ST. SAVA CELEBRATION IN BOSTON
Boston, MA - The celebration of St. Sava in the Boston parish began on Wednesday January 26 on the eve of the feast with Great Vespers. Divine Liturgy was served on the day of the feast while the central celebration of St. Sava took place on Sunday January 30. The Divine Liturgy was officiated by His Grace Bishop Mitrophan who was assisted by Protonamesnik Fr. Ivan Marjanovic of Portland and Protonamesnik Fr. Aleksandar Vlajkovic of Boston. The kumovi for this year’s celebration of St. Sava, which is both the church and school Slava of the Boston parish, were Petar and Vera Velickovic with their children.
In addressing the faithful, His Grace, among other things, said, “We celebrate today the beautiful Saints of faith, examples of faith. One of them is an example of faith, St. Anthony the Great, the wonderworker and ascetic who reached an old age. Can you imagine that in the desert of Egypt he spent over one hundred years living in strict monastic asectism? Living with what? With faith and prayer. Today we celebrate another saint of faith and prayer who left everything. He left his father’s house. He could have been a prince, maybe a king. Who knows, judging by his capabilities he could of even been an emperor. But he left all of this behind and who did he follow? Maybe he cried like the blind Barthimius: have mercy on me and open my eyes. What eyes? The physical ones? No. St. Sava had physical sight. He wanted the Lord to open his spiritual sight. Today’s example speaks to us, dear brothers and sisters, that we should never fall in despair, whatever might happen to us. We should always have faith in God.
Through the prayers of the holy Saint, our father Sava and our holy father Anthony the Great and all the saints help us that we receive the faith as did the blind Barthimius, that we be given not physical sight but spiritual. That we be able to see Christ in our hearts. We will be able to see Him if we pray and desire Him with our whole heart. If we love Him more than anything else He will never leave us. I congratulate you, dear brothers and sisters, on today’s Slava, both ours and yours, the Slava of all Serbs, especially our children, of St. Sava, who built churches and monasteries, schools and taught children, but also adults, to pray to God. Ziveli and happy Slava!”
After the cutting of the Kolach the celebration continued in the church hall which was too small to receive all those who came that day to church. The chidlren’s program followed the luncheon. Twenty five children took part in the program. Bishop Mitrophan addressed the children following the program, saying the Christ and St. Sava are their most teachers. Among other things, bishop stated, “Never forget, dear children, you will have many teachers and many professors but your best professors are your parents. Your best professors are holy people. Your best teacher, as St. Climent of Alexandria says, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the best pedagogue who shows us how we are to live by example. No one showed us better than Jesus Christ. May your Slava be joyous and may St. Sava keep you and guard you. I finish with the prayer of our great Bishop: God grant that Serbs become united, that they turn to God and multiply. Ziveli!
Following the program the children received a blessing from His Grace and gifts. This was truly one more blessed day in the life of the Boston parish, under the omophorion of St. Sava.