Serbian Orthodox Church

Church School begins in North Canton

On September 14^th, 2014 St George Serbian Orthodox Church in North Canton began the new liturgical year by blessing church school teachers, students, and parents. Over 20 children were present, with more enrolled for regular instruction.

Enthronement of Bishop John (Culibrk) of Slavonia

Bishop John will be enthroned by His Holiness Irenaeus, Serbian Patriarch at the solemn Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity in Pakrac, Slavonia, Croatia, on Saturday, September 13, 2014.  Many Hierarchs of the Serbian Church will concelebrate, as well as some high clergymen from other Local Orthodox Churches. In addition to it, attendance of high Church personalities from the Catholic Church and other Churches and religious communities as well as politicians from Croatia, Serbia, Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, cultural and scientific eminent people, and representatives of some world organizations is expected.

Biography of Bishop Electus John of Slavonia

New Elected Bishop John (Culibrk) was born on April 16, 1965 in Zenica. He finished a high school and the grammar school in (Bosanska) Gradiska. He studied South-Slavic languages and literatures  at the universities in Banja Luka and Zagreb, where he graduated at the  Department for stylestics  with a work on Milos Crnjanski for which he received the Branko Award of Matica Srpska in 1991 (today this work is within the book Black Sun, and a circle around it - Stvaranje, Podgorica, 2001 - it is being used at posdgraduate studies). 

He studied theology at Faculties of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade and Srbinje, where he graduated with a work on Nikon the Jerusalemite.  He  attended postgraduate  studies on Jewish culture at the Yad Vashem Memorial and at the Jewish University in Jerusalem; he was the winner of the 2004 Golda Meir Award.  He defended his master thesis at Dr David Bankier, the chief of the International Institute for holocaust research at Yad Vashem. He is preparing now a PhD thesis on the same subject together with Dr Yoav Gelber. He speaks English, Russian and Hebrew, also knows German, Greek and several Slavic languages.

Bishop Sergius of Middle Europe enthroned

His Holiness Irenaeus, Serbian Patriarch, introduced His Grace Sergius to the throne of Bishops of Middle Europe during the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Hummelsthur on 7 September 2014.

Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus was concelebrated by Metropolitan of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Germany Augustinos, Metropolitan Porfirius of Zagreb-Ljubljana, Bishop Irenaeus of Backa, Bishop Athanasius of Bihac-Petrovac and Bishop Marko of Bregalnica.  The Liturgy was also attended by many bishops: Bishop Lucian of Budim, Bishop Chrysostomos of Zvornik-Tuzla, Bishop Theodosius of Raska-Prizren, Bishop Gerasimos of Gornji Karlovac, David of Krusevac, Andrew of Austria-Switzerland, Anthony of Moravica and David of Stobi.

Serbian Patriarch in the Diocese of Middle Europe

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus arrived in the Monastery of Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Himmelsthür on September 5^th.

On the day Patriarch Irenaeus, the so-far administrator of the Diocese of Middle Europe, held few working meetings with the diocesan dean and hierarchal deans. The Patriarch also visited the monastery complex and supervised in detail the undergoing construction works within the monastery and the Diocesan Centre, which had begun with his blessing in the beginning of the year.

Diocesan Days of the Western American Diocese

The  Western American Diocese celebrated Diocesan Days 2014 which was held at the St. Sava Mission in Jackson, California on August 29-31.

The Guest Speaker was the Most Venerable Archimandrite Methodius, Abbot of the Serbian Imperial Lavra of Hilandar. The theme was The Holy Mountain, Hilandar, and Us. The three-day weekend was a wonderful success and enjoyed by all who attended.

Biography of newly-elected Bishop of Central Europe, Archimandrite Sergije (Karanovic)

The solemn rite of the enthronement into the throne of bishops of Central Europe will be performed at the Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Himmelsthür on  September 7th, 2014.  At this Cathedral Church His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej will officiate the solemn Hierarchal Divine Liturgy with the concelebration of a few Bishops.