FEAST OF ST. ARSENIUS IN CHARLOTTE
Charlotte, NC - On Saturday, November 10, the feast of the Serbian Orthodox Missionary Parish St. Simeon the Myrrhflowing, St. Arsenius of Srem, was celebrated in Charlotte. With the participation of his Grace, Bishop of Eastern American Diocese, Dr. Mitrophan, and the clergy from the brotherly Orthodox Churches of North and South Carolina, as well as about eighty parishioners, the feast began with the Holy Liturgy, and ended with a communal feast meal. Bishop Mitrophan served the Liturgy, helped by Fr. Michael of the Holy Trinity Greek Church of Charlotte, Fr. Dionysius of the Greek Church from Greensboro, Father Dragan Zaric of the Serbian Church from Charlotte, Father Gregory from the Greek Church of St. Nectarius from Charlotte, Father Alexander of the Russian Church, Father Mark Mancuso of the St. Elizabeth Russian Church from Columbia, SC. Beside the local parishioners, guests from Greensboro and Columbia were also present.
In his sermon, Bishop Mitrophan reminded how St. Arsenius, archbishop of Pec and the successor of St. Sava was known for helping the poor, and how Serbian saints belong to all the Orthodox, not only Serbs, just as Greek and Russian saints, for example, also belong to Orthodox believers everywhere. The atmosphere during the subsequent meal emanated feelings of brotherhood and joy.