St. Vitus Day – Serbian Vidovdan in Stuttgart, Germany

His Grace Bishop of Backa Irinej presided over the Eucharistic gathering in the church of the Synaxis of the Serbian Saints, on the feast-day of Holy Great Martyr Prince Lazarus, on June 28, 2017.

On the eve of the feast, the evening service was held, led by His Eminence Bishop of Frankfurt and all Germany Sergije, after which a concert of the First Belgrade Choral Assemble from Belgrade was held. The bishop Irinej was concelebrated by the host Bishop Sergije; Archpriest-Stavrophor Petar Lukic, principal of the Belgrade Cathedral and President of the First Belgrade  Choral Assemble; and Archpriest  Borisav Simic, principal of the Stuttgart church; Protopresbyter Danilo Radmilovic from Düsseldorf, Presbyter Milenko Bakmaz from Stuttgart, protodeacon Goran Botoski and deacon Aleksandar Bilic from Novi Sad.

After the Gospel lesson, Bishop Irinej addressed the congregation with an a sermon pointing out the significance of the Vidovdan, the message of which is orientation towards the celestial, eternal Kingdom, for which the Holy Prince Lazar and all the holy martyrs of Kosovo in 1389 oriented their lives.

At the end of the Liturgy, a traditional commemoration rite – parastasis was held for all the victims fallen since the Kosovo battle up to present times. Bishop Sergije thanked Bishop Irinej for having visited this Diocese whereby he spiritually enriched the faithful people in Stuttgart.

The Eucharist gathering was enhanced by the First Belgrade Choral Assemble from Belgrade that was paying a visit to the Diocese of Frankfort and all Germany.

Bishop Sergije awarded some well-deserved members of the parish of the Stuttgart for their zealous activity in the church of the Synaxis of the  Serbian Saints in Stuttgart, the Circle of Serbian Sisters, the President of the Church Community Radoslav Gusic from Stuttgart and the great founder Stanislav Bozic from Kirchheim.

Source: Diocese of Frankfurt and all  Germany