Feast of Venerable Bishop Nikolaj Celebrated at Saint Sava Church in Toronto

On May 3, the Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful prayerfully remember the day when, in 1991, the relics of the great Serbian spiritual leader, theologian and orator, Holy Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirovic), set out on their journey back to their homeland after 35 years. This date has remained etched as a holiday of the translation (transfer) of his relics and a symbol of the spiritual revival and return of the Serbian people to their roots.

On Saturday May 3, 2025, the Holy Liturgy was celebrated at the Saint Sava Church in Toronto. The officiating were Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Drago Knezevic, Protopresbyter Jovica Cetkovic, and retired Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Prvoslav Puric. At the end of the Holy Liturgy, an akathist was served to Holy Bishop Nikolaj with the veneration of a piece of his holy relics. The parishioners of Saint Sava Church in Toronto are particularly attached to the Holy Bishop who, as the then-Bishop of Zica, consecrated the foundations of the church on September 5, 1954 and even spent the night in this holy temple.

By remembering this date, we are once again reminded of the power of faith, the importance of forgiveness, and the inexhaustible spiritual heritage that Saint Bishop Nikolaj left us. His return remains a permanent reminder of his eternal connection with his people. Therefore, let us also recall the details of those days of the transfer of his holy relics, in which our Metropolitan Mitrofan also played a significant role, as well as his canonization in 2003.

The Bishop's holy relics were removed from his grave in the gate of the Monastery of Saint Sava in Libertyville, Illinois on April 24, 1991, and placed in a new coffin, which was immediately brought into the monastery church itself. When all the necessary preparations for the transfer of the relics were completed, the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North America invited all priests and believers to a farewell ceremony that began on Saturday April 27, 1991, at the Monastery of Saint Sava in Libertyville with a Holy Hierarchical Liturgy for the Departed followed by a memorial service served by the then-Bishop of Eastern America Mitrofan, with the concelebration of the Metropolitan of the Midwestern American Diocese Firmilijan, along with thirty priests and deacons. The choir of students of the Faculty of Theology were led by their professor Fr. Milos Vesin, parish priest of South Chicago. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mitrofan gave a sermon about Bishop Nikolaj. After that, the writer Antonije Djuric, who was visiting the Serbs of North America at that time, held a speech. After the memorial service, all present venerated the cross and bowed before the relics of Bishop Nikolaj.

On May 2, 1991, the relics of the Bishop were transported by plane from Chicago to Serbia, accompanied by Bishop Hrizostom of Western America and Bishop Mitrofan. Finally, on May 3, 1991, the JAT Airways plane carrying the coffin with the relics of Bishop Nikolaj landed at the Belgrade airport. It was welcomed by the highest representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, headed by Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose, and a large crowd of people. From the airport, in a solemn procession, the relics were transported to the Saint Sava Church in Belgrade.

The relics remained in the church until May 5, and they were then transferred to the Zica monastery – the seat of the Bishop's diocese. From Zica, they were transferred on May 12, 1991 to the Bishop's birthplace of Lelic and placed in his endowment, which was soon converted into a monastery. Over 30,000 people gathered at the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy, which was celebrated in Lelic by Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose, with the concelebration of all the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church as well as numerous clergy and monastics. Among them were a number of representatives of the political, public and cultural life of Serbia.

With the arrival of the bishop's relics, Lelic became a new Serbian sanctuary. Thousands and thousands of pilgrims began to come to Lelic to venerate the holy relics. People prayed to him as to a saint. Many found help and healing from physical and spiritual illnesses at his reliquary. On the eve of Saint Nicholas Day, December 18, 2002, the reliquary with the relics was temporarily transferred to the Zica monastery, and remained there until January 9, 2003. During those twenty days, the people of the Diocese of Zica came day and night to venerate the holy relics.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, by unanimous decision of all bishops, on May 19, 2003, decided to include Saint Bishop Nikolaj in the calendar of saints and to celebrate him on March 18 (day of his repose) and May 3 (translation of his relics). This confirmed what the Serbian people have been feeling, expressing, celebrating and respecting for decades. The decision was received with joy throughout the Church. On the day the decision was made, all the bells from all the churches rang for a long time simultaneously, both in the Diocese of Zica and the Diocese of Sabac and Valjevo, and throughout the Serbian Church. The solemn liturgical and service act of canonization was performed in the Saint Sava Church in Belgrade on May 24, 2003. The Liturgy was celebrated by Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose, with all the hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church and numerous priests and deacons. Several thousand believers and admirers of Saint Bishop Nikolaj from all over Serbia were present.

On that day, the Bishop's holy relics were transferred from Lelic to the Saint Sava Church. All day long, people approached in long lines, patiently waiting to bow and venerate the holy relics. The ceremony was accompanied by great media attention, and the Holy Liturgy was broadcast by television stations in Serbia and also abroad via satellite.