VIDEO

Patriarchal Pascha Encyclical 2024

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2024

PORFIRIJE

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Paschal greeting:

Christ is Risen!

“When You descended into death,
O Life immortal,
You slayed Hades with the splendor of Your Divinity;
and when from the depths You raised the dead,
all the powers of heaven cried out to You:
O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You.”
(Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone-2)

Boldly and unwaveringly proclaiming the words of this divinely inspired hymn, let us join the holy forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, venerable ones, righteous ones, confessors, and teachers of the faith, as well as all the angelic choirs, who today in heaven celebrate the holy and life-giving Resurrection of the Lord! Let us also hasten with the myrrh-bearing women to the empty tomb of Christ so that we too can hear the words of the angel, filled with eternal joy:

“The time for sorrow is passed; weep not;
but announce the Resurrection to the Apostles!”

Stevan Nemanja, the great ruler of the Serbian people, unifier of the Serbian lands, creator of an independent Serbian government, defender of Orthodoxy, driver-out of heresy, was first baptised in the Latin Church, but later became a member of the Orthodox Church. In its Organisation, it was at first dependent on Greece, but later shook off this dependence and became completely autonomous. When he had strengthened the state and the Orthodox Church within the state he then, following the example of his son Sava, received the monastic habit at the monastery of Studenica in 1195, being given the name Simeon. His wife Anna also received the monastic habit and the name Anastasia, and retired to a women"s monastery. After two years" monasticism at Studenica, Simeon went to the Holy Mountain. There he stayed at first in the monastery of Vatopedi, together with Sava. Father and son spent days and nights in prayer. They built there six chapels: to the Saviour, the Unmercenaries, St George, St Theodore, the Forerunner and St Nicolas. They bought the ruins of Hilandar and built a beautiful monastery, in which Simeon lived only eight months before his death. When he was at his last breath, Sava, according to his wish, placed him on a simple rush mat. With his eyes fixed on the icon of the Mother of God with the Saviour, the blessed elder pronounced these words: "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." And he went to the Lord, on February 13th, 1200.

source: www.crkvenikalendar.com

Wednesday 1 May 2024 - GREAT WEDNESDAY 

10:00 The Presanctified Liturgy 
18:30 Holy Unction

Thursday 2 May 2024 - GREAT THURSDAY

10:00 Divine Liturgy
18:30 Great Vigil - The reading of the 12 Passion Gospels

Friday 3 May 2024 - GREAT FRIDAY

10:00 ROYAL HOURS
18:30 VESPERS WITH THE PROCESSION OF THE SHROUD
19:30 Matins with Burial service of the Lord

Saturday 4 May 2024 - GREAT SATURDAY

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Sunday 5 May 2024 - EASTER

00:00 EASTER MATINS and 1st EASTER LITURGY
10:00 2nd EASTER LITURGY
19:00 Easter Vespers

Monday 6 May 2024 - BRIGHT MONDAY - ST. GEORGE DAY

10:00 Divine Liturgy

Tuesday 7 May 2024 - BRIGHT TUESDAY

10:00 Divine Liturgy

On Great Wednesday, Great Thursday and Great Friday, the church will be open from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 18:00 to 21.30.

On Great Saturday, the church will be open from 9:00 to 13:00 and 22:00 to 24:00.

On Easter, the church will be open from 00:00 (midnight) to 3:00 and from 9:00 to 20:00.

*Note: All those who wish are preparing to partake in the Holy Sacrament of Communion
at the first (midnight) Liturgy on the Day of the Resurrection,  should abstain from food and drink at for at least 8 hours prior to the service.

On Sunday, 4th February 2024, after the Holy Liturgy, which will be served by His Eminence Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coastlands Joanikije, a St Sava performance will take place. Pupils of the St Sava Church School in London, the youngest folklore groups, Zorka Maksimović and Vesna Stanojević will take part, and the final speech will be given by Metropolitan Joanikije. Welcome!