Serbian Orthodox Church

The Feast of Saint Peter and Paul in Fresno, California

Liturgy for 5^th Sunday after Pentecost and Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Twelve Apostles

It was a very beautiful and quite hot morning on July 13, 2014 in the Great Central Valley when His Grace, Bishop Maxim, arrived at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Fresno, California.  The bells were ringing, the altar boys were smiling, and the choir was singing as the parish clergy greeted His Grace.  Father George Gligich held the gospel with Deacon John Davis censing as the procession moved through the center of the church surrounded by a large, enthusiastic, and overjoyed crowd consisting of both regular parishioners and visitors.  Our dear Bishop venerated the most holy relics of St. Peter and St. Paul, which were present thanks to the goodness of Father Gustavo Lopez of San Joachim Catholic Church in Madera, who brought them and stayed for Liturgy in honor of our church’s feast day.  The entrance and vesting prayers preceded a blessing from His Grace and the beginning of the Divine Liturgy.  From the first to the concluding prayer, our beloved Bishop presided over a Liturgy full of the beauty, power, and grace of God apparent to all and made possible only by the presence of the Holy Spirit.  

Faithful from Argentina visit Serbian Patriarch

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, on the request of Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral - Administrator of the Diocese of Buenos-Aires, received on 16 July 2014 a group of believers from the Argentinian province of Chaco, led by presbyter Branko Stanisic.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej greeted fourty believers of the parish of Saint Nicholas the Mirracle-worker in the town of Machagai, among which one third are descendants of the former immigrants from Montenegro. The guests thanked the Patriarch for the warm welcome.

First official audience given by Metropolitan Dr. Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana

Yesterday, on 14 July 2014, new Metropolitan Dr Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana received Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community  “Bet Israel” of Croatia Dr. Kotel Da-Don and Chief Rabbi of Serbia Mr. Isaak Asiel in his residence in Zagreb.

This was the first official audience given by the new Metropolitan of Zagreb-Ljubljana and it was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. His Grace Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa also participated in conversations.  Since Metropolitan Porfirije and Bishop Irinej had fostered and closely worked with Rabbi of Serbia Mr. Asiel for many years, it was agreed to continue the existing projects and that the Jewish Community “Bet Israel” be involved into the new ones.  Mr. Kotel was pleased to hear information about good inter-religious relations in Serbia, as well as about a series of activities which traditional Churches and religious communities have undertaken together.

Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana enthroned

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, introduced His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Porfirije, former Bishop of Jegar, into the throne of Metropolitans of Zagreb-Ljubljana during the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Zagreb yesterday, on 13 July 2014.

Besides the newly enthroned Metropolitan, the Patriarch was also concelebrated by Metropolitans Basileos of Arcadia from the Patriarchate of Antioch and Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, Their Graces Bishops: Christopher of Karpassia from the Archbishopric of Cyprus, Irinej of Backa, Bishop electus Justin of Zica, Irinej of Australia-New Zealand and Bishop electus Andrej of Austria-Switzerland.

Diocesan Days and Annual Diocesan Assembly conclude at New Gracanica

From June 12th to June 15th Diocesan Days and Annual Diocesan Assembly were held at the New Gracanica Monastery. Guest speaker at the assembly was Fr Michael Oyer from Santa Rosa, CA. During the assembly, oratorical festival was held where two of our youth presented their essays on the topic “The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph”. Congratulations to Jovana and Natalia who are going to represent us at the national oratorical contest in California this August. Also at this year’s assembly the first-ever meeting of youth delegates was held and a youth board elected. In the future we are hoping that every parish will be able to send at least one delegate so that the voice of our youth can be heard clearly at this most important body of our church life.

15 years of hierarchal service of Bishop Filaret

This significant anniversary was marked on the feast day of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner, at the monastery of Milesheva.

When our Church prayerfully celebrates the Birth of John the Baptist and Forunner, it was the 15^th anniversary of hierarchal service of His Grace Bishop Filaret of Milesheva. Faithful people of the Diocese of Milesheva gathered on the eve of the feast day at the Vesper service which was served with akathist to Saint Sava in the Milesheva monastery. On the feast day Their Graces Bishops Nikanor of Banat and Filaret of Milesheva served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of monks and parish priests of the Diocese of Milesheva.