Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada Receives Holy Relics of Saint Bishop Varnava (Nastic)
Source: Diocese of Srem
Metropolitan Vasilije of Srem presented Metropolitan Mitrofan of Canada, as a blessing for his God-protected diocese, a particle of the relics of the Holy Hieromartyr and Confessor of Orthodoxy, Bishop Varnava of Hvosno and Beocin.
Beocin Monastery, located in Fruska Gora, solemnly celebrated its feast day, the feast of the Ascension of our Lord, in 2026. The celebration began on the eve of the feast day with a festive vigil served by Archimandrite Nifont, abbot of the Mala Remeta Monastery.
On the feast day, May 21, the ancient Fruska Gora sanctuary was the gathering place of a large number of faithful Serbian people. The Holy Liturgy was served by Their Eminences Metropolitans Mitrofan of Canada and Vasilije of Srem.
The concelebrants were: Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Jovan Milanovic, rector of the Karlovac Theological Seminary; Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Branko Popovic; Protopresbyter Zeljko Kusic; Abbot Justin (Stojanovic); Fr. Veljko Grubac; and Dn. Goran Vlasac. The festive gathering was enhanced by the singing of the students of the Karlovac Theological Seminary.
The Holy Liturgy was attended by nuns from the Grgeteg, Privina Glava and Savinac monasteries. A large number of the faithful approached the Holy Sacrament of Communion, and after the prayer from the ambo, the act of blessing the slava gifts followed. After the liturgical dismissal, the attendees were addressed with words of pastoral instruction by His Eminence Metropolitan Vasilije and His Emincence Metropolitan Mitrofan.
The antidoron was distributed, and a fitting service was held in front of the monastery church, thanks to the efforts and love of this year's godfather of the monastery slava, Mr. Nedjeljko Jotanovic from Beocin and his family, who prepared a slava meal for the guests in all four monastery dining rooms. At the end of this magnificent gathering, the monastery abbot, Abbot Justin, and Metropolitan Vasilije addressed those present at the meal, who on that occasion presented the distinguished monastery guest, Metropolitan of Canada, Dr. Mitrofan, with a particle of the relics of the Holy Hieromartyr and Confessor of Orthodoxy, Bishop Varnava of Hvosno and Beocin, as a blessing for his God-protected diocese.
