News and Events - January 2010
BISHOP LONGIN ORDAINS NEW DEACON
Grayslake, IL - On the feastday of St. Ignatius the God-bearer, Bishop of Antioch and Martyr, January 2, 2010, His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica-Midwest America, at the Holy Hierarchical Divine Liturgy served at New Gracanica Monastery, ordained subdeacon Marko Bojovic, from the St. Nicholas parish in Indianopolis, Indiana.
Marko was born in 1979 in Belgrade, where he finished elementary and high school. He then went to Athens to study International Business and Political Science, spending a semester, as a part of these studies, in Indianapolis and getting into touch with his current church of St. Nicholas. After Greece, he came once again to America to study theology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, with the blessing of Bishop Longin and upon the recommendation of Fr. Dragan Petrovic. He then went to Belgrade where he worked as a translator and librarian. Upon his return to Indianapolis and his church there he was introduced to an active member of the choir, Biljana, born in Bozhinovska in Bitola in 1979. Biljana lived in America for eleven years. She is a cello player and professor of music. The two were married on St. Sava's Day 2009.
Concelebranting at the liturgy were: Fr. Milorad Loncar, Fr. Djuro Krosnjar, Fr. Dragan Petrovic, Hieromonk Fr. Seraphim Baltic and Fr. Dragan Micanovic, and Deacon Nikolai Kostur. In his homily Bishop Longin said, addressing the people in the church, especially those who, despite the very cold weather, came from far distances to participate in the ordination, that the service of the diaconate was established by the Apostles who wanted to devote more time to missionary work and preaching of the word of God, leaving to deacons to lead the people in prayer and to take care of the needy. This is why this service has always required people full of love, like St. Archdeacon and the First Martyr Stephen, people who are prayerful, compassionate, benevolent and of a pure heart. His Grace congratulated Marko wishing him that, by the grace and mercy of God and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit that came upon him in the Holy Sacrament, as well as by the prayers of the Saints, that he may exemplify these virtues himself in his St. Nicholas Church, where he will continue his service. The bishop also congratulated Marko’s parish priest, praising his love, care and patience for his spiritual child. Congratulations were extended also to Marko’s wife, a new deaconess, and their whole family and friends.
And we all wish them many years of a fruitful and God-pleasing service!
