Serbian Orthodox Church

Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic funeral and burial in Oplenac

His Royal Highness Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic, the eldest son of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Paul and Princess Olga was buried today in the Saint George Church yard in Oplenac. Their Graces Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand officiated the funeral service at 10:30 am.

The solemn funeral was attended by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine and Hereditary Prince Peter who was Prince Alexander’s Karadjordjevic’s godson and HE Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Republic of Serbia.

Order of Saint Sava to the Sretenje Monastery from Moscow

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, awarded the Sretensky Stauropegic monastery from Moscow with the Order of Saint Sava of the Second Degree on 18 May 2016.

The high award of the Serbian Orthodox Church from the hands of His Holiness was received by hieromonk Ignatiy Shestakov, co-brother of the Sretensky monastery (Meeting of Jesus in the Temple). Namely, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, upon the suggestion of His Grace Bishop Teodosije of Raska-Prizren, awarded the Sretensky Monastery from Moscow with the order of Saint Sava for the love towards the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people expressed in granting unselfish aid during the restoration of the Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prizren. The ceremony at the Patriarchate Court in Belgrade was attended by Hierarchs summoned at the regular convocation of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The Serbian Patriarch and Hierarchs visiting the Dechani monastery

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The monastic brotherhood of Dechany led by its abbot, Very Venerable Archimandrite Sava, welcomed His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej and Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on the occasion of the beginning of the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on the afternoon on 14 May 2016.

On the next day, on the Sunday of the 15^th of May 2016, hierarchs officiated the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral church of Saint Great Martyr George in Prizren, and performed the rite of consecration of the renovated buildings of the Theological Seminary of Sts Cyril and Methodius in Prizren.

The working sessions of the Holy Assembly of Bishops will commence at the Patriarchate Palace in Belgrade on May 16, 2016.

Holy Assembly of Bishops begins with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Patriarchate of Pec

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His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the conciliar concelebration of the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the Patriarchate of Pec on 14 May 2016. They all gathered on the occasion of the beginning of the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Following the Holy Liturgy the rite of the Invocation of the Holy Spirit was performed for the blessed and successful work of the Assembly. His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije held a speech, after which he served on the monastery's cemetary a commemoration for abbesses and nuns of blessed repose of the Great Laura of the Patriarchate of Pec. 

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Serbian Patriarch and Hierarchs at the Patriarchate of Pec

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch and Their Graces Bishops, members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops ouf our Church, arrived at the Patriarchate of Pec on 13 May 2016. 

His Holiness and bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church were welcomed by the clergy and monks of the Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija, led by Bishop Teodosije. His Holiness will officiate the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the rite of the Invocation of the Holy Spirit in the church of Holy Apostles at the Great Laura of the Patriarchate of Pec, when this year's regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops will begin. 

Communiqué of the Eastern American Diocese - Fire at Saint Sava in NYC

To all Diocesan Clergy, Church-School Congregation Boards and Faithful
Dear Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy and our dear Serbian Orthodox faithful,

Christ is Risen!

As you certainly all know, our entire Diocese, and indeed our entire Serbian Orthodox Church, suffered a terrible and tragic loss on the very day of the Holy Pascha of our Lord with the destruction of our cathedral church of St. Sava in New York City. While the church building is a total loss, we rejoice and thank God that there were no serious injuries or loss of life. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the New York Fire Department, and we await their findings.

Nonetheless, our Serbian Orthodox brothers and sisters in the New York area have lost their spiritual home, the heart of their religious and national life. Their loss is personal for them, deeply emotional and truly tragic. Yet, even as the embers of the temple still smoldered, the community expressed its determination to continue its church life there. The building is gone, but the living church remains, and its members need our prayers and our support, both spiritual and financial.