NEWS AND EVENTS - Thursday, March 8, 2018

CHURCH SLAVA IN LAS VEGAS

On the second Sunday of Lent, when our church celebrates the memory of St. Gregory Palamas, the church community in Las Vegas celebrated their patronal feast of St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing.

This year's celebration began with the evening Vesper service served by Fr. Milan Unkovic and Deacon Vladan Radovanovic. Present at the service was His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America. 

On the very day of the feast the honorable Orthodox people of Las Vegas gathered in large numbers in front of the church which is being built in the glory of God, and in memory of Saint Simeon, to welcome their Archapstor and Bishop. The Holy Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was officiated by Bishop Maxim of Western America with the concelebration of V. Rev. Stavrophor Uros Todorovic, Rev. Milan Unkovic, Protodeacon Ozren Todorovic and the bishop's deacon Vladan Radovanovic, and the participation of the faithful Serbian parishioners and faithful of other Orthodox churches.

Following the gospel reading Bishop Maxim delivered a homily in which he spoke of St. Gregory Palamas and St. Simeon and the significance of this feast, calling upon all the faithful to partake in the Holy Eucharist. 

The festal joy was felt throughout the Divine Liturgy. The beautiful prayers of the Liturgy of St. Basil, read by the bishop made this feast shine with a festal fullness to all the clergy, children and all the people who live and work in this unordinary city and make time to be participants of the Holy Eucharist. The Slava Litiya followed the liturgy in which prayers for the Patriarch, the Church, people, the city and all the deceased parishioners was offered.  The Slava Kolach was offered and cut in the church hall by Bishop Maxim and this year's kum Svetlana Glisic. The hardworking Sisters prepared the Slava luncheon while the chidlren of the folklore group performed during the Slava program. Clergy from the local Greek Church joined in the celebration during the Slava luncheon. 

In the evening hours a pan-Orthodox Vespers was served at St. John Greek Orthodox Church. The clergy from all the local Orthodox churches welcomed Bishop Maxim who was the evening's guest homilist. Afterward, Fr. John of the Greek Church greeted the bishop and thanked him for his visit. An lenten meal was served in the.

Finally, the bishop made his return back to the diocesan residence in Los Angeles.  

Glorious is God in His Saints!