With the Blessing of our Father and Hierarch, His Grace Kyr Irinej, His Grace Kyr Isihije, Bishop of Valjevo, visited St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia PA.

Protopresbyter Milorad Orlic, along with parishioners, greeted His Grace upon his entrance into the church. During Divine Liturgy, the Epistle was read in Serbian and English by His Grace’s nephews, Milutin and Savo Stojmirovic. The responses at Divine liturgy were sung by Cantors Radovan Micic, Toma Pavasovic, Ilija Lackovic, and the children of the church-school, who chanted the Beatitudes, The Lord’s Prayer, and the Communion Hymns.

His Grace edified all present with His insightful homily on the Gospel of the Servants and the Talents – how God entrusts us with His grace (to be understood in its historic context as an immeasurable amount of wealth, and in its contemporary context as a unique capability) to be the guardians of God’s creation, raising both ourselves and creation to an ever-greater communion of love with God. Only man can partner synergistically with God, to be his guardians of creation, leading us to become “…perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Mt. 5:48).

Following Divine Liturgy, His Grace was greeted on behalf of the parish by Prota Milorad, who implored His Grace to remember us when he offered intercessory prayers before the saints whose relics abide in his Diocese: Ven. Justin of Chelije and St. Nicholai of Zhicha, in Lelich. As tokens of love for His Grace visiting Philadelphia, Fr. Milorad presented His Grace with myrrh from the Kardiotessa Icon of the Theotokos (from the St. George Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church in Taylor, PA.), and an icon of the “Saints Who Walked at St. Tikhon’s Monastery: St. Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor, St. Raphael of Brooklyn, St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre, St. Alexander of New York, and St. Nicholai of Zhicha.

Following the distribution of the antidoron, His Grace was treated to a luncheon, hosted by the Circle of Serbian Sisters. His Grace visited the church school and observed its work before imparting His thanks and Archpastoral blessing to all.