On the third day of the Nativity of Christ, the feast day of the Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, Father Branislav Golic and Father Trajko Boseovski, from SS. Cyril and Methody Macedonian Orthodox Church in Blasdell, New York, served the Divine Liturgy with a number of parishioners present. The festive celebration of the St. Stephen Slava, honoring the First Martyr as the protector of the parish community, however, was a joyous gathering of a large number of the faithful at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 12.

The weekend celebration began when His Grace, our Bishop and Father Irinej, arrived in Lackawanna on Saturday and presided over the PanOrthodox vespers service at St. Stephen. Five visiting priests and a deacon served the vespers with Father Branislav and Deacon Steven Gjurich of St. Stephen parish. The visiting priests were Fathers John Hutnyan, Christos Christakis, Raphael Barberg, and Jason Vansuch from Western New York, and Father Aleksandar Mitrovic from Hamilton, Ontario. Deacon Daniel August, a regular visitor who accompanies Bishop Irinej, also served the vespers. More than forty faithful from the Niagara Frontier prayed at the evening service and enjoyed refreshments and fellowship afterwards.

Welcoming His Grace into the church on Sunday morning, Mila Golic presented him with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Visitors Deacon Daniel August and Reader John Buffalini from St. Elijah parish in Aliquippa joined St. Stephen clergy, Presbyter-Economos Branislav Golic, Deacon Steven Gjurich, and Reader Gregory Korbut as they accompanied His Grace to the altar, singing the entrance and vesting hymns.

A full complement of altar servers, a full choir under the direction of Diane Sullivan, and the children who carried banners and icons during the small and great entrances provided a prayerful atmosphere for the faithful who gratefully gathered around their Archhpastor. His Grace warmly explicated the Gospel passage on the flight of Holy Joseph the Betrothed, the Theotokos, and the Christ Child into Egypt. Paying heed to His Grace’s exhortation that Christians place the Holy Eucharist at the center of their faith, a large number of those gathered on Sunday partook of the Holy Mysteries of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ.

Prior to the dismissal of the Liturgy, Bishop Irinej officiated at the rite of the cutting of the Slava kolach and blessing of the wheat, with Savo and Milena Radulovic serving as kumovi. They and the parish children turned the festal bread, after which their Bishop and Father delighted the children by presenting them the decorative symbols from the top of the beautifully adorned kolach. Upon Bishop Irinej’s request for a volunteer to sponsor the parish Slava in 2026, Radenko and Branka Ristic offered their family to be kumovi in the coming year.

As an expression of their love for His Grace, their appreciation of Vladika’s love for them, and their gratitude to their Bishop, their parents, and the parish community that nurtures them, the children offered a small recital of spiritual songs following the dismissal.

To complete the weekend’s festivities, His Grace, with the clergy and the faithful, moved to the hall of the parish cultural center for dinner. The St. Petka Circle of Serbian Sisters, with their president Kata Pajic and the assistance of parish chef Matthew Just and čevap grill master Sinisa Bogunovic, served a traditional meal of soup, sarma, baked chicken, and grilled Serbian sausage links, with side dishes, salads, and endless desserts.

The parishioners of St. Stephen Church in Lackawanna thank God for His rich blessings on their community, St. Stephen the First Martyr for his protection, and His Grace Bishop Irinej for his prayerful intercession. May God grant many years to His Grace and to his faithful servants. Glory to God for all things!