Serbian Orthodox Church

Bishop Irinej venerating holy shrines on the north of Russia

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and upon his invitation, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa is on a pilgrimage to the holy places on the north of Russia.

His entourage consists of: bishops Antonije of Moravica and Isihije of Mohacs, as well as protopresbyter Vladan Simic, Secretary of the Bishop of Backa.

On the occasion of the birthday of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch

The Biography of His Holiness

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovic) of Serbia was born in the village of Vidova, near town of Cacak, Serbia, on 28 August, 1930. His baptismal name is Miroslav. He finished elementary school in his village, and later on high school in Cacak. Thereupon he enrolled and completed Theological Seminary in Prizren, Kosovo and Metochia, and graduated at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade. Upon graduation, he did his army service for a year and a half. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church appointed him a professor of the Prizren Theological Seminary, but before assuming this assignment he was tonsured by the late Serbian Patriarch Herman (German) and got the monastic name Irinej, at the Rakovica monastery near Belgrade in October 1959.

27 years of episcopal ministry of His Grace Pahomije

On the feast of Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Laurentius, 23 August 2019, the 27^th anniversary of consecration and enthronement of His Grace Bishop Pahomije of Vranje was marked.

Bishop Pahomije of Vranje officiated the Liturgical celebration in the monastery of Venerable Prohor of Picnja with the concelebration of clergy, monks and faithful people of God in the Diocese of Vranje. During the Holy Liturgy, Bishop promoted synchellos Jovan into an  abbot of the monastery of Holy Prophet Elijah near Bosilegrad, while Rev. Aleksandar Krstic was ordained to the rank of presbyter.

Celebration of the jubilee of the Serbian Church in the Diocese of Western America

Transfiguration in Philadelphia: Our Church and our Children

On Sunday August 18 the children of St. Nicholas Church school in Philadelphia gathered to prepare the church for the feast of Our Lord’s Transfiguration.

They prepared the grapes that would be blessed on the Feast day shaping them beautifully in the shape of our Precious, Lifesaving Cross.

The First Serbian Benevolent Society’s Slava in Colma, CA

On Saturday, August 24 Bishop Maxim traveled to the Serbian Cemetery in the City of Colma near San Francisco to celebrate the Slava (the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos) of the First Serbian Benevolent Society (FSBS).

This organization was established in 1880 in San Francisco, California. The church dedicated to the Mother of God was built in 1929.  The first St. Sava celebration in the U.S. was in 1881. His Grace Russian Bishop Nestor sent an archimandrite, a priest, and two singers to represent him and the consistory at this first Serbian social event in America. The majority of well-known representatives of the Slavic community also attended. In 1901, Russian Bishop Tihon and Serbian priest Sebastian Dabovich consecrated the new Serbian cemetery.