Serbian Patriarch's noteworthy visit to Missiusaga

The greatest Serbian church in Canada, the Cathedral church of Serbian Saints in Missiusaga, the western part of Toronto, was too small to receive on Sunday, March 22, 2012 under its dome all Serbian believers who came to welcome their spiritual father, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch. 

The Canonical visit of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the Diocese of Canada, has its culmination at the Sunday service in Missiusaga, when  new frescoes in the church were blessed, made by master artist Dragan Marunic and his associates: Dragan Stankovic and Nemanja Marunic.

It was an epic event, since the six Orthodox bishops served. Besides the Serbian Patriarch and the host, Bishop Georgije of Canada, also the Liturgy was served by: Metropolitan Sotirios, Archbishop of the Greek Metropolis of Toronto and the exarch of All Canada; Archbishop Jove, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate in Canda; Archbishop Nataniel of the Romanian American Diocese (American Orthodox Church); and Bishop Dositej of Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Britain and Scandinavia. About 22 priests of the Serbian, Russian and Greek Church concelebrated, and the choir of the church of Serbian Saints chanted.

Following the Divine Liturgy and the blessing of the frescoes, a solemn banquet was prepared for all the invitees, among which, besides the Orthodox bishops, also were Ambassador of Serbia Mr. Zoran Veljic, General consul of Serbia Mr. Vladimir Pavlov, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mrs. Biljana Gutic-Bjelica, representatives of the federal and provincial parliament and the city authorities.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej awarded Mrs Dragana Varaklic from Toronto, the benefactress from Toronto with the Order of St. Sava of the Second Degree. She also shown generosity on this day, while collecting contributions at the banquet, when they donated their church with  $50,000.00.

The canonical visit to the Diocese of Canada His Holiness continues on Monday when he is going to visit the church of St. George in Waterloo and the church of Holy Trinity in Kitchener.

Source: Diocese of Canada