FIRST PATRONAL SLAVA IN HONOR OF NEWLY CANONIZED SERBIAN PRIESTMARTYRS HELD IN CLEVELAND
Cleveland, OH - On Sunday, July 24, 2005 the first annual Patronal Feast of the 29 newly-canonized Serbian Priestmartyrs of the Dabro-Bosnian Metropolitanate, among whom is the Holy Priestmartyr Budimir (Sokolovic) of Dobrun, was commemorated in Cleveland, Ohio.
It was a beautiful celebration that began with Divine Liturgy at St. Sava Cathedral of Parma, Ohio. Concelebrating at the service were Rev. Zivojin Jakovljevic, parish priest, V. Rev. Vasilije B. Sokolovic, adn the V. Rev. Milan Zobenica. Responses were sung by the Serbian Singing Society Njegos Choir with musical director, Milan Damljanovic.
Following the cutting fo the Festal Bread there was a luncheon served in the church hall with pictures and a video of Zitomislic Monastery and the Canonization service held this past May 15th.
Guest speakers included the Rev. Zivojin Jakovljevic, V. Rev. Djuro Majerle (Cleveland, OH), Rev. Milorad Orlic (Lorain, OH), Mr. Pavle Cosic (church president), Mr. Michael Marjanovic, Njegos choir president, Mr. David Briggs (religion writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer Newspaper), Mr. Michael Kolybka (Senator Voinovic's office), and two proclamations received from Mayor DePiero (Mayor of Parma), and Mr. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio State Representative), which were read by Mrs. Dorothy Winovic. V. Rev. Vasilije Sokolovic gave closing remarks and thanked God that he was able to live to see this wonderful celebration. He also thanked the family and friends that traveled with him to Serbia this past May to take part in the canonization service.
It was a day not to be forgotten. Friends and family traveled from Connecticut, Monroeville, PA, Masontown, PA, Chicago, IL and even the Tmusic family made it from Australia. The hall was overflowing with many friends and family that enjoyed the beautiful video from Zitomislic. Small icons of St. Budimir of Dobrun were given out by Mr. Milan Damljanovic on behalf of the Sokolovic family. St. Budimir's sons Vasilije and Vladimir Sokolovic were proud and reminisced of the canonization service at Zitomislic which they were fortunate to have witnessed.