Serbian Orthodox Church

Meeting of the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Western America

On Tuesday, February 26, 2019 the Diocesan Council of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America, under the omophorium of His Grace Bishop Maxim, held it’s semi-annual meeting at the Saint Steven’s Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Alhambra, California.

The meeting was held on the first day of the Sts. Sebastian & Mardarije Orthodox Institute, making it convenient for council members to also attend the events of the three-day Institute.

Patron Saint-day of Patriarchate Chapel of Saint Simeon of Myrrh-Gusher

The Patron Saint-day of the chapel of Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher in the Serbian Patriarchate, Belgrade, was celebrated on 26 February 2019 with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy officiated by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej in the prayerful presence of Their Graces Bishops Lavrentije of Sabac and Metodije of Dioclea.

The choir of the First Belgrade Choral Assemble sang responses. The service was attended by Dr. Mileta Radojevic, Director of the Office for Cooperation with Churches and Religious Communities.

Holy Three Hierarchs, Dallas, Texas (short history and 20th anniversary)

It will forever be unknown how many generations of the Serbian people lost their names, language, customs, and the Orthodox faith in the hot Texas sun.

Industrialization coupled with the smell of oil fields has been drawing Serbian immigrants for decades. By the end of the sixties, the Karakasevic family moved to Texas, followed by the Simic and Palmer families in the eighties, who later became pillars of our church established in 1999. At the outset of the 1990s, there was an immense influx of our people from Serbian Krajina and central Bosnia and Herzegovina, who, carried by the flames of war, started to build new nests in the Northern Texas area.

About the V. Rev. Zvonimir Kotorcevic (1939-2019)

Rev. Protojerej Stavrofor Zvonimir Lazar Kotorcevic passed away on February 7th, 2019 at the age of 79. He was born on March 24th, 1939 in Urosevac, Kosovo and Merohija, Serbia, to the late Lazar and Jelica (Radivojevic) Kotorcevic. Fr. Zvonko was preceded in death by his parents Lazar and Jelica, brother Blagoje, and daughter Jovanka. He is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years Protinica Desa (Pavicic), loving children Tatijana (Milan), Grigorije, and his cherished granddaughters Simonida and Sofija, brother Aleksa of Belgrade, Srbija, sister-in-law Velika of Krusevac, Srbija, many nephews, nieces, family, Kumovi, and friends.

Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy awarded

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej received a delegation of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy on February 20, 2019, at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade.

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church awarded the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the high decoration of the Holy Emperor Constantine for its support in preserving the religious and cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija. The decoration was received by the deputy of the Greek Parliament and the Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy Dr. Andreas Mihailidis.

Relating to significant jubilees of the Serbian Church in Hercegovina

The chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Hergovina, Milorad Dodik, and His Grace Bishop of Zaholm-Herzegovinian Dimitrije discussed about the position of the Serbian people in the Neretva Valley. The conversations took place in East Sarajevo, on February 20, 2019.

During the meeting, the greatest attention was dedicated to the celebration the 800th anniversary of the Serbian Orthodox Church's authocephaly and the establishment of the Zaholm-Herzegovina Diocese. Bishop Dimitrije informed the Chairman of the Presidency of BandH about the dynamics of the renovation of the Old School and the Cathedral Church in Mostar, which should be the central place for celebrating the anniversary of the Diocese of Zaholm-Herzegovina.