DIOCESAN DAYS BEGIN AT SHADELAND
Shadeland, Pa - The first day of the fourth annual Diocesan Days began on Saturday, August 4, 2007 at the St. Sava Camp in Shadeland, Pa with the arrival of His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern American and special guest His Grace Bishop Longin of the New Gracanica Diocese along with clergy from throughout the Eastern American Diocese.
After lunch hieromonk Fr. Calinic (Berger), the guest speaker, arrived and soon after the program began. The theme for this year's camp season was O Taste and See. In fact, this was the same theme at all the diocesan church camps. Fr. Calinic spoke on this theme of the Holy Eucharist, drawing from the rich patristic tradition of the the Orthodox Faith and touched on the many aspects of this topic, including those of preparation in approaching the Holy Chalice - fasting and confession.
Fr. Milovan Katanic spoke to the younger children outside under the tent on the theme of religion, or rather the use of children's literature in Christian growth. Fr. Milovan focused on the positive messages found in C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia in contrast to the popular books, written with an opposite and more spiritually dangerous agenda, by Philip Pullman, the first book of the trilogy The Golden Compass is scheduled to be released this December.
Following Vespers that evening, towards the end of dinner, the lights were dimmed as the campers suprised Bishop Mitrophan with a birthday cake and a long banner that read Happy Birthday Bishop Mitrophan. All sang the Many Years to His Grace and presented the Bishop with a birthday card which had a photograph of the children and was signed by the children. The bishop thanked the campers for their thoughtfulness and reminded them of the saint that is commemorated on this day, St. Mary Magdalene.