Diocesan Day Solemnly Celebrated on All Saints Sunday

Article by Protopresbyter Vladimir Vranic

On All Saints Sunday, when the Holy Church commemorates the countless multitude of God’s saints who bore witness to their faithfulness to Christ through their lives, the Diocesan Day of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada was solemnly celebrated at the spiritual centre of our local Church in Canada, the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord in Milton.

The celebration began in the early morning hours with the service of Matins, served by Protosyncellus Sava Medakovic in the prayerful presence of His Eminence Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of Canada Dr. Mitrofan.

This was followed by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Mitrofan, concelebrated by His Grace Bishop Athenagoras (Salmas) of Patara, Auxiliary Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada; Mitred Protopresbyter Thomas Bekurishvili of the Georgian Orthodox Church; Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Milojko Dimitric; Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Dr. Goran Gojkovic, Dean of the Eastern Canadian Deanery; Protopresbyter Vladimir Vranic; as well as Deacons Petar Marjanovic and Miroslav Radosevic.

The beauty of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was especially enhanced by the inspired and prayerful chanting of the Diocesan Choir “Kyr Stefan the Serb” of Toronto under the direction of Mrs. Jasmina Vucurovic, while the stichera and troparia were harmoniously chanted at the kliros by Fr. Milorad Delic and Fr. Dusko Markovic. A multitude of faithful filled the holy church to capacity, gathering to participate prayerfully in the Divine Liturgy and to celebrate All Saints together at the Monastery in Milton.

In his homily at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Mitrofan shared a special spiritual joy with the assembled faithful, speaking of the blessing bestowed upon the Diocese of Canada through the brotherly love of His Eminence Metropolitan Vasilije of Srem. On that occasion, a particle of the holy relics of the Holy Hieromartyr Varnava, Bishop of Hvosno, confessor and martyr of Christ, was brought to Canada. His suffering remains an enduring testimony of faithfulness to the Gospel. By receiving this sacred gift as a pledge of spiritual unity and love among the dioceses of our Holy Church, the faithful people of Canada have gained yet another heavenly intercessor before the Throne of God, whose prayers will strengthen future generations of Orthodox Serbs in this blessed land.

This year’s Kumovi (Sponsors) of the Diocesan Day were Drago and Zora Tubonjic, who faithfully and lovingly accepted the honour and responsibility of serving as sponsors of this great diocesan gathering. The joy of the celebration was further enriched by the announcement that Branislav and Suzana Kovacevic have accepted the blessing to serve as next year’s sponsors, continuing this beautiful tradition of service and devotion to the Church.

Following the Divine Liturgy, a fellowship meal was prepared for all those present, after which an appropriate cultural and artistic program took place. The folklore program was prepared by the folklore group “Svetosavlje” from London, Ontario.

Participating in the program were the folklore ensembles “Svetosavlje” from London, “Stevan Sindjelic” from Kitchener, “Gavrilo Princip” from Waterloo, “St. Sava Oplenac” from Mississauga, and the “Serbian Folk Dance Academy” from Toronto. The program was skillfully hosted by Mrs. Dragana Orelj, President of the “Svetosavlje” Folklore Group of London, while the musical portion of the program was coordinated by Mr. Srdjan Minic, also from London.

The God-preserved Diocese of Canada extends its heartfelt and profound gratitude to all those whose labour, love, and selfless service contributed to this year’s Diocesan Day being celebrated in a spirit of ecclesiastical splendor, brotherly unity, and genuine Christian joy.

Special recognition is due to Sister Paraskeva (Lepovic), Secretary of the Diocesan Administrative Board; Deacon Petar Marjanovic, Secretary of the Diocesan Chancery; and Mrs. Daliborka Pjevac, President of the Federation of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, who, throughout the many days preceding this great gathering, carried a significant share of the preparations and organizational responsibilities with exceptional diligence, dedication, responsibility, and tireless commitment. Their selfless efforts, sacrifice, and love for the Holy Church provided an invaluable foundation for the preparation of this magnificent event, which unfolded with dignity, solemnity, beauty, and in the spirit of true Orthodox hospitality.

At the same time, gratitude is extended to the honourable clergy and monastics of the Diocese of Canada, the members of the Diocesan Administrative Board, the Federation of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, numerous volunteers, benefactors, donors, and all faithful members of our church-school congregations who contributed in any way to the organization and success of this gathering. Every hour invested, every effort made, and every sacrifice offered became part of the joy of this day and stands as a living testimony of active love for the Church of Christ and devotion to the spiritual legacy of Saint Sava.

May the Lord, through the prayers of All Saints, reward all the labourers of this gathering with His abundant heavenly gifts, strengthen them in every good work, and grant them health, peace, salvation, and blessings from on high.

The faithful gathered from various regions of Canada, particularly from the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, many traveling by organized bus transportation in order to be present on this day at the spiritual centre of the Diocese of Canada. Once again, it was confirmed that Diocesan Day continues to grow into an ever larger and more significant gathering of the Serbian Orthodox faithful in Canada. God’s blessing was also manifest in the beautiful weather, which contributed to the fullness of the day’s joy and fellowship.

During the formal program, the first to address those assembled was the host of the gathering, His Eminence Metropolitan of Canada Kyr Mitrofan, who extended a warm welcome to the distinguished guests and the numerous faithful who had gathered out of love for their Mother Church. His Eminence also shared his spiritual impressions from his recent visit to Belgrade, where he had the blessing to concelebrate with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije before the Holy Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In particular, he emphasized that the blessing of the Most Holy Mother of God, which came among the Serbian people through the efforts of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije and the Abbot of the sacred Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, Archimandrite Ephraim, has likewise been brought among the faithful in Canada as a sign of heavenly protection and consolation for all who approach the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church with faith.

As a token of gratitude for his visit and brotherly love, His Eminence Metropolitan Mitrofan presented Bishop Athenagoras with an episcopal panagia as a prayerful remembrance of this magnificent day and spiritual gathering.

Expressing his gratitude for the hospitality shown to him, Bishop Athenagoras emphasized the importance of brotherly cooperation and unity among Orthodox Christians in Canada. He recalled the shared history of suffering endured by the Serbian and Greek peoples, particularly during the centuries of Ottoman rule, underscoring that the Orthodox Church has throughout the ages served as a place of gathering, spiritual strength, and preservation of the faith. He also noted that the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration in Milton was the first place he visited upon arriving in Canada and that this holy monastery holds a special place in his heart.

The gathering was then addressed by Mitred Protopresbyter Thomas Bekurishvili, who conveyed greetings and gratitude on behalf of Bishop Saba of the Georgian Orthodox Diocese in North America to the host of the celebration, His Eminence Metropolitan Mitrofan. He particularly emphasized the significance of Metropolitan Mitrofan’s efforts to preserve pan-Orthodox unity in Canada and to bear witness to the Orthodox faith and unity in Christ within contemporary society.

Words of greeting were also offered by Mr. Dejan Erakovic, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Toronto, who reflected upon the historic role of the Serbian Orthodox Church as the guardian of the Serbian people’s national identity, spirituality, and culture during times when no state institutions existed to fulfill that role. He emphasized that, even today, the Diocese of Canada remains a spiritual beacon and gathering place for our people in Canada, preserving their identity, faith, and spiritual heritage.

Those assembled were then addressed by Mr. Ned (Nenad) Kuruc, Member of Parliament of Canada and the first Member of Serbian descent elected to the Canadian federal Parliament. Speaking as a member of the Serbian community in Canada and a proven friend of the Diocese of Canada, he greeted the faithful and highlighted the immeasurable importance of both the Diocese of Canada, under the leadership of Metropolitan Mitrofan, and the Serbian Orthodox Church in preserving the faith, identity, culture, and unity of the Serbian people in Canada. He especially stressed that the Church remains the spiritual pillar of our people and the place where generations of Serbs who have built their lives in Canada continue to gather while remaining faithful to their spiritual and national heritage.

On behalf of the Diocesan Administrative Board, Mr. Goran Todorovic, a member of the Board, also addressed those present. He emphasized the importance of the Diocese of Canada for the Serbian community throughout Canada and announced several important projects and initiatives that will contribute to the continued growth of the Diocese and the strengthening of the Serbian community in both the near and distant future. His hope, he noted, is that the Diocese of Canada may continue to be a true reflection of the soul of the Serbian people, always to the glory of God and for the joy and benefit of Christ’s Church.

This year’s Diocesan Day once again bore witness to the strength of the living faith of the Serbian Orthodox people in Canada. Gathered around their spiritual centre, the faithful returned to their homes carrying spiritual joy and blessings, strengthened in the conviction that the Church of Christ is the eternal home of all who seek and find salvation within her.

May the Lord, through the prayers of All Saints, bless the Diocese of Canada, its honourable clergy, monastics, and faithful people, granting them spiritual growth, peace, and every true good gift for many blessed years.

NOTE: Provided below are videos from our newly opened official diocesan YouTube channel as well as a small selection of photos. The remainder of the photos, taken by Milenko Vukovic, can be viewed HERE.