Festive Saint Sava Program Held in London

Article by Fr. Dusko Markovic

On Tuesday, January 27th, Saint Sava, the patron of our church in London, was celebrated with a festive program. The event was opened by the students of our school with a hymn in honor of the saint. After that, our host, the president of the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation, Dragan Arezina, addressed the audience with a heartfelt speech, followed by an address from Danijela Jelic, the student president, whose group had earlier ceremoniously cut the Slava kolach in the church.

After the pastoral sermon by Father Dusko, the folklore groups Laste and Sokolovi, prepared with their choreographer Dragan Cokic, presented excellent performances to the audience.

The play Majke pred Svetim Savom (Mothers Before Saint Sava), prepared by our students Vlado Minic, Fedor Spiric, Stela Minic, Mila Aleksic, Ana Boric, and Angelina Markovic together with their religious education teacher Milena, delighted the audience and reminded everyone of the modern challenges of parenting and the importance of the Church and Svetosavlje for all of us in the diaspora.

Our esteemed poet Radmila Karac inspired the audience with her beautiful verses. Afterward, members of our Stefan Lastavica Church Choir performed the song Zavet Kosova (Kosovo Oath) and were met with thunderous applause.

The veterans of the Svetosavlje group, with the choreography Gusta mi magla padnala, impressed everyone. Our children, the brightest and most beautiful part of the evening, closed the program with the song Sveti Savо, mudra glavo, conducted by Father Dusko. After the performances, all attendees were served refreshments, as our mothers and grandmothers, members of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, had arranged a table for all participants and guests.

We especially thank our children, who are the future of this community, all the participants in the celebration, our folklore dancers, choir members, Miljan for technical support, and Karla Barasevic for professional photography.

This year’s program and celebration were organized and hosted by religious education teacher Milena Markovic.