On Thursday, September 21^st, 2023, in the evening hours, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America hosted a screening of “Man of God,” film about the life of Saint Nectarius of Aegina. The event was sponsored by the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America.

The screening of the movie took place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. Bishop Irinej opened the event with an invocation and, in a manner characteristic of him, offered a beautiful and moving introduction. The audience was honored to also hear the introduction of the filmmaker herself, Mrs. Yelena Popovic.

The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of America in Washington, DC was represented by First Counselors Radomir Ilic and Jovana Nedic, who personally conveyed the greetings of His Excellency Ambassador Marko Djuric to Dr. Jeffrey Kloha of the Museum of the Bible, and to celebrated writer and director Yelena Popovich.

Following the screening of the movie, a panel led by Dr. Jeffrey Kloha, the chief curatorial officer of the Museum, offered a very insightful discussion on the impact the film had on the wider community. The panelists were Yelena Popovic, Fr. Paul Abernathy, and Prof. Dr. Terrence Lindvall. During the panel discussion, the audience had the opportunity to hear about the various levels of impact of the movie: personal (Yelena Popovic), pastoral (Fr. Paul Abernathy), and artistic (Prof. Terrence Lindvall). To the delight of everyone present, Mrs. Popovic revealed that her next project will be a feature film about the life of Saint Moses the Black.

Following the panel discussion, in personal conversations, members of the audience expressed gratitude to His Grace Bishop Irinej and Mrs. Popovic for organizing a true spiritual feast for the Orthodox and wider Christian community in Washington, DC and for proudly showcasing the achievements of Serbian Orthodoxy in America.

Protopresbyter Vasilije Vranic, Ph.D.

Dean, Washington Deanery