On Saturday, January 27, 2024, on the Feast Day and Slava Day of St. Sava the First Archbishop of Serbia, His Grace Bishop Siluan served Divine Hierarchical Liturgy at St. Sava New Kalenic Serbian Orthodox Monastery near Canberra with the concelebration of clergy from the Sydney Deanery.
The monastery’s church was filled with numerous faithful gathered from across Australia and New Zealand, who along with the Sisterhood and local monastics had gathered to celebrate the Patronal Feast Day of the Monastery.
The Divine Liturgy was also attended by Mother Anna, Abbess of the Monastery of The Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos (ROCOR) in Bungarby (NSW), as well as the Ambassadors of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Rade Stefanovic and Dr. Aleksey Pavlovski of the Russian Federation.
During the liturgy, Bishop Siluan delivered an inspired sermon on the life and works of Saint Sava.
After the procession and commemoration at the grave of the late Bishop Peter (Bankerovic) of thrice blessed memory, His Grace blessed the Slava Bread, after which numerous Episcopal gramatons and certificates were distributed to all the hard workers who participated in the renovation of the Monastery over the past year.
After the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Siluan opened the 43rd Saint Sava Youth Festival, congratulating everyone on the Feast and all-Serbian Slava Day.
After the greeting the official program began with the address of the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, followed by performances of numerous Folkloric groups.
We express our gratitude to this year's coordinator of the St. Sava Festival, the Very Reverend Branko Vasilic and the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Farrer ACT, as well as to all volunteers and benefactors.
PHOTOS BY: ILIJA KESIC
