Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
February 28, 2005

CELEBRATION OF ST SIMEON THE MYRRH-GUSHER,
PATRONAL FEAST OF PATRIARCHAL CHURCH

St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, the patronal feast of the church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher located in the Belgrade Patriarchate was formally celebrated on February 26.

The festal wake the preceding evening was served by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Pavle with the concelebration of Archimandrite Andrej (Cilerdzic), Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Caslav Marinkovic, Protonamesnik Zoran Perkovic, Presbyter Vojislav Kostic, and Deacons Predrag Timotijevic and Predrag Prodic.

The Youth Choir of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts enhanced the wake with its prayerful chanting.

On the feast of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher itself, His Holiness the Patriarch served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of His Grace Bishop Lavrentije of Sabac and Valjevo, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Cedomir Vuckovic, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Ljubodrag Petrovic, Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Caslav Marinkovic, Protopresbyter Panaiotis Karatasios, Presbyters Jovan Petrovic and Rade Bogicevic, and Deacons Predrag Timotijevic and Predrag Protic. His Grace Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina was also present at the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy.

The First Belgrade Singing Society justified its title as the best and oldest choir in the capital with its exalted singing.

In his sermon Bishop Lavrentije wished a happy holiday to all those present and emphasized that St. Simeon is to the Serbs what Moses was to the Jews of the Old Testament.

Reflecting on the time of St. Simeon, when church and state were one, Bishop Lavrentije concluded that our Serbian people grew and matured from such a unity. The symphony of state and God’s Church is the only true path for our people, founded by Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, the forefather of the Holy Nemanjic Dynasty.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the construction of the Belgrade Patriarchate and its church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher.

The present Belgrade Patriarchate was built in 1935 upon order of Serbian Patriarch Varnava of blessed repose according to the design of architect Viktor Lukomski in the location of the old Metropolitanate from the 18th and 19th centuries.

The patriarchal church is appointed with an engraved iconostasis, a masterpiece by the master craftsmen of Ochrid, with icons painted in 1935 by Vladimir Predojevic.

Protodeacon Stevan Repajic, the secretary of the Church Court of the Archdiocese of Belgrade and Karlovci, has taken care of the patriarchal church, one of the most beautiful modern Serbian churches, for the past quarter of a century.

ORDINATION IN KRKA MONASTERY

On the feast of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, His Grace Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Krga Monastery. During the course of the Liturgy, he ordained Savo Milankovic, a student of the Theological Institute, as deacon. The next day (on February 27) on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son Bishop Fotije elevated the new deacon to the office of presbyter. At the end of the Liturgy Bishop Fotije addressed the new priest by saying that on this day he has received both a great blessing but also a great cross because the service of a priest is a highly responsible one.

With the blessing of Bishop Fotije the newly ordained Fr. Savo will serve in the parish of Skradin.

NEW CHURCH IN CACAK AFTER EIGHT CENTURIES

On Saturday night a fundraising dinner held to collect money for the completion of the construction of the church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Cacak brought together almost all the business people of Cacak. A new church, parish home, concert hall and space for a church museum and library are currently under construction in the Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich spiritual center. Thus far a total of approximately 900,000 marks have been invested in the construction of the church, and currently the roof is being mounted. Local residents of Cacak with their donations, socially owned and private businesses, and Serbs living abroad who are native to the region have assisted construction efforts. The organizer of the dinner was the Church Building Committee, headed by the Serbian minister for capital investments, Velimir Ilic. The fundraising dinner included musical performances by the Renesans ensemble, Svetlana Stevic and Aleksandra Danicic.

Source: Glas Javnosti daily, Belgrade, 28.02.05

[Serbian Translation Services]