Slava at New Marcha Monastery

Wednesday 26 June 2017, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America made his first canonical visit to Monastery New Marcha and its church dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel for the celebration of the Monastery’s Slava.

The previous evening Vespers were served by Archimandrite Leontije (Alavanja), Abbot of St. Mark Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Sheffield, OH. Monastery New Marcha was blessed to have in attendance for the Vespers Mother Christophora, Abbess of Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City, PA (OCA-Romanian) and several sisters from her monastery.  A light meal was served after Vespers.

The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Irinej with the concelebration of Ven. Protosingel Sava (Medakovic) Spiritual Father of New Marcha Monastery, V. Rev. Archpriest Peter Selenoi of St. Sergius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Parma, OH (ROCOR), V. Rev. Presbyter Dragan Goronjic, Dean of the Cleveland Deanery and Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Youngstown, OH (Raccoon Rd), V. Rev. Stavrophor Djordje Mileusnic, of St. Demetrius Serbian Orthodox Church in Akron, OH, V. Rev. Stavrophor Rodney Torbic of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Carmichaels, PA, V. Rev. Stavrophor Rajko Kosic of Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Cathedral Pittsburgh, PA, V. Rev. Protopresbyter Djokan Majstorvic of St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Paterson, NJ, V. Rev. Protopresbyter Mijoljub Matic of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Broadview Heights, OH, V. Rev. Protopresbyter Milan Pajic of Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Akron, OH, Rev. Presbyter Vladislav Golic of St. Stephen Serbian Orthodox Church in Lackawanna, NY, Rev. Presbyter Vedran Grabic, of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Hermitage, PA Rev. Protodeacon Ljubisa Mitrovic of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Broadview Heights, OH, and Rev. Deacon Dr. Jovan Anicic, Director of Christian Education for the Diocese of Eastern America. Also in attendance was Rev. Presbyter Isak Kisin of St. Stephen Decani Serbian Orthodox Church in Columbus, OH.

Adding to the beauty of the liturgical celebration were the voices and chanting of the choir from St. Sava Cathedral in Cleveland, led by choir director Milan Damjanovic.

At the conclusion of the Litija procession with the reading of the Holy Gospels His Grace blessed and broke the Slava Kolach with the Slava Kumovi, Petar and Paunka Gmitric and the faithful. Kosta and Sofia Papic graciously accepted the honor to be the Kumovi for next year’s Monastery Slava Celebration.

Following the final blessing from Bishop Irinej a festal agape meal was served to nourish the faithful after being spiritually nourished by the church services.

Source: Eastern American Diocese