Celebration of the Feast of Pentecost at the Archbishopric of Belgrade and Karlovac

A church in the Belgrade suburb of Sremchica today has been a place of celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, the Saint's feast day of this suburb. On the occasion of the Saint's feast day, His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, the vicar of Patriarch Pavle of Serbia served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of priests and deacons of the Archbishopric of Belgrade and Karlovac. After the Holy liturgy, lots of gathered people took the Sacrament and His Grace Bishop served the feast evening service during which he prayed for all good from the Lord for this suburb, holy church, priesthood of this church and all faithful people refreshed by the force of the Holy Spirit in this temple. After the read prayers to the Lord and Salvation of Bishops he led the procession of priests and people around the church. On behalf of the brotherhood of the church Bishop was welcomed by their head protopresbyter-staurophor Miroslav Stikic who also thanked Bishop for his visit and wished him to live long and prosper. His Grace Bishop conveyed the Patriarchal blessing of His Holiness to the priesthood and gathered people and held a pastoral speech.

Whit ceremonies formally opened at Kalemegdan

At the plateau facing the St Petka chapel, on the Kalemegdan, from June 4 - 10 2009 Whit ceremonies are being held. His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, the vicar of Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, has opened the Whit Ceremonies. On this occasion he has given a speech on the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

Closer academic relationships between St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and the Theological Faculty of the University

Discussions on closer academic relationships between St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and the Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, Serbia, took place in Crestwood, New York, on June 2nd and 3rd, 2009. Recognizing mutual academic and ecclesial benefits, the representatives of two institutions (Professor Fr. Vladan Perisic and Bishop Maxim Vasiljevic from Belgrade and Fr. John Behr, Fr. Chad Hatfield and Prof. John Barnett from St. Vladimir's) discussed formal relationship guidelines and conditions for a joint enterprise on master level.

Patriarch Kirill to visit Turkey in July

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will start visiting other local Orthodox churches in early July, a spokesman for the Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, said.

"These visits will be performed in line with the authorized list, the diptych," he told Interfax-Religion on Wednesday.

Text of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church for North and South America established

The Holy Assembly of Bishops, at the session of May 21, 2009 under ABno. 79/ord. 148, brought this decision:

To finally approve the established text of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church for the North and South America, which is to be effective on a day of bringing this decision, or May 21/8 2009.

With this decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops the Transient regulations for management ceased to apply between the Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada and the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica.

The Decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on redistribution of dioceses

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on its session on May 21, 2009, by the number ABno, 49/ord. 147, brought this decision:

Upon the clause 16 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and with the established suggestion of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America and two members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops (His Grace Bishop Hrizostom of Zhicha and His Grace Bishop Irinej of Bachka), to execute the redistribution of existing dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Midwestern American, Eastern American, Western American and Canadian of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada; and Dioceses for America and Canada of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica, with certain renaming of their titles and moving of their seats, in order to the canonic territory of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the territory of the North and South America now is consisting of: