Sunday of the Myrrhbearers at Saint Sava Church in Toronto

written by: Fr. Jovica Cetkovic

On the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, April 26, 2026, the Holy Myrrhbearing Women Circle of Serbian Sisters at the Saint Sava Church in Toronto celebrated its slava (feast day). A day to remember. Joy and celebration in every sense.

The celebration began with the Holy Liturgy served by retired Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Prvoslav Puric, parish priest of Tolosi Kosta Dojic (Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Budimlja and Niksic), and the local parish priest Protopresbyter Jovica Cetkovic.

In his homily, Fr. Kosta recalled that his spiritual life began precisely in this church under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Vasilije Tomic. His life's journey took him to Podgorica, where he currently serves at the Holy Macabees Church in Tolosi. Congratulating the sisters on the feast day, Fr. Kosta called on the sisters to emulate the myrrh-bearing women and said that just as they followed Christ, so too should we with the same love and care.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the slava kolach was blessed. The godmother of the slava was Dusica Vukosav with her family. Slavica Milosevic accepted the godmothership for next year. The magnificent Kir Stefan Srbin church choir responded at the Liturgy under the direction of conductor Jasmina Vucurovic. At the very end of the Liturgy, a new priestly censer was blessed, a gift to the church from the family of the president of our Church and School Congregation Vlade Milosevic. After the Liturgy, the celebration continued in the lower church hall where the male members of the Church Board served the sisters and all the guests present.

During lunch, the parish priest Fr. Jovica addressed the gathering, noting that it was interesting that he served the Liturgy that day with the priest who inherited his parish in Podgorica and with the priest from whom he inherited the parish in Toronto. He also thanked the sisters for the effort and love they invest in our community. Fr. Jovica also thanked Goran Todorovic, president of the Gracanica Church and School Congregation of Windsor and newly elected member of the Diocesan Administrative Board who also attended the celebration, introducing those present to Goran's fruitful work in the field of organizational development of our church communities and institutions.

At the end of the ceremony, the president of our community Vlade Milosevic, as a surprise of the day and a gift for our sisters, announced and introduced into the hall an orchestra of old-town music with the song Veseli se, srpski rode (Be Happy, Serbian People) to the delight of everyone present in the hall. The rest of the day passed in the spirit of song and kolo dancing.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our parishioner Velibor Perendija and the other members of the orchestra who performed for free as a sign of support for our community. This celebration is a true testament to the love and unity that reigns within our community.