News and Events - April 2017

NEWS AND EVENTS - Wednesday, April 12, 2017

PALM SUNDAY VESPERS AT ST GEORGE CHURCH IN JOLIET
 
On Palm Sunday, April 9, 2017, the Chicago Deanery of the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America held its final Lenten Vesper service at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Joliet, Illinois.  
 
At the beginning of the service, His Grace Bishop Longin was greeted at the church, led into the Holy Altar and onto the Bishop’s Throne, after which the service began.
 
Vespers was led by Hierarchical Dean of Chicago and Joliet Parish Priest Emeritus, Archpriest-Stavrophor Nedeljko Lunich and co-served by Archpriest-Stavrophor Bogdan Zjalic, Archpriest-Stavrophor Lazar Kostur, Archpriest-Stavrophor Luka Lukic, Archpriest-Stavrophor Ilija Balach, Archpriest-Stavrophor Savo Bosanac, Archpriest-Stavrophor Marko Matic, Archpriest Dobrivoje Milunovic, Archpriest Dr. Aleksandar Novakovic, Protonamesnik Aleksandar Savic, Protonamesnik Radovan Jakovljevic, Priest Siluan Rolando (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Priest Vladimir Lange and Deacon Nenad Jakovljevic.
 
The S.S.S. Mita Topalovich Choir of Joliet, under the direction of Alexandra Starcevich, sang responses during the service, with Archpriest-Stavrophor Dr. Milos Vesin leading the kliros made up of graduate seminarians Milan Spasojevic, Dimitrije Stanojevic and Milorad Jancic, all of whom sang heavenly.
 
Also joining the service with Vladika Longin was the newly-tonsured and ordained Hierodeacon Nektarije (Tesanovic) of St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville.  Fr. Nektarije was tonsured to the Angelic Habit on Thursday, April 6, 2017, at St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois, and ordained a hierodeacon earlier in the day at the See of our Diocese, New Gracanica Monastery.
 
After the dismissal, Fr. Aleksandar Savic gave an inspiring sermon on the importance of preparation for Pascha, by heeding the words of the Apostle Paul to not be anxious in anything (Phillipians 4:6) and to cleanse ourselves in preparation for the Lord’s Resurrection.
 
Following the sermon, host-priest Fr. Nikolaj Kostur welcomed Bishop Longin and all the clergy and guests to Joliet and accentuated the great hope that was given to our Serbian Orthodox Church in the Americas due to the tonsuring of another student of St. Sava Theological Faculty in Libertyville, Fr. Nektarije, who will bring a new dimension to St. Sava Monastery and our Diocese.
 
Afterwards, all of the faithful were invited to the parish’s Social Center for a traditional Serbian lenten meal prepared by the sisterhood of St. George Church.  Dr. Howard Grundy — Church Board President and Fr. Nikolaj welcomed all to St. George Church and thanked them for their attendance and participation, especially Diocesan Kolo President Mira Andjelkovic, Sub-Deacon Zoran Stojakovic and all the guests from other parishes from throughout the Deanery and beyond.

 

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