LENTEN VESPERS HOSTED BY AKRON PARISH
Akron, OH - His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America attended the Lenten Vespers of the Cleveland Deanery, hosted by St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Akron, Ohio, on the second Sunday of Lent, Sunday, March 4, 2007.
Clergy in attendance were V. Rev. Zvonimir Kotorcevic, V. Rev. Dragan Filipovic, Rev. Dragomir Tuba, Rev. Zivojin Jakovljevic, Rev. Milovan Katanic, Rev. Milorad Orlic and Rev. Isak Kisin. V. Rev. Mitred Priest Peter Burlakov of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad also concelebrated with the deanery clergy. Deacon Zeljko Jurisic, attached to the Akron parish and Deacon Dragoslav Kosic, the diocesan secretary, assisted the clergy at the Vespers.
Rev. Isak Kisin delivered an erudite homily on St. Gregory Palamas and his defence againt the rationalism of Barlaam. Fr. Isak then continued to speak about the dangers of rationalism of our time, the problems encountered by many of our cradle Orthodox families who aren't as active in the life of the Church as they should be, all in the context of St. Gregory Palamas and his defense of the contemplative prayer found in Orthodoxy.