Volume 56, No. 2 • Spring 2021 Стаза Православља The Path of Orthodoxy The Official publication of the The Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America “There was a man…” St. Nicholai: His Final Years at St. Tikhon’s Seminary Стаза Православља Volume 56, No. 2 Spring 2021 The Path of Orthodoxy 3 The communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops 5 St. Nicholai: His Final Years at St. Tikhon’s Seminary 9 Ordination and Tonsures at the St. Elijah Parish in Aliquippa 11 Saint Sava Cathedral Receives the Lucy G. Moses Award from the NY Landmarks Conservancy 12 Frequent attacks and provocations of Serbian Orthodox Churches With the Blessings of the Episcopal Council in Kosovo and Metohija Continue The Path of Orthodoxy 14 Protopresbyter-Stavrophor +Dragoljub C. Malich Reposed The Official Publication of the Serbian in the Lord on April 19, 2021 Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America 16 Archimandrite Danilo (Jokic) Reposed in the Lord Editorial Staff V. Rev. Milovan Katanic 1856 Knob Hill Road, San Marcos, CA 92069 • Phone: 442-999-5695 [email protected] 17 Његова Светост Патријарх српски Господин Порфирије V. Rev. Dr. Bratso Krsic 3025 Denver Street, San Diego, CA 92117 Интервју за РТС – „Упитник” (I Део) Phone: 619-276-5827 [email protected] 23 Саопштење за јавност Светог Архијерејског Сaбора V. Rev. Thomas Kazich P.O. Box 371, Grayslake, IL 60030 25 Двадесет година од упокојења Епископа шумадијског Phone: 847-223-4300 [email protected] Г. Саве (Вуковића) Technical Editor 28 Свети Кнез Лазар и Косовски Завет: Лазаре мудри, молимо те Denis Vikic [email protected] 29 Сени великог архијереја The Path of Orthodoxy is a quarterly publication. 32 Испраћај пророка у Земљу живих Issues are available in PDF format at www.serborth.org. Letters to the Editor are welcome. All letters and manuscripts submitted for publication must be signed and contain the author’s name and address and maybe edited for purposes of space and clarity. 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Business Address: 1854 Knob Hill Rd., San Marcos, CA 92069 E-mail: [email protected] The communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops n the church of the Holy Prince Lazar, in the crypt of The Assembly is pleased to note that this year marks the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade, the regular the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American- Isession of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Canadian Diocese, the first diocese of our Church on the Orthodox Church was held, from May 24 to 29, 2021, un- American continent, the 90th anniversary of the founding der the chairmanship of His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Pa- of the Archbishopric of Belgrade-Karlovci, and the 60th triarch, and with the participation of all diocesan hierarchs anniversary of the birth of St. Nicholas (Velimirovic, sixty of the Serbian Orthodox Church, while Bishop Lavrentije five years since his repose and thirty years since the trans- of Sabac did not stay until the end of the session. The As- fer of his relics from Libertyville (USA) to his native Lelic sembly began its session with the service of the Divine Lit- near Valjevo. The Assembly recommends to all dioceses of urgy and the invocation of the Holy Spirit in the Cathedral the Serbian Orthodox Church to mark these important of Saint Sava on the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, anniversaries in a dignified manner. on May 24, 2021. • The Path of Orthodoxy • Spring 2021 • 3 The Assembly considered with due care and attention nities, although these draft laws and laws directly affect the phenomena that endanger, and in some cases violate them, with the threat of restriction or even repeal the right the unity of the Orthodox Church. The report of the Com- of churches and religious communities to freely profess mittee for Jasenovac of the Holy Assembly of Bishops was their religion, which is contrary to the Constitution of Ser- taken into account with the same attention, and at the bia and binding international conventions. same time the problems of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Assembly also considers it unacceptable that the in Serbia and in the countries of the region, as well as in draft law on cultural heritage limits its validity to only a the diaspora around the world, were considered. In that part of the territory of Serbia, because it excludes the terri- context, special attention was paid to the condition of our tory of Kosovo and Metohija from its scope, although the Church and the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo largest Serbian shrines and the most important Serbian and Metohija, where injustices, pressures and violence cultural monuments are located there. against the Serbian people and endangering the identity, The Assembly filled vacant dioceses. The current Bish- freedom, rights and property of the Serbian Orthodox op Joanikije (Micovic) of Budimlje-Niksic was elected Church continue, unfortunately, in a heavier form. The Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coastlands; the cur- Assembly also faced the challenges that our Church and rent Vicar Bishop Metodije (Ostojic) of Dioclea, was elect- people faced in Montenegro, where the new government ed Bishop of Budimlje-Niksic, the current Vicar Bishop avoids signing the already agreed Fundamental Agreement Isihije (Rogic) of Mohac, was elected Bishop of Valjevo, between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the state of The following were elected vicar bishops of the Serbian Pa- Montenegro, which discriminates against the Serbian Or- triarch: Hieromonk Jerotej (Petrovic), a brother of the thodox Church in relation to all other Churches and reli- Holy Archangels Monastery in Kovilj with the title of gious communities operating in Montenegro. Bishop of Toplica; Hieromonk Sava (Bundalo), a brother As every year, the Assembly carefully analyzed the situ- of the monastery of St. Petka in Zagreb, with the title Bish- ation and problems of church education and religious in- op of Marcha; and Archimandrite Justin (Jeremic), with struction in public schools in Serbia. the title of Bishop of Hvosno. Archimandrite Damaskin The Assembly repealed the earlier decision of the As- (Grabez) was elected Vicar Bishop to the Bishop of Backa, sembly on the establishment of episcopal councils in vari- with the title Bishop of Mohac, and Archimandrite Jovan ous ecclesiastical areas, given that these councils were es- (Stanojevic) was elected Vicar Bishop to the Bishop of tablished as temporary advisory church bodies during the Dusseldorf and All Germany with the title Bishop of Hum. extraordinary circumstances and the impossibility of The term has ended in the Holy Synod for the follow- meeting our bishops in war conditions, and today, thank ing members: Bishop Irinej of Backa and Bishop Jovan of God, there are no longer any obstacles to regular meetings Sumadija, who remain as alternates. Per the suggestion of and cooperation between our archbishops in its entire ca- Serbian Patriarch Porfirije elected in their place are Bishop nonical area. Vasilije of Srem and Fotije of Zvornik-Tuzla. The Assembly expresses its deep concern over the emergence of new draft laws, even laws passed hastily, without proper preparation and sufficient public debate Submitted by Bishop of Backa Irinej and without dialogue with churches and religious commu- Spokesman of the Serbian Orthodox Church 4 • The Path of Orthodoxy • Spring 2021 • St. Nicholai: His Final Years at St. Tikhon’s Seminary PART I of II Keynote address delivered by His Grace, the Right Reverend Irinej, Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America at the Inaugural St. Nicholai Lecture at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, Pennsylvania, March 23, 2021. INTRODUCTION the United States of America and Canada in 1921 by Bishop Nicholai t is indeed my distinct honor, Velimirovich, as a direct result of his pleasure, and privileged joy to second missionary trip to the United be able to greet you this eve- States of America. Thereafter, it is the I 140th anniversary year of the birth of ning for the inaugural address of what is to become, with God’s our founding bishop and your rector, help and by your holy prayers, an born on January 5, 1881. While annual lecture series in honor of March 18, 1956, marks the 65th anni- the glorified rector of this Semi- versary of the repose of our founding nary, the holy Bishop Nicholai of bishop, first administrator, and your Zhicha and Ochrid, South Canaan rector. This year also represents the and All Orthodoxy, who reposed 30th anniversary of the May 4, 1991, in the Lord in this very building. translation of his holy relics from St. It is something of a marvel that Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery you have chosen this year in in Libertyville, Illinois, where he lay which to inaugurate a lecture se- buried for 35 years, to Lelich, Serbia. ries honoring Bishop Nicholai and, I would dare say, it is There, in the village in which young Nikola was born and not by your choice alone. Everything under the sun has its wherein he erected a church in honor of his parents, Drag- purpose as is deigned, by God Himself. This year presents omir and Katarina, his relics are now enshrined. several unique juxtapositions, which bring to convergence This evening, I will attempt to address, what I pray will the Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North be the result of a lifelong fascination and yearning to gar- America, if not the Serbian Orthodox Church in its entire- ner as much as possible from the life and works of this tru- ty, and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. On ly remarkable renaissance individual, Nicholai, Bishop of the one hand, we have the 100th anniversary of the found- Zhicha and Ochrid, who once aptly described himself as a ing of the first Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in bishop “whose diocese knows no borders”.