News and Events - April 2010
CATHEDRAL PILGRIMAGE VISITS NEW CARLISLE MONASTERY (VIDEO)
Chicago, IL - Children, Sunday School teachers, and parishioners of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, conducted a pilgrimage to the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchal Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in New Carlisle, Indiana, on Saturday, under the capable leadership of Mrs. Snezana Denker and spiritual guidance of Fr. Darko Spasojevic.
On arrival to the Monastery, the pilgrims were greeted by the Venerable Mother-Abbess Makrina and her spiritually-vibrant sisterhood who welcomed the guests from our Cathedral with warm words and breakfast. After the traditional meal in the Monastery Trapeza, during which the pilgrims listened intently while a sister read the appointed daily reading from the “Lives of the Saints,” the visitors toured the Monastery grounds which have now grown to 40 acres through the Sisterhood’s acquisition of neighboring properties.During the walking tour, Abbess Makrina spoke about the various outdoor work and activities the nuns undertake in order to cultivate vegetables and produce honey, as well as the monastery’s future development plans.
Next, Cathedral pilgrims were able to play children’s games and participate in arts and crafts projects, watch a spiritual film, or learn how to make Prosphora—the holy bread that is offered to God during Divine Liturgies “on behalf of all and for all,” becoming through His grace the precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ from which the faithful are communed.
Lunch then followed, this time with a reading from the Prologue of Ochrid on the Sunday of the Paralytic, after which the visitors gathered at the Monastery Church for Vespers served by Fr. Darko.
Addressing the Abbess and Sisterhood from the Ambon after Vespers, Fr. Darko said: ”Venerable Mother-Abbess and dear sisters! Christ is Risen! We are grateful to you and to God, for allowing us today to be here in your presence, in this spiritual oasis, and to experience the holiness of this place and your benevolent hospitality. May we continue to visit each other and pray for each other, and may this allow us to become stronger in our faith…”
After expressing her satisfaction with the visit, Mother-Abbess Makrina invited the pilgrims to view the two, new adjoining properties recently purchased by the Monastery for the purpose of accommodating and housing the growing number of pilgrims who seek spiritual strength and comfort by visiting their monastic community.