Serbian Orthodox Church

Ordination of Deacon Zoran Aleksic to the Holy Priesthood

Axios and many years to Deacon Zoran Aleksic, who was ordained to the holy priesthood on June 6th, 2016 by His Grace Bishop Maxim during the Heirarchical Divine Liturgy held at Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Alhambra, California.

Also concelebrating the Liturgy were Very Rev. Nicholas Ceko, Dean of the Cathedral, Rev. Norman Kosanovich, Assistant Priest, Rev. Milan Unkovic, parish priest at the Saint Simeon Serbian Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, and Deacon Paul Germain from the St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in San Diego.

Episcopal visit to New York Community

On Sunday, June 26th, the 1st Sunday after Pentecost, His Grace Bishop Dr +Mitrophan (Kodic) served with Fr Toma Popovich and the faithful of the St Sava community in Manhattan. Following the terrible inferno that engulfed and destroyed the community’s historic cathedral, the parishioners have been gathering in other local places - most recently at the General Theological Seminary chapel in Manhattan. 

The Vozdovac church celebrates its Patron Saint-day

This year the church in Belgrade’s municipality of Vozdovac celebrated its Patrons Saint-day (slava), the feast of Holy Emperor Contantine and Empress Helen the Equal-to-the-Apostles.

On the feast-day, June 3rd 2016, with the blessing of Serbian Patriarch Irinej, His Grace newly-elected Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic) of East America, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of the dear guest from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, His Grace Bishop Elija of Philomenion for Albanian speaking believers in USA.

The Serbian Patriarch received in audience by the President of Serbia

The President of the Republic of Serbia received in audienceHis Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, at the Presidency of Serbia in Belgrade on 30 May 2016.

His Holiness was accompanied by His Grace Bishop Arsenije of Toplica and the members of the Committee for completion of works on the Saint Sava Cathedral – protopresbyter-staurophor Stojadin Pavlovic, dipl. ing. arch. deacon Miroslav Nikolic, chief architect of the Saint Sava Cathedral, and Mr. Milan Andric, lawyer. The meeting was attended by Professor Dr. Vojislav Milovanovic, protomaster of the Saint Sava Cathedral, President of the Assembly of the Society for construction of the Saint Sava Cathedral Mr. Miodrag Kostic and adviser to the President of Serbian for culture Mr. Radoslav Pavlovic.

Response of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej to the letter of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew concerning the fire in the St. Sava Cathedral in New York

THE MOST HOLY PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, IN CHRIST GOD BELOVED AND MOST DEAREST BROTHER AND CONCELEBRANT OF OUR HUMBLENESS KYR B A R T H O L O M E W, EMBRACING YOUR ESTEEMED HOLINESS BROTHERLY IN THE LORD, WE MOST CORDIALLY GREET YOU.

It is with gratitude that We received Your kind letter by which You express the sympathies of the Most Holy Ecumenical Patriarchate after fire that swept through the Saint Sava Church in New York on the very day when our Holy Church was celebrating the Feast of feasts – the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The faithful of this Parish, the Orthodox faithful in New York and the entire Serbian Orthodox Church, find, in Your concern and Your love, consolation upon the tragedy that has befallen this church with historical significance in the New World. Having compassion in this way with the local Serbian Church, Your Holiness shows fraternal care, and above all Christian love, because "if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor. 12:26).

Liturgical gathering at the Patriarchate Chapel

On the feast day of the Midfeast of the Pentecost, with the blessing and in the presence of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Patriarchate Chapel of Saint Simeon the Myrrhgusher.

He was concelebrated by presbyters Vladimir Vranic and Arsenije Arsenijevic, protodeacon Stevan Rapajic and deacon Aleksandar Sekulic. Students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade sang responses. The hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, gathered at the regular session of the Assembly, were prayerfully present, as well as pilgrims from Belarus.