Sunday of Orthodoxy in Jackson
Saint Sava Church in Jackson, California, was blessed on the eve of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in the year of the Lord 2018th with new lights for its wall paintings.
This event coincided with the arrival of Mr. MilojeMilinković, iconographer. In the afternoon hours the church was packed with people eager to ask the iconographer various questions regarding his sacred artwork. Majority of those people were not members of the parish, but they had a great respect and interest in our church art.
This was a great opportunity for them to learn more about the Orthodox iconography in general, about the iconographic program atSaint Sava Church, about the life and work of one Orthodox iconographer, as well as about the historical, liturgical and theological context of church art. After this exciting and dynamic discussion, Vespers was served and the people present had an opportunity to experience the living participation and role of the church wall art in Orthodox worship.
The next morning, another significant and joyful day in the rich history of the first Serbian Orthodox church in North America began. Mr. Larry Angier, a native Jacksonian and renowned photography artist, was baptized and christmated and then he partook of the Holy Communion.The godfather at the baptism was already-mentioned Mr. Miloje, whose artwork in America, Serbia and Greece Larry recorded by his artistic eye and photo camera and in turn it drew him near to the Orthodox faith and Church.For many years, he was devoutly learning about Orthodox Christianity, regularly attending church servicesand enthusiastically photographing all important moments in the life of this blessed parish, but also of the Western American Diocese, of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Orthodoxy in general, and therefore is well-known, respected and loved by many. This American of big heart and gentle soul has a great respect and love for the Serbian people and hence he willed, in agreement with his godfather, to receive the baptismal name Lazar, after the Holy Great-Martyr of Kosovo, and as his family patron saint or Slava – Saint Sebastian of Jackson.In this way, after less than three years since the canonization of Saint Sebastian, the Patron of the City of Jackson, there is already the second family celebrating him as their Slava and Mr. Lazar Angier is the first Jackson-born person doing it.
Providentially, thus, on the Sunday of Holy Icons or Images, the wall icons of Saint Sava Church shone forth in the new light and a living, human icon of God, under the patronage of his godfather the iconographer, became a member of the Holy Church of God, the Body of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and the Pillar and Foundation of the Truth. The Liturgy after Liturgy was celebrated in the Fellowship Building and then, in the evening, the clergy and parishioners of Saint Sava Church participated also in the Pan-Orthodox Vesper service in the Holy Archangel Gabriel Church of the Antiochian Patriarchate in Angels Camp, California.
The American-born priest who gave sermon shared with everybody what late Matushka Julianna Schmemman, the wife of the priest and professor Alexander Schmemman, told him when he was a student: “We the immigrants have brought Orthodoxy to America – now it is up to you to bring America to Orthodoxy.” The first step to this, he added, is to bring ourselves and our lives to the Holy Orthodoxy, which is the faith of true freedom, true beauty, true joy and true life. At the dinner served after the Vespers, everybody sang to Mr. Lazar Angier and we join them now once again: Many Years!
