feast day of Holy Martyrs Ermyl and Stratonicus His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch consecrated a chapel dedicated to the Protection of Our Most Holy Mother of God at the Military Academy in Belgrade.

On this occasion His Holiness presented the diocesan gramatas to Major General Mladen Vuruna, the head of the Military Academy; Lieutenant Colonel Randjel Kitanovic, head of the Construction Service; Cadet Brigade of the Military Academy and donor Mr. Braneta Grumic.  

St. Sava reception at the Old Court

The traditional reception on the occasion of the school Patron Saint-day Saint Sava was held at the Old Court on January 24th. 

The guests were welcomed by City Secretary for Education and Childcare Mrs. Snezana Djuric, and the reception was attended by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, chief secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Savo Jovic and directors of the Belgrade's elementary, secondary and special schools and preschool instititions.  

Brcko: Thousands of believers in Theophany procession

His Grace Bishop Hrizostom of Zvornik-Tuzla celebrated the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral church of Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Brcko on the Theophany feast day.

After the Holy Liturgy His Grace Bishop performed the rite of Great blessing of  waters and led a magnificent procession from the Cathedral church of Brcko  to the picnic place Ficibajer at the Sava river in which more than thousand believers from the Brcko District and the town of Brcko participated. Between 7.000 and 8.000 believers participated in the procession. In the race for the Precious Cross of the Lord about 48 swimmers from Brcko, Bijeljina, Sremska Mitrovica, Belgrade and other cities took part. The winner of the Theophany Cross Dive in the Sava river was Djordje Mihajilovic from Brcko, who was wrapped with a cloak of the knight of the Theophany Cross by Bishop Hrizostom, who also presented a gold medallion and a gilded Theophany cross to him.

Saint Sava's Epistle of Bishop Irinej of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand

IRINEJ

by the Grace of God
Bishop of the Metropolitanate of
Australia and New Zealand
The Serbian Orthodox Church

A joyous and blessed all Serbian Feast Day!

That all Serbian hearts
May be united with you,
That the Sun of peace, love –
May shine upon us all...
(Hymn to Saint Sava)

Our much beloved Clergy and Monastics, Sons and Daughters, Our dear Children of Saint Sava,

The Way of Saint Sava for us, beloved, constitutes that unique dimension of Orthodoxy amongst the Serbian people, wherein we follow the path of Saint Sava. Walking in his footsteps, he presents us with the possibility of both preserving our own identity and accepting new circumstances in life, as he unites us together in Christ and for Christ, and through Christ for the life of the world. This path is the Christlike way, the only real, true path, the path of true freedom, as we sing in the troparion of St. Sava, "the path that leads to life"!

Feast of Saint John the Baptist in Novi Sad

On Monday, 20 January 2014, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa celebrated its Patron Saint-day by serving the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral church in Novi Sad

The Bishop of Backa was concelebrated by Their Graces Bishops: Pahomije of Vranje, Jovan of Sumadija, David of Krusevac, Atanasije of Bihac-Petrovac and Porfirije of Jegar with thirteen presbyters and eleven deacons.