Pokrov-Protection Monastery, “New Gračanica,” celebrated its Slava-Patronal Feast, the Protection of the Mother of God/Pokrov Bogorodice, on the day of the feast, Monday 14/1 October 2024, which was a lovely warm and sunny fall day.

The Monastery Slava began with Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. His Grace Bishop Sava (Jurić), retired Bishop of Slavonia, presided, since the His Eminence Metropolitan Longin (Krčo) was in Belgrade, Serbia, for the consecration of Archimandrite Serafim (Baltic) as Bishop of Kostajnica, vicar of the Midwestern American Metropolitan.  Concelebrating were the Nastojatelj of New Gračanica Monastery, the Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Sergije (Puškar), and many other clerics of the New Gračanica-Midwestern American Diocese, including V. Rev. Stavrofor Miloš Vesin, the Episcopal Deputy, who recently returned from Novi Sad, Serbia. With the blessing of Bishop Sava, Fr. Miloš preached on the Gospel, the historical origin of the feast and the special place of the Mother of God in our salvation due to her unconditional submission to the will of God, which we all should emulate.

“Cover us with your Protecting Veil and deliver us from all evil, entreating your Son, Christ our God, to save our souls” 

After the Prayer behind the Ambo, there was a litija-procession to the brick monument which sits at the entrance to the Monastery, where a new mosaic of the Icon of the Protection of the Mother of God and a new matching sign were recently installed, the gifts of two benefactors.  Chanting the Troparion of the Feast, Archimandrite Sergije and other priests blessed with Holy Water, both the beautiful mosaic, created and installed by the masterful hands of Milan Pilipović of Kikinda, Serbia (https://milanmosaicart.com/), and the sign, created and installed by Marko Radenović of Clarendon Hills, Illinois (powerprintingus@gmail.com). 

Upon returning to the church, the Slava Kolač-Festal Bread and Koljivo-Memorial Wheat were blessed.

Responses were sung by the Episcopal Choir and by seminarians from the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox School of Theology. 

The Slava ended with a traditional “agape lunch” in the Great Hall prepared and served by the Diocesan Circle of Serbian Sisters. 

Ljetopisac