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

Friday 26/1/2024

19:00 – Great vespers

Saturday 27/1/2024

10:00 – Divine Hierarchical Liturgy presided by His Eminence Bishop Dositej of Great Britain and Scandinavia, and His Eminence Bishop Nektarije of Jegra, auxiliary bishop of His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch.

12:30 - Programme and celebratory lunch in the Great Hall of the House of Bishop Nikolaj. The sermon: the V. Rev’d Miloš Vesin from Chicago, USA

Note: Reservation is required for attendance at the celebratory lunch as the number of places is limited.
The ticket price is £30 per person.

Tickets may be reserved though the church office: 020 7727 8367 or via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

19:00 - Vespers

19:30 - Concert of the folklore group “Rastko” from London with further festivities after.

Church Board
of the Parish of St. Sava in London

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!

In the Orthodox Church it is customary, on the day following the Great Feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, to remember those saints who participated directly in the sacred event. So, on the day following the Theophany of the Lord, the Church honors the one who participated directly in the Baptism of Christ, placing his own hand upon the head of the Savior.

St John, the holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, whom the Lord called the greatest of the prophets, concludes the history of the Old Testament and opens the era of the New Testament. The holy Prophet John bore witness to the Only-Begotten Son of God, incarnate in the flesh. St John was accounted worthy to baptize Him in the waters of the Jordan, and he was a witness of the Theophany of the Most Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior's Baptism.

The holy Prophet John was related to the Lord on His mother's side, the son of the Priest Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth. The holy Forerunner, John, was born six months before Christ. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth in the Temple at Jerusalem, revealing to Zachariah that a son was to be born to him.

Through the prayers offered beforehand, the child was filled with the Holy Spirit. St John prepared himself in the wilds of the desert for his great service by a strict life, by fasting, prayer and sympathy for the fate of God's people.