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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261128
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DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
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UID:10000474-1795824000-1799279999@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Advent - Christmas Lent +++ Божићни пост
DESCRIPTION:Хришћански пост\nЖивот сваког православног хришћанина треба да буде подвижнички. Без нашег духовног и телесног труда\, потпомогнутог Божјом благодаћу\, немогуће је ослободити се силе греха и сјединити са Господом. Зато пост у православној духовности заузима веома важно место и без њега нема напретка ни у једној хришћанској врлини. У давној прошлости\, појам поста обухватао је потпуно уздржавање од било какве хране\, да би касније попримио смисао уздржавања од једне врсте хране која се назива „мрсном”\, тј. оном која у себи садржи масноће животињског порекла\, али\, у одређеним периодима и од хране која је спремана на биљним масноћама. Тако у чисто посну храну спадају: хлеб\, поврће\, воће и разни други плодови. Посебну врсту поста представља „сухоједење”\, које подразумева употребу само некуване\, дакле суве посне хране. \nНа пост наилазимо у многим религијама\, мада он једино у православном хришћанском предању добија свој пуни духовни смисао и не односи се само на телесно уздржање већ подразумева и труд душе у врлинама. Пост је постојао и у старозаветној Цркви и њиме се изражавало обраћење човека Богу\, његова скрушеност и покајање. Постом се човек смирава пред својим Творцем. Телесни труд поста духовно припрема душу да молитвом затражи помоћ од Бога. Божја заповест о посту дата је још праоцу Адаму у рају. Тек када је прекршио заповест поста\, Адам је пао у сластољубље и гордост. Стога је заповест о посту саставни део Закона који је Господ преко пророка Мојсија предао јеврејском народу. Постило се у свакој невољи и тузи\, при ратној опасности и страдању\, увек када је требало измолити Божју милост. Још нас древни пророци уче да је Богу угодан само онај телесни пост који је праћен уздржавањем од сваког злог дела\, речи и мисли. Много је примера богоугодног поста и у Новом Завету. Сам Господ Исус Христос пости 40 дана и ноћи пре почетка своје проповеди о доласку Царства Небескога. Господ нас учи да постимо тајно\, без лицемерја\, за разлику од фарисеја који су својим јавним постом желели да стекну људску славу. \nСмисао поста \nОсновни циљ поста јесте очишћење душе и тела од телесних и душевних страсти\, као и прослављење Бога и његових светих. Прави пост\, дакле\, има две стране\, телесну и духовну и састоји се како у уздржању од мрсне хране тако и у уздржавању од рђавих мисли\, жеља и дела\, умножавању молитава\, доброчинстава и вршењу свих еванђелских врлина. Стога свети Василије опомиње: „Корист од поста не ограничавај само на уздржавање од јела\, зато што је истински пост удаљавање од злих дела.” Пост обуздава сластољубље и стомакоугађање. Међутим\, он истовремено ослобађа човека од тираније душевних страсти и рђавих помисли. Њиме се чисти човеков ум и узводи ка небесима. Немогућа је чиста и сабрана молитва и стицање било које хришћанске врлине без душевног и телесног поста. Ипак\, најважнији циљ поста јесте да уз његову помоћ стекнемо заједницу са живим Богом. Без душевне чистоте која се између осталог постиже и редовним постом не можемо да се приближимо Богу и задобијемо чисту молитву\, те тако постанемо заједничари Божје благодати. \nЕво како нас Свети Јован Златоусти учи шта је истински пост: „Кажеш да постиш. Увери ме у то својим делима. А која су то дела? Ако видиш сиромаха\, удели му милостињу. Ако се нађеш са непријатељем својим\, измири се са њим. Видиш ли на улици неко лепо лице\, одврати свој поглед од њега. Дакле\, не само да постиш стомаком\, већ и очима и слухом\, и рукама и ногама и свим удовима тела. Руке нека посте уздржавајући се од сваке грамзивости и крађе. Ноге нека посте тако што нећи ходити путевима греха. Очи нека посте тако што страсно неће посматрати лепа лица нити у зависти гледати на добра других људи. Кажеш да не једеш месо. Али\, чувај се да не гуташ похотљиво очима оно што видиш око себе. Пости и слухом својим не слушајући оговарања и сплетке. Устима и језиком својим пости и уздржавај се од ружних речи и шала. Каква нам је корист ако не једемо месо и рибу\, а уједамо и прождиремо своје ближње.” \nСвети Фотије\, Патријарх цариградски\, каже: „Пост благопријатан Богу је онај који подразумева поред уздржања од хране и удаљење од сваког греха\, мржње\, зависти\, оговарања\, неумесних шала\, празнословља и других зала. Оној који пости само телесно не трудећи се у врлини личи на човека који је саградио лепу кућу\, али у њој живи са змијама и скорпијама.” \nПост је нераскидиво повезан са милостињом и зато нас стари хришћански писци уче да вишак новца који уштедимо на умереној исхрани у периоду поста можемо да уделимо као милостињу сиромашним и болесним те тако ускративши сувишно телу дарујемо потребно души. \nУ време поста потребно је да више хранимо своју душу молитвом и речју Божјом него ли своје тело храном и телесним уживањима. Господ нас учи у Еванђељу да се зли духови изгоне једино постом и молитвом. Зато и Црква у време постова подстиче своје вернике на усрднију молитву како у храмовима\, тако и у личним молитвама код куће. Није довољно постити само делима и речју\, већ и мислима. Каква нам је корист од уздржавања од нечистих дела када о њима страсно маштамо и наслађујемо се. Молитва уз телесни пост најјаче је оружје за борбу против страсних помисли и маштарија. У време поста верници би требали да избеговају свако славље и забаву\, а супружници и телесно општење. У посту се не обављају венчања\, а добро је у том периоду максимално смањити и гледање телевизара и радија и то време искористити у читању Светог Писма и других верских књига. \nПост средом и петком \nСреда и петак су се од најранијих дана сматрали данима посвећеним посту и молитви. Ови се дани посте током целе године\, осим у периодима тзв. Трапавих недеља о којима се говори у наставку текста. Пост средом је одређен у знак сећања на Јудину издају Господа Христа\, док петком постимо јер је Господ тога дана разапет на крсту. Непоштовање ових посних дана се осуђује 69 каноном св. Апостола. Од старине ови посни дани се посте „на води”\, дакле и без употребе уља. Када у ове дане падне празник са црвеним словом или светитељ чије је име у календару одштампано маснијом бојом\, дозвољена је употреба уља и вина. Ови дани се могу постити на уљу и у случају телесне слабости. Што се тиче духовног поста\, средом и петком треба се више и усрдније молити\, посебно читајући оне главе Св. Писма које се односе на издају Христа\, његово суђење и распеће. \nЧетири велика годишња поста \n1. Велики пост: \nВелики пост је најважнији посни период у току године. Његов основни задатак јесте да нас телесно и душевно припреми за празник Васкрсења Христовог. То је уједно и најстрожији пост Цркве и обавезан је за све хришћане. У време овога поста уздржавамо се од меса\, јаја\, сира\, млека\, дакле хране са животињским масноћама. Вино и уље дозвољени су само суботом и недељем\, али и на дан св. четрдесеторице мученика\, док се риба може користити само на Благовести и Цвети. Свим осталим данима пости се „на води”\, а поготово строго средом и петком. По слабости се у недељне дане осим среде и петка може разрешити уље\, али са посебним благословом духовника или парохијског свештеника. Прва три дана прве недеље Великог поста од старине се посте посебно строго. То исто вреди за последњу недељу поста коју постимо „на води”\, осим Велики Четвртак на који разрешавамо на уље и вино. На Велики Петак се уздржавамо од јела и пића све до изношења плаштанице\, дакле до 3 сата поподне\, после чега се узима лаган оброк „на води”. Такође строго постимо и Велику Суботу као једину посну суботу у току године. \n2. Божићни пост \nСледећи дужи период поста у години је Божићни пост који такође траје четрдесет дана\, али није тако строг као Велики Пост. Почиње 15/28 новембра\, а завршава 24. децембра/6. јануара. У току целог овога поста не једемо месо\, бели мрс и јаја. Уље и вино су дозвољени свим данима осим среде и петка који се посте „на води”. Риба се једе сваке суботе и недеље као и на Ваведење Пресвете Богородице\, чак и ако празник падне у среду или петак. Последња недеља Божићног поста пости се строжије\, без употребе рибе\, а по могућности „на води”. На Бадњи дан се не употребљава ни уље ни вино\, већ се обавезно пости „на води”. Веома је важно да православни хришћани који живе у земљама у којима се новогодишњи празници славе по новом календару и падају у време Божићног поста\, не прекидају пост\, већ да Нову Годину прослављају када она дође по православном календару\, поштујући традицију својих предака и црквена правила. \n3. Пост Светих Апостола \nПост светих Апостола траје од Недеље свих светих до празника св. Апостола Петра и Павла 28. јуна/12. јула. Његова дужина трајања зависи од пасхалног и пентикосталног циклуса на који се надовезује почетак поста. Овај пост сличан је Божићном\, мада нешто блажи. За време његовог трајања не једе се месо\, бели мрс и јаја. Риба\, вино и уље се једу сваки дан осим\, наравно\, среде и петка који се посте „на води”. Дан уочи Петровдана се такође строго пости\, осим ако падне у суботу или недељу\, када је дозвољена употреба уља. На дан Рођења Светог Јована Крститеља једемо рибу\, иако падне у среду или петак. Уколико Петровдан падне у среду или петак\, тога дана не мрсимо већ једемо рибу\, вино и уље. \n4. Госпојински пост \nГоспојински пост је најкраћи од четири велика годишња поста и траје само 15 дана\, од 1/14 августа до 28/15 августа. Он је посвећен духовној припреми уочи празника Успења Пресвете Богородице. Овај пост је строжији од божићног и апостолског\, те православни хришћани због великог поштовања према Пресветој Богородици овај пост посте као и Велики пост\, све дане „на води”\, осим суботе и недеље када је дозвољено уље и вино. Једино на Празник Преображења Господњег једемо рибу без обзира у који дан недеље он пао. Ако сам празник Успења падне у среду и петак\, не мрсимо већ и тада једемо рибу\, вино и уље. У нашем народу постоји обичај да се младо грожђе не једе до Преображења Господњег\, јер се тога дана у црквама благосиља грожђе и дели се народу. \nЈеднодневни постови у току године: \n1. Крстовдан\, 5/18. јануар\, уочи Богојављења: \nОвај дан строго постимо по могућности на „сухоједењу”\, осим ако падне у суботу или недељу\, када разрешавамо „на уље”. Овим постом се припремамо за празник Богојављења и за пијење богојављенске водице. \n2. Воздвиженије Часнога Крста\, 14/27. септембра: \nПости се исто као и Крстовдан. \n3. Усековање главе Светог Претече\, 29. августа/11. септембра: \nУ част Светог  Јована Претече и његовог мученичког страдања; овај пост се пости као и ова претходна два дана\, осим ако празник падне у суботу или недељу\, када једемо уље и вино. У нашем народу постоји благочестиви обичај да се на овај дан ништа не једе из тањира и да се избегава храна и плодови црвене боје\, у знак сећања на погубљење св. Претече коме је глава одрубљена и донесена Иродијади на тањиру. \nПост се може држати у току године и у неким другим посебним приликама: \n1. У случајевима рата\, катаклизми и великог страдања епископ може да наложи пост народу како би се тиме умилостивио Бог. \n2. Духовник може да својој духовној деци наложи пост као епитимију из разних разлога. \n3. Свети оци саветују пост од пар дана пред крштење\, јелеосвећење\, свету тајну брака или рукоположење свештеника. \n4. У Православној цркви је уобичајен пост пре свете тајне евхаристије\, тј. светог причешћа. Обавезно је да се сваки хришћанин који се спрема за свето причешће уздржава од хране\, пића\, употребе дувана и телесног општења од поноћи претходног дана. Вече уочи св. причешћа треба провести молитвено и у читању Светог Писма и других духовних књига\, како бисмо се што потпуније припремили за примање светих тајни. Што се тиче вишедневног поста пред свето причешће\, његова дужина и строгост зависе од благослова духовника или парохијског свештеника. Онима који редовно посте све црквене постове по типику и редовно се исповедају\, духовници често не одређују дужи период поста пред свето причешће као обавезу. Међутим\, пошто највећи број верника наше Цркве не држи редовно и правилно по типику црквене постове и редовно се не исповеда\, Црква одређује један строжији период поста „на води”\, дакле без употребе уља и алкохола\, у трајању до 7 дана пред свето причешће као и обавезну исповест. \nПериоди разрешења поста – трапаве седмице \nТрапаве седмице су периоди у које Црква разрешава употребу свих врста хране\, чак и средом и петком. На тај начин се изражава празнични карактер ових периода који обавезно следе великим празницима. \n1. Дванаестодневница је период између два велика непокретна празника\, Божића и Богојављења. У све дане овог периода\, осим\, свакако\, Крстовдана када се строго пости\, дозвољена је употреба свих врста хране. \n2. Светла седмица је период који траје од Васкрса до Томине недеље. Цела ова седмица је празничног карактера. У ове дане је строго забрањен пост. Поред тога у целом периоду Педесетнице\, дакле од Васкрса па до Духова забрањен је строги пост „на води”. Ипак среда и петак се не мрсе већ се у те дане може јести вино и уље\, а у Среду Преполовљења и Среду Оданија Пасхе и риба. \n3. Духовска седмица која траје од празника Духова до Свих Светих и у те дане је дозвољена употреба свих врста јестива\, чак и средом и петком због празничног духовданског карактера ове седмице. У периоде разрешења поста можемо условно да убројимо и прве три седмице Триода\, дакле\, три недеље пре почетка Великог Поста. У току ових седмица се постепено припремамо за Велики пост: \n\nПрве седмице\, блуднога сина\, имамо разрешење на сва јестива\, чак и средом и петком.\nДруге\, месопусне седмице\, мрсимо свим данима осим среде и петка када држимо пост „на води”. На крају ове друге недеље падају тзв. Месне покладе када престајемо да једемо месо и не употребљавамо га више све до Васкрса.\nТрећа\, сиропусна недеља\, је исто тако припремног карактера и у те дане забрањено је једење меса. У току целе ове недеље можемо да једемо рибу\, бели мрс и јаја и на дан уочи почетка Великог поста имамо Беле покладе\, после чега почиње период поста.\n\nВеома је важно да православни хришћани редовно посте своје славе које падају у посне периоде\, као што је нпр. Свети Никола и др. Спремање ових слава на мрсној храни и уз недолично и разуздано весеље сматра се грехом и тиме уместо да светитељу укажемо част и поштовање навлачимо на себе Божји гнев. \nЗато\, браћо хришћани редовно држимо свети пост. Он ће нам донети много добра и привући ће Божји благослов на наше домове и породице. Бог ће тешко услишити наше молитве уколико их не потпомогнемо својим властитим трудом у посту\, молитви и светим врлинама. Не заборавимо\, Господу није потребан наш пост и гладовање\, већ нама самима како би наша срца омекшала\, скрушила се и смирила пред Богом и постала способна да приме Божју благодат и помоћ. Постом изражавамо и своју љубав и веру у Господа\, јер само оној који поштује све Господње заповести има истинску љубав према своме Творцу. А\, заповест о посту једна је од најважнијих Господњих заповести. Не обраћајмо пажњу на оне који доконо говоре да „грех не улази на уста”. Грех непоштовања поста не лежи у самој храни коју са благодарношћу узимамо\, већ и у дрском гажењу заповести Господње о посту и црквених правила која су по надахнућу Светог Духа прописали богоносни оци\, светитељи Цркве Христове\, и оставили их нама као вечни аманет и незаблудиви пут духовног усавршавања . \nБратија манастира Високи Дечани \nИзвор: Званична страница Српске Православне Цркве: http://www.spc.rs/sr/hrishtshanski_post_1?fbclid=IwAR1aZ2SAcJgQFvEHNGpuHCMHWuharWtVXF_fI4oxR5W6F-8OoIBgGp-1nHs (27. новембар 2019). \n\n\n\n\n\n\n+++\n\n\nThe Meaning of Fasting in the Orthodox Church\n\n\n\n\n\nby Fr. Milan Savich \nFasting is as old as the human race. Fasting was practiced by pagan religions\, Judaism and Christianity\, and it was generally considered an important element of religious life\, although with different practices and understanding. In the ancient religions of the East fasting meant a complete abstention from food for a certain period of time — one day or more. The origin of fasting as a moral discipline\, especially among the old pagan religions is very obscure\, just as their understanding of God was inadequate and vague. \nThe monotheistic\, God revealed religion of the “Chosen People” knew about fasting. From the Old Testament we learn that God instituted fasting in Paradise when He said: “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil\, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) From this is clear that fasting existed before the “original sin” of Adam and Eve\, and it was not ordered as a cure for their sin. The fasting in Paradise consisted of abstaining of certain food — namely of “the fruit of the tree.” The tree of knowledge of good and evil was created by God as well as all other trees in Paradise and\, as such\, preceded the Satan and his sinful machinations. God’s commandment to Adam and Even not to eat of the particular fruit was issued as a method of man’s discipline of self-control and spiritual growth. This means that the first man in Paradise was not perfect\, but was good and capable to improve and develop his spiritual and moral personality. \nFasting understood in this way was practiced both in the Old and New Testament and throughout the entire history of the Church. A noted Orthodox theologian Father Alexander Schmemann\, speaking about fasting in the Old and New Testament\, saw a great similarity and interdependence between two events in the Bible — one at the beginning of the Old Testament and the other at the beginning of the New Testament. He writes: “The first is the ‘breaking of the fast’ by Adam in Paradise. He ate of the forbidden fruit. This is how man’s original sin is revealed to us. Christ\, the new Adam\, — and this is the second event — begins by fasting. Adam was tempted and succumbed to temptation. The result of Adam’s failure is expulsion from Paradise and death. The fruit of Christ’s victory is the destruction of death and return to Paradise. It is clear\, that in this perspective\, fasting is revealed to us as something decisive and ultimate in importance. It is not mere ‘obligation’\, a custom; it is connected with the very mystery of life and death\, of salvation and damnation.” St. Basil the Great\, confirms the above statement by saying: “Because we did not fast\, we were chased out of Paradise; let us fast now\, so that someday we return there. \nWe have many shining examples of fasting in the Old and New Testament. Moses fasted forty days before receiving from God the Ten Commandments. The prophet Isaiah has written about fasting centuries before Christ’s coming: \nIs not this the fast that I choose\, to loose the bonds of wickedness\, to undo the thongs of the yoke\, to let the oppressed go free…? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry\, to bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked to cover him… then shall your light break forth like the dawn … (Isaiah 58) \nIn the Old Testament fasting is sometimes preparation for the Feast days\, but more generally it is a sign of humility before God. Fasting accompanied mourning and repentance. In time of necessity of danger\, it was appropriate for an individual or the whole community to fast. Fasting\, so to speak\, reinforced urgent prayer. How seriously it might be taken up\, to the extent that an earnest man of prayer might become weak and think through lack of nourishment\, is shown by Psalm 109:24: \nMy Knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. \nFasting in the New Testament was introduced by our Lord Jesus Christ Who gave us a great example of fasting. After His Baptism in the river of Jordan He withdrew into the wilderness where He spend forty days and forty nights in prayer and fasting in preparation for His sacred ministry. Jesus taught his disciples and followers to fast. He told them not to fast like the Pharisees\, but when they fast bodily they should be completely natural in their behavior — humble and penitent. \nAnd when ye fast\, do not look dismal\, like the hypocrites\, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly\, I say to you\, they have their reward. But when you fast\, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by men\, but by your Father Who is in secret. And your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. (Matt. 6:16-18) \nHere we should mention that fasting in the Orthodox Church has two aspects: physical and spiritual. The first one implies abstinence from rich food\, such as dairy products\, eggs and all kinds of meat. Spiritual fasting consists in abstinence from evil thoughts\, desires\, and deeds. The main purpose of fasting is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. It is to liberate oneself from dependence on the things of this world in order to concentrate on the things of the Kingdom of God. It is to give power to the soul so that it would not yield to temptation and sin. According to St. Seraphim\, fasting is an “indispensable means” of gaining the fruit of the Holy Spirit in one’s life\, and Jesus Himself taught that some forms of evil cannot be conquered without it. When the Apostles failed to heal a sick and suffering child\, Christ explained that\, “This kind (meaning devil) can come out only by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 12:21) Commenting on this St. John Chrysostom said: “That these are like two wings that carry a person to the heights of God.” \nThe Apostles of Christ continued in prayer and fasting\, and commanded others to do the same. They fasted also as they accomplished their ministries by the power of the Holy Spirit and by prayer\, as we reads in the Acts: \nNow in the church at Antioch… while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting\, the Holy Spirit said\, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts. 13:-13) \nToday\, I think it is safe to say\, the practice and idea of fasting is largely ignored. Some people say that God’s people need not fast since we are saved by grace and not by works\, and that fasting can easily become hypocritical\, done merely for show and for the condemnation of others. Many others generally dismiss fasting as something old-fashioned\, simple and naïve. “This is the twentieth century; those rules were made for the past and simpler days.” \nNonetheless\, in spite of present practice of most people\, we must take the practice of fasting seriously\, if for no other reason\, then out of respect for other people\, throughout Christian history\, who have taken it seriously. We all need to develop the habit of saying no to our carnal passions and desires. What we need is self-discipline and self-control. These are acquired only through regular spiritual exercise — namely through fasting. \nFasting is not at all an act of mortification for mortification’s sake. It is not a “little suffering” which is somehow pleasing to God. It is not a punishment which is to be sorrowfully endured in payment for sins. On the contrary\, fasting for a Christian\, should be a joyful experience\, because fasting is a self-discipline which we voluntarily impose upon ourselves in order to become better persons and better Christians. The sin of not fasting is the sin of failing to employ a practice which is absolutely necessary to a sinful person in his struggle to overcome his sins and to gain the love and communion of God. \nFasting is an art fully mastered by the Saints. These holy men and women\, who have taken their religion and fasting seriously\, can be of great help to us. They offer a number of recommendations for fasting. \n1. Fasting is essential for us to regain control over our bodies. \nWe live in a pluralistic and secularistic society where the Biblical idea of fasting is completely ignored and forgotten. “Gluttony has become a way of life for a fallen man and\, it affects every area of live\, leaving us wide open to all types of temptation. We all eat too much\, and fasting is the only way to end this unnatural obsession with food. Fasting puts food into its proper perspective. We must each in order to live\, but we shouldn’t simply live to eat.” St. Isaac of Syria said: “The first commandment given to our nature in the beginning was the fasting from food and in this the head of our race (Adam) fell. Those who wish to attain the fear of God\, therefore\, should begin to build where the building was first fallen. They should begin with the commandment to fast.” \n2. Fasting simplifies our lives. \n“By eating less\, we can pay attention to more important matters\, such as our relationship with God.” Fasting is part of the spiritual life without which the soul perishes\, suffocated by the flesh and choked by carnal pleasures. A human being must fast. The effort enlightens the mind\, strengthens the spirit\, controls the emotions and tames the passions. Thus “a man who strives for salvation… must not allow himself to eat to fullness …” says St. Gregory of Sinai. St. Isaac of Syria says\, “Meager food at the table of the pure cleanses the soul of those who partake from all passion … for the work of fasting and vigil is the beginning of every effort against sin and lust … almost all passionate drives decrease through fasting.” An old man in the desert was asked why he was so severe on his body. He answered simply\, “If I don’t kill it\, it kills me.” By this the holy fathers taught us to be killers of passions and not killers of the body. Partake of everything that is permissible with thanksgiving\, to the glory of God and avoid boastful arrogance; but refrain from every excess. (The Monks Callistus and Ignatius\, 14c.\, Directions to Hesychasts.) \n3. Fasting “lightens our load” and makes it easier to pray. \n“For many people the refusal to fast is just one more excuse to cut themselves off from God. The person who wants to pray better should eat less. This makes the mind and the spirit less sluggish. We are then more capable of lifting our minds and hearts to God.” St. Isaac of Syria says: “As long as man’s mouth is sealed by fasting his mind will meditate on the repentance of his soul.” Even the old Latins knew that “Plenus veter non studet libenter.” \n4. Fasting restores discipline to our lives. \n“How many of us can honestly say that we are disciplined in spiritual matters as we should be? Fasting may just be the beginning of our journey toward spiritual seriousness\, but we all have to start somewhere. We can all see what the lack of real discipline has done to American moral life. The same happens to our own spiritual lives without discipline. Fasting is the beginning of this discipline.” That is why the Canons of the Church Councils — Trullo\, Gangra and Laodicia as well as the rules and regulations of Sts. Dionisius\, Peter and Timothy of Alexandria — order us to fast. According to Milas\, “The Church has introduced fasting in the life of a Christian in order to enable man to live a life of piety and repentance. This regulation is based on the practice of the Church in the Old Testament and the examples of its Founder and the Apostles in the New Testament. The fast days which we must observe are ordered by the Church authorities and\, therefore\, are obligatory for all\, except the sick; if a clergyman disobeys this rule he shall be deposed\, and a layman excommunicated.” \n5. Another aspect of fasting is abstinence \n“Not many parents enjoy the disobedience of their children. God is equally unhappy to see our disobedience in spiritual matters. Fasting encourages obedience to God’s moral commands by making us center our lives around His.” In other words\, our fasting should not be self-willed but obedient. When we fast\, says Kallistos Ware\, “we should not try to invent special rules for ourselves\, but we should follow as faithfully as possible the accepted pattern set before us by Holy Tradition.” We should always rely on the spiritual advice of our priest or Father Confessor\, as it was practiced in the early centuries of Church life\, as Abba Antony said: “I know of monks who fell after much labor and lapsed into madness\, because they trusted in their own work and neglected the commandment that says: ‘Ask your father\, and he will tell you.” (Deut. 32:7). \n6. Fasting ultimately brings about purity of heart. \n“The saints teach that for us to purify our hearts we must begin with the control of our bodily desires through fasting. As long as the flesh rules purity of heart will not exist.” In the words of St. John Chrysostom fasting implies not only abstinence from food\, but from sins also. “The fast\,” he insists\, “should be kept not by the mouth alone but also by the eye\, the ear\, the feet\, the hands and all the members of the body: the eye must abstain from impure sights\, the ear from malicious gossip\, the hands from acts of injustice.” It is useless to fast from food\, protests St. Basil\, and yet to indulge in cruel criticism and slander: “You do not eat meat\, but you devour your brother.” The same point is made in the Triodion\, especially during the first week of Lent: \nAs we fast from food\, let us abstain also from every passion… Let us observe a fast acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. True fasting is to put away all evil\, to control the tongue\, to forbear from anger\, to abstain from lust\, slander\, falsehood and perjury. If we renounce these things\, then is our fasting true and acceptable to God. Let us keep the Fast not only by refraining from food\, but by becoming strangers to all the bodily passions. \n 7. Fasting returns us to a “Paradise-like” way of life. \nOur forefathers Adam and Eve ate only plants rather than meat or meat products. (Gen. 1:30\, 9:3) “When we fast\, we voluntarily return to Paradise. We do this not because it is sinful to eat meat\, but because we recognize our true homeland\, the Kingdom of God\, and we want to reinforce this truth in our lives.” Our fasting and self-discipline\, then\, “signifies a rejection of the world\, only in so far as it is corrupted by the fall; of the body\, only in so far as it is dominated by sinful passions. Lust excludes love; so long as we lust after other persons or other things\, we cannot truly love them. By delivering us form lust\, the fast renders us capable of genuine love. No longer ruled by the selfish desire to grasp and to exploit\, we begin to see the world with the eyes of Adam in Paradise. Our self-denial is the path that leads to our self-affirmation; it is our means of entry into the cosmic liturgy whereby all things visible and invisible ascribe glory to their Creator.” \n8. Finally\, fasting is the foundation of and preparation for every spiritual effort. \n“Spiritual effort presumes that we are in control of our bodies. Beyond this\, fasting is the ideal preparation for spiritual celebration\, such as Easter\, Christmas\, and other Feasts\, because when undertaken properly\, fasting fills our hearts and minds with the task before us. It concentrates our spiritual energies and makes them more effective.” Thus\, when Moses fasted on Mount Sinai (Exod. 34:28) and Elijah on Mount Horeb (Kings 19:8-12)\, the fast was in both cases linked with a Theophany. The same connection between fasting and the vision of God is evident in the case of St. Peter (Acts 10:9-17) He went up to the housetop to pray about the sixth hour\, and he became very hungry and wanted to eat; and it was in this state that he fell into a trance and heard the divine voice. Such is always the purpose of ascetic fasting — to enable us\, as the Triodion puts it\, to “draw near to the mountain of prayer.” \nPrayer and fasting should in their turn be accompanied by almsgiving\, by love for others expressed in practical form\, by works of compassion and forgiveness. As written in the Triodion: \nKnowing the commandments of the Lord\,\nlet this be our way of life:\nLet us feed the hungry\, let us give the thirsty drink\,\nLet us clothe the naked\, let us welcome strangers\,\nLet us visit those in prison and the sick.\nThen the Judge of all earth will say even to us:\nCome\, ye blessed of My Father\,\ninherit the Kingdom prepared for you. \nSource: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America\, http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/50791 (11/27/19)
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/advent-christmas-lent-%d0%b1%d0%be%d0%b6%d0%b8%d1%9b%d0%bd%d0%b8-%d0%bf%d0%be%d1%81%d1%82/2026-11-28/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Christmas-Nativity-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261213
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261214
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T043159Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T043249Z
UID:10000690-1797120000-1797206399@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:St. Andrew the Firstcalled – Св. Андреј Првозвани
DESCRIPTION:THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW THE FIRST-CALLED \nAndrew\, the son of Jonah and brother of Peter\, was born in Bethsaida and was a fisherman by trade. At first he was a disciple of St. John the Baptist\, but when St. John pointed to the Lord Jesus\, saying\, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)\, Andrew left his first teacher and followed Christ. Then\, Andrew brought his brother Peter to the Lord. Following the descent of the Holy Spirit\, it fell by lot to the first apostle of Christ\, St. Andrew\, to preach the Gospel in Byzantium and Thrace\, then in the lands along the Danube and in Russia around the Black Sea\, and finally in Epirus\, Greece and the Peloponnese\, where he suffered. In Byzantium\, he appointed St. Stachys as its first bishop; in Kiev\, he planted a Cross on a high place and prophesied a bright Christian future for the Russian people; throughout Thrace\, Epirus\, Greece and the Peloponnese\, he converted multitudes of people to the Faith and ordained bishops and priests for them. In the city of Patras\, he performed many miracles in the name of Christ\, and won many over to the Lord. Among the new faithful were the brother and wife of the Proconsul Aegeates. Angered at this\, Aegeates subjected St. Andrew to torture and then crucified him. While the apostle of Christ was still alive on the cross\, he gave beneficial instructions to the Christians who had gathered around. The people wanted to take him down from the cross but he refused to let them. Then the apostle prayed to God and an extraordinary light encompassed him. This brilliant illumination lasted for half an hour\, and when it disappeared\, the apostle gave up his holy soul to God. Thus\, the First-called Apostle\, the first of the Twelve Great Apostles to know the Lord and follow Him\, finished his earthly course. St. Andrew suffered for his Lord in the year 62 A.D. His relics were taken to Constantinople; his head was later taken to Rome\, and one hand was taken to Moscow. \n+++ \nСВЕТИ АПОСТОЛ АНДРЕЈ ПРВОЗВАНИ \nСин Јонин и брат Петров\, родом из Витсаиде\, и рибар по занимању. Најпре је био учеником св. Јована Крститеља\, но када св. Јован указа прстом на Господа Исуса говорећи: гле\, јагње Божје! (Јов. 1\, 36)\, тада св. Андреја остави свога првога учитеља и пође за Исусом. По том Андреја приведе свога брата Петра ка Господу. По силаску Св. Духа паде у део овоме првом апостолу Христовом\, св. Андреји\, да проповеда Јеванђеље у Византији и Тракији\, по том у земљама Дунавским\, па у Русији и око Црног Мора\, и најзад у Епиру\, Грчкој и Пелопонезу\, где и пострада. У Византији постави првога епископа у лицу св. Стахија; у Кијеву пободе крст на висини и прорече сјајну хришћанску будућност народу руском; по Тракији\, Епиру\, Грчкој и Пелопонезу преведе мноштво народа у веру\, и постави им епископе и свештенике. У граду Патрасу учини многа чудеса именом Христовим и задоби многе за Господа\, међу којима беху брат и жена царског намесника Егеата. Егеат разјарен због тога стави Андреју светога на муке\, а потом распе на крсту. Докле год беше жив на крсту апостол Христов говораше корисне поуке хришћанима\, који се беху сабрали око крста његова. Хтеде га народ скинути с крста\, но он се опре томе. Најзад се апостол поче молити Богу\, и при том нека необична светлост обасја га целог. То светлосно обасјање трајаше пола сата\, и када оно ишчезе\, апостол предаде своју свету душу Богу. Тако сконча свој земни век првозвани апостол\, који први од 12 великих апостола позна Господа и пође за Њим. Пострада св. Андреја за свога Господа 62. године. Мошти његове беху пренете у Цариград. Доцније глава му је пренета у Рим\, а једна рука у Москву.
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/st-andrew-the-firstcalled-%d1%81%d0%b2-%d0%b0%d0%bd%d0%b4%d1%80%d0%b5%d1%98-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b2%d0%be%d0%b7%d0%b2%d0%b0%d0%bd%d0%b8/2026-12-13/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Saint-Luke-Logo-Square.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044631Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044638Z
UID:10000780-1797147000-1797152400@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-12/2026-12-13/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000214-1797156000-1797161400@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2026-12-13/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044918Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251214T195746Z
UID:10000853-1797440400-1797444000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers +++ Вечерње
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%9a%d0%b5-8/2026-12-16/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-final.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251214T195846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251214T200316Z
UID:10000904-1797440400-1797444000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers +++ Вечерње
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%9a%d0%b5-8-2/2026-12-16/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-final.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261217
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261218
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T043350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T043417Z
UID:10000700-1797465600-1797551999@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Holy Great Martyr Barbara and St. John of Damascus +++ Св. Великомученица Варвара и Св. Јован Дамаскин
DESCRIPTION:THE HOLY GREAT-MARTYR BARBARA \nThis glorious follower of Christ was betrothed to Christ from early childhood. Her father Dioscorus was a pagan and was renowned for his position and wealth in the city of Heliopolis in Egypt. Dioscorus locked up his only daughter Barbara\, brilliant in mind and of beautiful countenance\, in a high tower. He surrounded her with every comfort\, gave her female servants\, erected idols for worship\, and built her a bathing room with two windows. Looking through the window at the earth below and the starry heavens above\, Barbara’s mind was opened by the grace of God. She recognized the One True God\, the Creator\, despite the fact that she did not have a human teacher to bring her to this knowledge. Once\, while her father was away from the city\, she came down from the tower and\, according to God’s providence\, met some Christian women who revealed the true Faith of Christ to her. Barbara’s heart became inflamed with love for Christ the Lord. She ordered that a third window be cut open in the bath so that the three windows would represent the Holy Trinity. On one wall she traced a Cross with her finger\, and the Cross etched itself deep in the stone as if cut by a chisel. A pool of water sprang forth from her footprints on the floor of the bath\, which later gave healing of diseases to many. Learning of his daughter’s faith\, Dioscorus beat her severely and drove her from the tower. He pursued her in order to kill her\, but a cliff opened up and hid Barbara from her brutal father. When she appeared again\, her father brought her to Martianus\, the magistrate\, who handed her over for torture. They stripped the innocent Barbara and flogged her until her entire body was covered with blood and wounds\, but the Lord Himself appeared to her in prison with His angels and healed her. A certain woman\, Juliana\, upon seeing this\, desired martyrdom for herself. Both women were severely tortured and with mockery were led through the city. Their breasts were cut off and much blood flowed from them. They were finally led to the place of execution\, where Dioscorus himself slaughtered his daughter\, and Juliana was slain by the soldiers. That same day\, lightning struck the house of Dioscorus\, killing him and Martianus. St. Barbara suffered in the year 306 A.D. Her miracle-working relics rest in Kiev. Glorified in the Kingdom of Christ\, she has appeared many times even in our own day\, sometimes alone and sometimes in the company of the Most-holy Theotokos. \nSAINT JOHN DAMASCENE \nJohn was first the chief minister to Caliph Abdul-Malik and later a monk in the Monastery of St. Sava the Sanctified. Because of his ardent defense of the veneration of icons during the reign of the iconoclastic Emperor Leo the Isaurian\, John was maligned by the emperor to the Caliph\, who cut off his right hand. John fell down in prayer before the icon of the Most-holy Theotokos\, and his hand was rejoined and miraculously healed. Seeing this miracle the Caliph repented\, but John no longer desired to remain with him as a nobleman. Instead\, he withdrew to a monastery\, where\, from the beginning\, he was a model to the monks in humility\, obedience and all the prescribed rules of monastic asceticism. John composed the Funeral Hymns and compiled the Octoechos (The Book of Eight Tones)\, the Irmologion\, the Menologion and the Paschal Canon\, and he wrote many theological works of inspiration and profundity. A great monk\, hymnographer\, theologian and soldier for the truth of Christ\, Damascene is numbered among the great Fathers of the Church. He entered peacefully into rest in about the year 776 A.D. at the age of 104. \n+++ \nСВЕТА ВЕЛИКОМУЧЕНИЦА ВАРВАРА \nОтац ове славне следбенице Христове\, која се од раних лета уневести Христу\, по имену Диоскор\, беше знаменит положајем и богатством у граду Илиопољу Мисирском\, а у вери незнабожац. Своју ћерку јединицу\, мудру умом и красну ликом\, затвори Диоскор у кулу високу\, окружи је свим угодностима\, даде јој слушкиње на службу\, постави идоле за клањање\, сазида јој купатило с два прозора. Посматрајући кроз прозор куле земљу доле и звездано небо горе\, Варвари се отвори ум благодаћу Божјом\, те познаде јединог истинитог Бога Творца\, иако немаде никога од људи за учитеља у томе. А када се њен отац једном удаљи из града\, она изиђе из куле и\, по Божјем Промислу\, срете се с неким хришћанкама\, које јој јавише истину вере Христове. Срце се Варварино распламти љубављу према Христу Господу. Она нареди\, те се просече и трећи прозор на купатилу\, да три прозора буду символом Свете Тројице; на једној стени у купатилу прстом нацрта крст и крст се удуби у камен као гвожђем урезан; из њене стопе на поду купатила прокључа извор воде\, која доцније многима причини исцељење од болести. Узнав Диоскор веру своје ћерке\, изби је сурово\, истера из куле и појури за њом да је убије. Стена се једна раступи и сакри Варвару од суровог оца. Када се поново јави\, отац је одведе началнику Мартијану\, коме предаде ћерку на мучење. Невину Варвару разденуше и шибаху\, док јој цело тело не би покривено крвљу и ранама. У тамници јави јој се сам Господ с ангелима и исцели је. Видевши то\, нека жена Јулијанија\, и сама пожели мучеништва. И беху обе страшно мучене и с поругом по граду вођене. Одсекоше им груди женске\, и крв многа из њих истече. Најзад их изведоше на губилиште\, где сам отац закла ћерку своју\, а војници Јулијанију. Тога истог дана удари гром у кућу Диоскорову и уби и њега и Мартијана. Пострада света Варвара 306. године. Мошти јој се чудотворне налазе у Кијеву. Прослављена у Царству Христовоме\, она се много пута јављала до дана данашњега\, понекад сама\, понекад у пратњи Пресвете Богородице. \n  \nСВЕТИ ЈОВАН ДАМАСКИН \nНајпре први министар калифа Абдалмелеха\, а потом монах у манастиру Светог Саве Освећеног. Због ватреног заступања иконопоштовања у време иконоборног цара Лава Исаврјанина\, оклеветан би Јован од овога цара код калифа\, који му одсече десну руку. Он припаде на молитву пред иконом Пресвете Богородице\, и рука му се састави и зарасте чудесно. Видећи то чудо\, калиф се раскаја\, но Јован не хте више остати код њега као великаш\, него се повуче у манастир\, где беше од почетка узор монасима у смерности\, послушности и свима прописаним подвизима монашким. Испевао посмртне песме\, саставио Октоих\, Ирмологију\, Месецослов\, Канон пасхални\, и написао многа богословска дела\, с надахнућем и дубином. Велики као монах\, и као песник\, и као богослов\, и као војник истине Христове\, Дамаскин се рачуна у велике Оце Цркве. Упокојио се мирно око 776. године у стотину четвртој години свога живота.
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/holy-great-martyr-barbara-and-st-john-of-damascus-%d1%81%d0%b2-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d0%bb%d0%b8%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bc%d1%83%d1%87%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%b0-%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%b0/2026-12-17/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Saint-Luke-Logo-Square.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044703Z
UID:10000790-1797492600-1797498000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-13/2026-12-17/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044949Z
UID:10000864-1797526800-1797530400@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers +++ Вечерње
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%9a%d0%b5-9/2026-12-17/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-final.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261218
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261219
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T043530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T043545Z
UID:10000710-1797552000-1797638399@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Saint Sava the Sanctified +++ Свети Сава Освећени
DESCRIPTION:THE VENERABLE SAVA THE SANCTIFIED \nThe unknown village of Mutalaska\, in the province of Cappadocia\, became famous through this great luminary of the Orthodox Church. Sava was born there of his parents John and Sophia. At the age of eight\, he left the home of his parents and was tonsured a monk in a nearby monastic community called Flavian’s. After ten years\, he moved to the monasteries of Palestine and remained longest in the Monastery of St. Euthymius the Great (January 20) and Theoctistus. The clairvoyant Euthymius prophesied of Sava that he would become a famous monk and a teacher of monks and that he would establish a lavra greater than all the lavras of that time. After the death of Euthymius\, Sava withdrew to the desert\, where he lived for five years as a hermit in a cave shown to him by an angel of God. Afterward\, when he had been perfected in the monastic life\, he began by divine providence to gather around him many who were desirous of the spiritual life. Soon\, such a large number gathered that Sava had to build a church and many cells. Some Armenians also came to him\, and for them he provided a cave where they would be able to celebrate services in the Armenian language. When his father died\, his aged mother Sophia came to him\, and he tonsured her a nun. He gave her a cell located at a distance from his monastery\, where she lived a life of asceticism until her death. This holy father endured many assaults from all sides: from those who were close to him\, from heretics\, and from demons. But he triumphed over them all: those close to him\, by kindness and indulgence; the heretics\, by his unwavering confession of the Orthodox Faith; the demons\, by the sign of the Cross and calling upon God for help. He had a particularly great struggle with demons on Mount Castellium\, where he established his second monastery. In all\, Sava established seven monasteries. He and Theodosius the Great\, his neighbor\, are considered to be the greatest lights and pillars of Orthodoxy in the East. They corrected emperors and patriarchs in matters of the Faith\, and to everyone they served as an example of saintly humility and the miraculous power of God. After a toilsome and very fruitful life\, St. Sava entered into rest in the year 532 A.D.\, at the age of ninety-four. Among his many wondrous and good works\, let it at least be mentioned that he was the first to compile the Order of Services for use in monasteries\, now known as the Jerusalem Typicon. \nSaint Sava the Sanctified before his death prophesied that his staff ought to be given to a prince from a foreign land and who bears his name when he comes to visit the monastery. Centuries later\, in a miraculous way it was revealed to the fathers of the monastery that the staff ought to be given to Saint Sava of Serbia. This staff is now kept in the Monastery Hilandar. \n  \n+++ \n  \nПРЕПОДОБНИ САВА ОСВЕЋЕНИ  \nНезнатно село Муталаск у области Кападокијској постало је знаменито по овоме великом светилу цркве православне. Ту се Сава родио од оца Јована и мајке Софије. У осмој години напустио дом родитељски и замонашио се у оближњој обитељи\, званој Флавијанова. После 10 година пређе у Палестинске манастире\, и ту се најдуже задржи у обитељи светог Јевтимија Великог (в. 20. јануар) и Теоктиста. Прозорљиви Јевтимије прорече за њега\, да ће бити славан монах и наставник монасима\, и да ће основати лавру већу од свих лаври тога времена. По смрти светог Јевтимија удаљи се Сава у пустињу\, где у једној пештери\, коју му ангел Божји исказа\, проведе као отшелник пет година. После тога\, када он поста савршен монах\, почеше се\, по Промислу Божјем\, скупљати око њега многи желатељи духовног живота. Убрзо их се скупи тако велики број\, да је Сава морао зидати и цркву и келије многе. Дођоше му и неки Јермени\, којима он одреди пештеру\, где ће служити на јерменском језику. Када му отац умре\, дође му његова остарела мајка Софија\, коју он замонаши\, и даде јој келију даље од свог манастира\, где се она подвизаваше до краја живота. Многе напасти претрпе овај свети отац од блиских људи\, од јеретика и од демона. Но он све побеђиваше\, и то: блиске људе благошћу и попустљивошћу\, јеретике непоколебљивим православним вероисповедањем\, а демоне крсним знаком и призивањем Бога у помоћ. Нарочито је велику борбу имао са демонима на гори Кастелу\, где је основао други свој манастир. Основао је свега седам манастира. Он и Теодосије Велики\, његов сусед\, сматрани су највећим светилима и стубовима Православља на Истоку. Цареве и патријархе они су исправљали у вери\, а свима и свакоме служили примером смерности светитељске и чудесне силе Божје. После трудног и много плодног живота упокоји се свети Сава 532. године у деведесет четвртој години живота. Између многих других чудотворних и добрих дела нека буде споменуто само то\, да је он први уредио чин богослужења по манастирима\, познат под именом чина Јерусалимске цркве. \nПре свог престављења\, Свети Сава Освећени је прорекао да ће у манастир доћи принц из далеке земље који ће носити његово име. Том принцу треба дати његов игумански штап. После много векова\, приликом посете Светог Саве Српског манастиру Светог Саве Освећеног на чудесан начин је било откривено да је то принц из пророштва светог. Игумански штап који је тада добио Свети Сава Српски се до данас чува у Манастиру Хиландару.
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/saint-sava-the-sanctified-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b8-%d1%81%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b0-%d0%be%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%9b%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8/2026-12-18/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Saint-Luke-Logo-Square.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044722Z
UID:10000800-1797579000-1797584400@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-14/2026-12-18/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044430Z
UID:10000740-1797613200-1797616800@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Great Vespers with the Blessing of the Loaves +++ Вечерње са петохљебницом
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/great-vespers-with-the-blessing-of-the-loaves-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%9a%d0%b5-%d1%81%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%be%d1%85%d1%99%d0%b5%d0%b1%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%be%d0%bc-5/2026-12-18/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-with-Petohljebnica.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261219
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261220
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T043704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T043716Z
UID:10000720-1797638400-1797724799@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:St. Nicholas\, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia – Свети Николај\, Архиепископ Мирликијски
DESCRIPTION:SAINT NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER\, ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA IN LYCIA \nThis glorious saint\, celebrated even today throughout the entire world\, was the only son of his eminent and wealthy parents\, Theophanes and Nona\, citizens of the city of Patara in Lycia. Since he was the only son bestowed on them by God\, the parents returned the gift to God by dedicating their son to Him. St. Nicholas learned of the spiritual life from his uncle Nicholas\, Bishop of Patara\, and was tonsured a monk in the Monastery of New Zion founded by his uncle. Following the death of his parents\, Nicholas distributed all his inherited goods to the poor\, not keeping anything for himself. As a priest in Patara\, he was known for his charity\, even though he carefully concealed his charitable works\, fulfilling the words of the Lord: Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matthew 6:3). When he gave himself over to solitude and silence\, thinking to live that way until his death\, a voice from on high came to him: “Nicholas\, for your ascetic labor\, work among the people\, if thou desirest to be crowned by Me.” Immediately after that\, by God’s wondrous providence\, he was chosen archbishop of the city of Myra in Lycia. Merciful\, wise and fearless\, Nicholas was a true shepherd to his flock. During the persecution of Christians under Diocletian and Maximian\, he was cast into prison\, but even there he instructed the people in the Law of God. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea [325] and\, out of great zeal for the truth\, struck the heretic Arius with his hand. For this act he was removed from the Council and from his archiepiscopal duties\, until the Lord Christ Himself and the Most-holy Theotokos appeared to several of the chief hierarchs and revealed their approval of Nicholas. A defender of God’s truth\, this wonderful saint was ever bold as a defender of justice among the people. \nOn two occasions\, he saved three men from an undeserved sentence of death. Merciful\, truthful\, and a lover of justice\, he walked among the people as an angel of God. Even during his lifetime\, the people considered him a saint and invoked his aid in difficulties and in distress. He appeared both in dreams and in person to those who called upon him\, and he helped them easily and speedily\, whether close at hand or far away. A light shone from his face as it did from the face of Moses\, and he\, by his presence alone\, brought comfort\, peace and good will among men. In old age he became ill for a short time and entered into the rest of the Lord\, after a life full of labor and very fruitful toil\, to rejoice eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven\, continuing to help the faithful on earth by his miracles and to glorify his God. He entered into rest on December 6\, 343 A.D. \n+++ \nСВЕТИ НИКОЛАЈ ЧУДОТВОРАЦ\, АРХИЕПИСКОП МИРЛИКИЈСКИ \nОвај славни светитељ\, слављен и данас по целоме свету\, би јединац син у својих знаменитих и богатих родитеља\, Теофана и Ноне\, житеља града Патаре\, у Ликији. Као јединца сина\, дарованог им од Бога\, они опет посветише Богу\, и тиме дадоше га Богу као уздарје. Духовном животу научи се свети Николај код свог стрица Николаја\, епископа патарског\, и замонаши се у манастиру Нови Сион\, основаном тим истим стрицем његовим. По смрти родитеља Николај раздаде наслеђено имање сиромасима не задржавајући ништа за себе. Као свештеник у Патари беше се прочуо својим милосрђем\, мада он брижљиво скриваше своја милосрдна дела испуњујући реч Господњу: „Да не зна левица твоја што чини десница твоја“ (Мт 6\, 3). Када се предаде самоћи и безмолвију\, смишљајући да тако до смрти проживи\, дође му глас свише: „Николаје\, пођи на подвиг у народ\, ако желиш бити од Мене увенчан“. Одмах потом чудесним Промислом Божјим би изабран за архиепископа града Мира у Ликији. Милостив\, мудар\, неустрашив\, свети Николај био је прави пастир добри стаду своме. У време гоњења хришћана под Диоклецијаном и Максимијаном бачен у тамницу\, но и у тамници поучаваше људе закону Божјем. Присуствовао Првом васељенском сабору у Никеји\, и\, из велике ревности према истини\, ударио руком јеретика Арија. Због тога дела би уклоњен са Сабора и од архијерејске службе све док се неколицини првих архијереја на Сабору не јави сам Господ Христос и Пресвета Богородица и не објавише Своје благоволење према Николају. Заштитник истине Божје овај дивни светитељ био је вазда и одважан заштитник правде међу људима. У два маха спасао је по три човека од незаслужене смртне казне. Милостив\, истинит\, правдољубив\, он је ходио међу људима као ангел Божји. Још за живота његова људи су га сматрали светитељем и призивали га у помоћ у мукама и бедама; и он се јављао\, у сну и на јави\, онима који су га призивали\, подједнако лако и брзо наблизу и надалеко\, и помагао. Од његовог лица сијала је светлост као од лица Мојсијева\, и он је самом својом појавом доносио утеху\, тишину и добру вољу међу људе. У старости поболе мало и упокоји се у Господу\, многотрудан и многоплодан\, да се вечно весели у Царству небеском продужујући да чудесима на земљи помаже вернима и прославља Бога свога. Упокојио се 6. децембра 343. године.
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/st-nicholas-archbishop-of-myra-in-lycia-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b8-%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%98-%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%85%d0%b8%d0%b5%d0%bf%d0%b8%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bf-%d0%bc/2026-12-19/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Saint-Luke-Logo-Square.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261219T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261219T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T044744Z
UID:10000810-1797665400-1797670800@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-15/2026-12-19/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261220T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261220T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000215-1797760800-1797766200@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2026-12-20/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261225T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261225T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T045006Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251220T212608Z
UID:10000875-1798218000-1798221600@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers +++ Вечерње
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%9a%d0%b5-10/2026-12-25/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-final.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261226
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261227
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T043842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251220T212538Z
UID:10000730-1798243200-1798329599@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Saint Herman of Alaska +++ Свети Герман Аљаски
DESCRIPTION:SAINT HERMAN OF ALASKA\n  \nA spiritual mission was organized in 1793\, made up of monks of the Valaam Monastery. They were sent to preach the Word of God to the native inhabitants of northwestern America\, who only ten years before had come under the sovereignty of Russia. Saint Herman was among the members of this Mission. \nSaint Herman came from a family of merchants of Serpukhov\, a city of the Moscow Diocese. His name before he was tonsured\, and his family name are not known. (The monastic name is given when a monk takes his vows). He had a great zeal for piety from youth\, and at sixteen he entered monastic life. (This was in 1772\, if we assume that Herman was born in 1756\, although sometimes 1760 is given as the date of his birth.) First he entered the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage which was located near the Gulf of Finland on the Peterhof Road\, about 15 versts (about 10 miles) from Saint Petersburg. \nMiraculous Healing \nAt the Saint Sergius Hermitage there occurred the following incident to Father Herman. On the right side of his throat under his chin there appeared an abscess. The swelling grew rapidly\, disfiguring his face. It became difficult for him to swallow\, and the odor was unbearable. In this critical condition Father Herman awaited death. He did not appeal to a physician of this world\, but locking his cell he fell before an icon of the Mother of God. With fervent tears he prayed\, asking of Her that he might be healed. He prayed the whole night. Then he took a wet towel and with it wiped the face of the Most Holy Mother\, and with this towel he covered the swelling. He continued to pray with tears until he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion on the floor. In a dream he saw the Virgin Mary healing him. \nWhen Herman awoke in the morning\, he found to his great surprise that he was fully healed. The swelling had disappeared\, even though the abscess had not broken through\, leaving behind but a small mark as though a reminder of the miracle. Physicians to whom this healing was described did not believe it\, arguing that it was necessary for the abscess to have either broken through of its own accord or to have been cut open. But the words of the physicians were the words of human experience\, for where the grace of God operates there the order of nature is overcome. Such occurrences humble human reason under the strong hand of God’s Mercy. \nLife at Valaam \nFor five or six years Father Herman continued to live in the Saint Sergius Hermitage\, and then he transferred to the Valaam Monastery\, which was widely scattered on the large islands in the waters of the great Lake Ladoga. He came to love the Valaam haven with all his soul\, as he came to love its unforgettable Superior\, the pious Elder Nazarius\, and all the brethren. He wrote to Father Nazarius later from America\, “Your fatherly goodness to me\, humble one\, will be erased out of my heart neither by the terrible\, unpassable Siberian lands\, nor by the dark forests. Nor will it be wiped out by the swift flow of the great rivers; nor will the awful ocean quench these feelings. In my mind I imagine my beloved Valaam\, looking to it beyond the great ocean.” He praised the Elder Nazarius in his letters as\, “the most reverend\, and my beloved father\,” and the brethren of Valaam he called\, “my beloved and dearest.” The place where he lived in America\, deserted Spruce Island\, he called “New Valaam.” And as we can see\, he always remained in spiritual contact with his spiritual homeland\, for as late as 1823\, that is after thirty years of his life within the borders of America\, he wrote letters to the successor of Father Nazarius\, the lgumen Innocent. \nFather Barlaam\, later lgumen of Valaam\, and a contemporary of Father Herman\, who accepted his tonsure from Father Nazarius\, wrote thus of the life of Father Herman. \n“Father Herman went through the various obediences here\, and being ‘well disposed toward every thing’ was in the course of events sent to Serdobol to oversee there the work of quarrying marble. The Brothers loved Father Herman\, and awaited impatiently his return to the cloisters from Serdobol. Recognizing the zeal of the young hermit the wise elder\, Father Nazarius\, released him to take abode in the wilderness. This wilderness was in the deep forest about a mile from the cloister: to this day this place has retained the name ‘Herman’s.’ On holy days\, Father Herman returned to the monastery from the wilderness. Then it was that at Little Vespers he would stand in the choir and sing in his pleasant tenor the responses with the brethren from the Canon\, ‘O Sweetest Jesus\, save us sinners. Most Holy Theotokos\, Save us\,’ and tears would fall like hail from his eyes.” \nThe First Mission to America \nIn the second half of the 18th century the borders of Holy Russia expanded to the north. In those years Russian merchants discovered the Aleutian Islands which formed in the Pacific Ocean a chain from the eastern shores of Kamchatka to the western shores of North America. With the opening of these islands there was revealed the sacred necessity to illumine with the light of the Gospel the native inhabitants. With the blessing of the Holy Synod\, Metropolitan Gabriel gave to the Elder Nazarius the task of selecting capable persons from the brethern of Valaam for this holy endeavor. Ten men were selected\, and among them was Father Herman. The chosen men left Valaam for the place of their great appointment in 1793. (The members of this historical mission were: Archimandrite Joseph (Bolotoff); the hieromonks Juvenal\, Macarius\, Athanasius\, Stephan\, and Nectarius; hierodeacons Nectarius and Stephen; and the monks Joasaph and Herman.) \nAs a result of the holy zeal of the preachers the light of the evangelic sermon quickly poured out among the sons of Russia\, and several thousand pagans accepted Christianity. A school for the education of newly-baptized children was organized\, and a church was built at the place where the missionaries lived. But by the inscrutable providence of God the general progress of the mission was unsatisfactory. After five years of very productive labor\, Archimandrite Joasaph\, who had just been elevated to the rank of bishop\, was drowned with his party. (This occurred on the Pacific Ocean between Kamchatka and the Aleutian Islands. The ship\, Phoenix\, one of the first sea-going ships built in Alaska\, sailed from Okhotsk carrying the first Bishop for the American Mission and his party. The Phoenix was caught in one of the many storms which periodically sweep the northern Pacific\, and the ship and all hands perished together with Bishop Joasaph and his party.) Before this the zealous Hieromonk Juvenal was granted the martyr’s crown. The others died one after another until in the end only Father Herman remained. The Lord permitted him to labor longer than any of his brethren in the apostolic task of enlightening the Aleutians. \nThe New Valaam — Spruce Island \nIn America\, Father Herman chose as his place of habitation Spruce Island\, which he called New Valaam. This island is separated by a strait about a mile and a quarter wide from Kodiak Island on which had been built a wooden monastery for the residence of the members of the mission\, and a wooden church dedicated to the Resurrection of the Savior. (New Valaam was named for Valaam on Lake Ladoga\, the monastery from which Father Herman came to America. It is interesting to note that Valaam is also located on an island\, although\, this island is in a fresh water lake\, whereas\, Spruce Island is on the Pacific Ocean\, although near other islands and the Alaskan mainland.) \nSpruce Island is not large\, and is almost completely covered by a forest. Almost through its middle a small brook flows to the sea. Herman selected this picturesque island for the location of his hermitage. He dug a cave out of the ground with his own hands\, and in it he lived his first full summer. For winter there was built for him a cell near the cave\, in which he lived until his death. The cave was converted by him into a place for his burial. A wooden chapel\, and a wooden house to be used as a schoolhouse and a guest house were built not too distant from his cell. A garden was laid out in front of his cell. For more than forty years Father Herman lived here. \nFather Herman’s Way of Life \nFather Herman himself spaded the garden\, planted potatoes and cabbage and various vegetables in it. For winter\, he preserved mushrooms\, salting or drying them. The salt was obtained by him from ocean water. It is said that a wicker basket in which the Elder carried seaweed from the shore\, was so large that it was difficult for one person to carry. The seaweed was used for fertilizing the soil. But to the astonishment of all\, Father Herman carried a basket filled with seaweed for a long distance without any help at all. By chance his disciple\, Gerasim\, saw him one winter night carrying a large log which normally would be carried by four men; and he was bare footed. Thus worked the Elder\, and everything that he acquired as a result of his immeasurable labors was used for the feeding and clothing of orphans and also for books for his students. \nHis clothes were the same for winter as for summer. He did not wear a shirt; instead he wore a smock of deer skin\, which he did not take off for several years at a time\, nor did he change it\, so that the fur in it was completely worn away\, and the leather became glossy. Then there were his boots or shoes\, cassock (podrasnik)\, an ancient and faded out cassock (riasa) full of patchwork\, and his headdress (klobuk). He went everywhere in these clothes\, and at all times; in the rain\, in snowstorms\, and during the coldest freezing weather. In this\, Father Herman followed the example of many Eastern Ascetic Fathers and Monks who showed the greatest concern for the welfare and needs of others. Yet\, they themselves wore the oldest possible clothes to show their great humility before God\, and their detachment from worldly things. \nA small bench covered with a time-worn deerskin served as Father Herman’s bed. He used two bricks for a pillow; these were hidden from visitors by a skin or a shirt. There was no blanket. Instead\, he covered himself with a wooden board which lay on the stove. This board Father Herman himself called his blanket\, and he willed that it be used to cover his remains; it was as long as he was tall. “During my stay in the cell of Father Herman\,” writes the creole Constantine Larionov\, “I\, a sinner\, sat on his ‘blanket’-and I consider this the acme of my fortune!” (‘creole’ is the name by which the Russians referred to the children of mixed marriages of native Indians of Alaska\, Eskimo and Aleuts with Russians.) \nOn the occasions when Father Herman was the guest of administrators of the American Company and in the course of their soul-saving talks he sat up with them until midnight. He never spent the night with them\, but regardless of the weather he always returned to his hermitage. If for some extraordinary reason it was necessary for him to spend the night away from his cell\, then in the morning the bed which had been prepared for him would be found untouched; the Elder not having slept at all. The same was true in his hermitage where having spent the night in talks\, he never rested. \nThe Elder ate very little. As a guest\, he scarcely tasted the food\, and remained without dinner. In his cell his dinner consisted of a very small portion of a small fish or some vegetables. His body\, emaciated as a result of his labors\, his vigils\, and fasting\, was crushed by chains which weighed about sixteen pounds. These chains are kept to this day in the chapel. Telling of these deeds of Father Herman\, his disciple\, the Aleut Ignaty Aligyaga\, added\, “Yes\, Apa led a very hard life\, and no one can imitate his life!” (The Aleutian word “Apa” means Elder or grandfather\, and it is a name indicative of the great affection in which he was held). \nOur writing of the incidents in the life of the Elder deal\, so to speak\, with the external aspects of his labor. “His most important works\,” says the Bishop Peter\, “were his exercises in spiritual endeavor in his isolated cell where no one saw him\, but outside the cell they heard him singing and celebrating services to God according to the monastic rule.” This witness of the Bishop is supported by the following answers of Father Herman\, himself: “How do you manage to live alone in the forest\, Father Herman? Don’t you ever become lonesome?” He answered\, “No I am not there alone! God is here\, as God is everywhere. The Holy Angels are there. With whom is it better to talk\, with people\, or with Angels? Most certainly with Angels.” \nFather Herman and the Native Alaskans \nThe way in which Father Herman looked upon the natives of America\, how he understood his own relations with them\, and how he was concerned for their needs he expressed himself in one of his letters to the former administrator of the colony\, Simeon Yanovsky. He wrote\, “Our Creator granted to our beloved homeland this land which like a newly-born babe does not yet have the strength for knowledge or understanding. It requires not only protection\, because of its infantile weakness and impotence\, but also his sustenance. Even for this it does not yet have the ability to make an appeal on its own behalf. And since the welfare of this nation by the Providence of God\, it is not known for how long\, is dependent on and has been entrusted into the hands of the Russian government which has now been given into your own power\, therefore I\, the most humble servant of these people\, and their nurse (nyanka) stand before you in their behalf\, write this petition with tears of blood. Be our Father and our Protector. Certainly we do not know how to be eloquent\, so with an inarticulate infant’s tongue we say: Wipe away the tears of the defenseless orphans\, cool the hearts melting away in the fire of sorrow. Help us to know what consolation means.” \nThe Elder acted the way he felt. He always interceded before the governors on behalf of those who had transgressed. He defended those who had been offended. He helped those who were in need with whatever means he had available. The Aleuts\, men\, women and children\, often visited him. Some asked for advice\, others complained of oppression\, others sought out defense\, and still others desired help. Each one received the greatest possible satisfaction from the Elder. He discussed their mutual difficulties\, and he tried to settle these peacefully. He was especially concerned about reestablishing understanding in families. If he did not succeed in reconciling a husband and wife\, the Elder prevailed upon them to separate temporarily. The need for such a procedure he explained thus\, “it is better to let them live apart\, or believe me\, it can be terrible if they are not separated. There have been incidents when a husband killed his wife\, or when a wife destroyed her husband.” \nFather Herman especially loved children. He made large quantities of biscuits for them\, and he baked cookies (krendelki) for them; and the children were fond of the Elder. Father Herman’s love for the Aleuts reached the point of self-denial. \nAn Epidemic Strikes \nA ship from the United States brought to Sitka Island\, and from there to Kodiak Island\, a contagious disease\, a fatal illness. It began with a fever\, a heavy cold\, and difficult respiration\, and it ended with chills; in three days the victim died. On the island there was neither a doctor nor medicine. The illness spread rapidly through the village\, and then throughout the nearby areas. The disease affected all\, even infants. The fatalities were so great that for three days there was no one to dig graves\, and the bodies remained unburied. An eyewitness said\, “I cannot imagine anything more tragic and horrible than the sight which struck me when I visited an Aleutian ‘Kazhim’. This was a large building\, or barracks\, with dividing sections\, in which the Aleuts lived with their families; it contained about 100 people. Here some had died\, their cold bodies lay near the living; others were dying; there were groans and weeping which tore at one’s soul.” \n“I saw mothers over whose bodies cold in death crawled a hungry child\, crying and searching in vain for its food…My heart was bursting with compassion! It seemed that if anyone could paint with a worthy brush the full horror of this tragic scene\, that he would have successfully aroused fear of death in the most embittered heart.” Father Herman\, during this terrible sickness which lasted a whole month\, gradually dying out towards the end\, visited the sick\, never tiring. He admonished them in their fear\, prayed\, brought them to penance\, or prepared them for death. He never spared himself. \nFather Herman as a Spiritual Teacher \nThe Elder was concerned in particular for the moral growth of the Aleuts. With this end in mind a school was built for children-the orphans of the Aleuts. He himself taught them the Law of God and church music. For this same purpose he gathered the Aleuts on Sunday and Holy Days for prayer in the chapel near his cell. Here his disciple read the Hours and the various prayers while the Elder himself read the Epistle and Gospel. He also preached to them. His students sang\, and they sang very well. The Aleuts loved to hear his sermons\, gathering around him in large numbers. The Elder’s talks were captivating\, and his listeners were moved by their wonderous power. He himself writes of one example of the beneficial results of his words. \n“Glory to the holy destinies of the Merciful God! He has shown me now through his unfathomable Providence a new occurrence which I\, who have lived here for twenty years had never seen before on Kodiak\,” he wrote. “Recently after Easter\, a young girl about twenty years of age who knows Russian well\, came to me. Having heard of the Incarnation of the Son of God and of Eternal Life\, she became so inflamed with love for Jesus Christ that she does not wish to leave me. She pleaded eloquently with me. Contrary to my personal inclination and love for solitude\, and despite all the hindrances and difficulties which I put forward before accepting her\, she has now been living near the school for a month and is not lonesome. I\, looking on this with great wonder\, remembered the words of the Savior: ‘that which is hidden from the wise and learned is revealed to babes’” (Matthew 11:25). \nThis woman lived at the school until the death of the Elder. She watched for the good conduct of the children who studied in his school. Father Herman willed that after his death she was to continue to live on Spruce Island. Her name was Sophia Vlasova. \nYanovsky writes about the character and the eloquence of the talks of the Elder thus: “When I met Father Herman I was thirty years old. I must say that I was educated in the naval corps school; that I knew many sciences having read extensively. But to my regret\, the Science of sciences\, that is the Law of God\, I barely remembered the externals—and these only theoretically\, not applying them to life. I was a Christian in name only\, but in my soul and in reality\, I was a freethinker. Furthermore\, I did not admit the divinity and holiness of our religion\, for I had read through many atheistic works. Father Herman recognized this immediately and he desired to reconvert me. To my great surprise he spoke so convincingly\, wisely—and he argued with such conviction—that it seemed to me that no learning or worldly wisdom could stand one’s ground before his words. We conversed with him daily until midnight\, and even later\, of God’s love\, of eternity\, of the salvation of souls\, and of Christian living. From his lips flowed a ceaseless stream of sweet words! By these continual talks and by the prayers of the holy Elder the Lord returned me completely to the way of Truth\, and I became a real Christian. I am indebted for all this to Father Herman; he is my true benefactor. \n“Several years ago\,” continues Yanovsky\, “Father Herman converted a certain naval captain G. to Orthodoxy from the Lutheran Faith. This captain was well educated. Besides many sciences\, he was well versed in languages. He knew Russian\, English\, German\, French\, Italian and also some Spanish. But for all this he could not resist the convictions and proofs of Father Herman. He changed his faith and was united to the Orthodox Church through Chrismation. When he was leaving America\, the Elder said to him while they were parting\, “Be on guard\, if the Lord should take your wife from you then do not marry a German woman under any circumstance. If you do marry a German woman\, undoubtedly she will damage your Orthodoxy.” The Captain gave his word\, but he failed to keep it. The warning of the Elder was prophetic. Indeed\, after several years the Captain’s wife did die\, and he married a German woman. There is no doubt that his faith weakened or that he left it; for he died suddenly without penance.” \nFurther on Yanovsky writes\, “Once the Elder was invited aboard a frigate which came from Saint Petersburg. The Captain of the frigate was a highly educated man\, who had been sent to America by order of the Emperor to make an inspection of all the colonies. There were more than twenty-five officers with the Captain\, and they also were educated men. In the company of this group sat a monk of a hermitage\, small in stature and wearing very old clothes. All these educated conversationalists were placed in such a position by his wise talks that they did not know how to answer him. The Captain himself used to say\, ‘We were lost for an answer before him.’ \n“Father Herman gave them all one general question: ‘Gentlemen\, What do you love above all\, and what will each of you wish for your happiness?’ Various answers were offered … Some desired wealth\, others glory\, some a beautiful wife\, and still others a beautiful ship he would captain; and so forth in the same vein. ‘Is it not true\,’ Father Herman said to them concerning this\, ‘that all your various wishes can bring us to one conclusion—that each of you desires that which in his own understanding he considers the best\, and which is most worthy of his love?’ They all answered\, ‘Yes\, that is so!’ He then continued\, ‘Would you not say\, Is not that which is best\, above all\, and surpassing all\, and that which by preference is most worthy of love\, the Very Lord\, our Jesus Christ\, who created us\, adorned us with such ideals\, gave life to all\, sustains everything\, nurtures and loves all\, who is Himself Love and most beautiful of all men? Should we not then love God above every thing\, desire Him more than anything\, and search Him out?’ \n“All said\, ‘Why\, yes! That’s self-evident!’ Then the Elder asked\, ‘But do you love God?’ They all answered\, ‘Certainly\, we love God. How can we not love God?’ ‘And I a sinner have been trying for more than forty years to love God\, I cannot say that I love Him completely\,’ Father Herman protested to them. He then began to demonstrate to them the way in which we should love God. ‘If we love someone\,’ he said\, ‘we always remember them; we try to please them. Day and night our heart is concerned with the subject. Is that the way you gentlemen love God? Do you turn to Him often? Do you always remember Him? Do you always pray to Him and fulfill His holy commandments?’ They had to admit that they had not! ‘For our own good\, and for our own fortune\,’ concluded the Elder\, ‘let us at least promise ourselves that from this very minute we will try to love God more than anything and to fulfill His Holy Will!’ Without any doubt this conversation was imprinted in the hearts of the listeners for the rest of their lives.’ \n“In general\, Father Herman liked to talk of eternity\, of salvation of the future life\, of our destinies under God. He often talked on the lives of the Saints\, on the Prologue\, but he never spoke about anything frivolous. It was so pleasant to hear him that those who conversed with him\, the Aleuts and their wives\, were so captivated by his talks that often they did not leave him until dawn\, and then they left him with reluctance;” thus witnesses the Creole\, Constantine Larionov. \nA Description of Father Herman \nYanovsky writes a detailed description of Father Herman. “I have a vivid memory\,” he said\, “Of all the features of the Elder’s face reflecting goodness; his pleasant smile\, his meek and attractive mien\, his humble and quiet behavior\, and his gracious word. He was short of stature. His face was pale and covered with wrinkles. His eyes were greyish-blue\, full of sparkle\, and on his head there were a few gray hairs. His voice was not powerful\, but it was very pleasant.” Yanovsky relates two incidents from his conversations with the Elder. “Once\,” he writes\, “I read to Father Herman the ode\, ‘God\,’ by Derzhavin. The Elder was surprised\, and entranced. He asked me to read it again. I read it once more\, “Is it possible that a simple\, educated man wrote this?” he asked. “Yes\, a learned poet\,” I answered. “This has been written under God’s inspiration\,” said the Elder. \nThe Martyrdom of Peter \n“On another occasion I was relating to him how the Spanish in California had imprisoned fourteen Aleuts\, and how the Jesuits were forcing all of them to accept the Catholic Faith. But this Aleut would not agree under any circumstances\, saying\, ‘We are Christians.’ The Jesuits protested\, ‘That’s not true; you are heretics and schismatics. If you do not agree to accept our faith then we will torture all of you.’ Then the Aleuts were placed in cells until evening; two to a cell. At night the Jesuits came to the prison with lanterns and lighted candles. They began to persuade the Aleuts in the cell once again to accept the Catholic Faith. ‘We are Christians\,’ was the answer of the Aleuts\, ‘and we will not change our Faith.’ Then the Jesuits began to torture them\, at first the one while his companion was the witness. They cut the toes off his feet\, first one joint and then the other joint. And then they cut the first joint on the fingers of the hands\, and then the other joint. Afterwards they cut off his feet\, and his hands; the blood flowed. The martyr endured all and steadfastly insisted on one thing: ’I am a Christian.’ In such suffering\, he bled to death. The Jesuit promised to torture to death his comrades also on the next day…. But that night an order was received from Monterey stating that the imprisoned Aleuts were to be released immediately\, and sent there under escort. Therefore\, in the morning all were dispatched to Monterey with the exception of the martyred Aleut. This was related to me by a witness\, the same Aleut who was the comrade of the tortured Aleut. Afterwards he escaped from imprisonment\, and I reported this incident to the supreme authorities in Saint Petersburg. When I finished my story\, Father Herman asked\, ‘And how did they call the martyred Aleut?’ I answered\, ‘Peter; I do not remember his family name.’ The Elder stood up before an icon reverently\, made the sign of the Cross and pronounced\, ’Holy newly-martyred Peter\, pray to God for us!’” \nThe Spirit of Father Herman’s Teaching \nIn order to express the spirit of Father Herman’s teaching\, we present here a quotation from a letter that was written by his own hand. \n“The empty years of these desires separate us from our heavenly homeland\, and our Love for these desires and our habits clothe us\, as it were\, in an odious dress; it is called by the Apostle ‘the external (earthy) man’ (1 Corinthians 15:47). We who are wanderers in the journey of this life call to God for aid. We must divest ourselves of this repulsiveness\, and put on new desires\, and a new love for the coming age. Thus\, through this we will know either an attraction or a repulsion for the heavenly homeland. It is possible to do this quickly\, but we must follow the example of the sick\, who wishing for desired health\, do not stop searching for means of curing themselves. But I am not speaking clearly.” \nNot desiring anything for himself in life\, when he first came to America\, he refused in his humility the dignity of hieromonk and archimandrite\, deciding to remain forever a common monk\, Father Herman\, without the least fear before the powerful\, strove with all sincerity for God. With gentle love\, and disregarding the person\, he criticized many for intemperate living\, for unworthy behavior\, and for oppressing the Aleuts. Evil armed itself against him and gave him all sorts of trouble and sorrow. But God protected the Elder. The Administrator of the Colony\, Yanovsky\, not having yet seen Father Herman\, after receiving one of those complaints\, had already written to Saint Petersburg of the necessity of his removal. He explained that it seemed that he was arousing the Aleuts against the administration. But this accusation turned out to be unjust\, and in the end Yanovsky was numbered among the admirers of Father Herman. \nOnce an inspector came to Spruce Island with the Administrator of the Colony and with company employees to search through Father Herman’s cell. This party expected to find property of great value in Father Herman’s cell. But when they found nothing of value\, an employee of the American Company\, Ponomarkhov\, began to tear up the floor with an axe\, undoubtedly with the consent of his seniors. Then Father Herman said to him\, “My friend\, you have lifted the axe in vain; this weapon shall deprive you of your life.” Some time later people were needed at Fort Nicholas\, and for that reason several Russian employees were sent there from Kodiak; among them was Ponomarkhov; there the natives of Kenai cut off his head while he slept. \nThe Temptations of Father Herman \nMany great sorrows were borne by Father Herman from evil spirits. He himself revealed this to his disciple\, Gerasim. Once when he entered Father Herman’s cell without the usual prayer he received no answer from Father Herman to any of his questions. The next day Gerasim asked him the reason for his silence. On that occasion Father Herman said to him\, “When I came to this island and settled in this hermitage the evil spirits approached me ostensibly to be helpful. They came in the form of a man\, and in the form of animals. I suffered much from them; from various afflictions and temptations. And that is why I do not speak now to anyone who enters into my presence without prayer.” (It is customary among devout laymen\, as well as clergy\, to say out loud a prayer\, and upon hearing a response ending with Amen\, to enter and go to the icon in the room to reverence it\, and to say a prayer before greeting the host). \nSupernatural Gifts from God \nHerman dedicated himself fully for the Lord’s service; he strove with zeal solely for the glorification of His Most Holy Name. Far from his homeland in the midst of a variety of afflictions and privations Father Herman spent several decades performing the noblest deeds of self-sacrifice. He was privileged to receive many supernatural gifts from God. \nIn the midst of Spruce Island down the hill flows a little stream into the sea. The mouth of this stream was always swept by surf. In the spring when the brook fish appeared the Elder raked away some of the sand at its mouth so that the fish could enter\, and at their first appearance they rushed up the stream. His disciple\, lgnaty\, said\, “it was so that if ‘Apa’ would tell me\, I would go and get fish in the stream!” Father Herman fed the birds with dried fish\, and they would gather in great numbers around his cell. Underneath his cell there lived an ermine. This little animal can not be approached when it has had its young\, but the Elder fed it from his own hand. “Was not this a miracle that we had seen?” said his disciple\, Ignaty. They also saw Father Herman feeding bears. But when Father Herman died the birds and animals left; even the garden would not give any sort of crops even though someone had willingly taken care of it\, Ignaty insisted. \nOn Spruce Island there once occurred a flood. The inhabitants came to the Elder in great fear. Father Herman then took an icon of the Mother of God from the home where his students lived\, and placed it on a “laida” (a sandy bank) and began to pray. After his prayer he turned to those present and said\,“Have no fear\, the water will not go any higher than the place where this holy icon stands.” The words of the Elder were fulfilled. After this he promised the same aid from this holy icon in the future\, through the intercessions of the Mother of God. He entrusted the icon to his disciple Sophia; in case of future floods the icon was to be placed on the “laida.” This icon is preserved on the island to this day. \nAt the request of the Elder\, Baron F. P. Wrangel wrote a letter to a Metropolitan (his name is not known) which was dictated by Father Herman. When the letter was completed and read\, the Elder congratulated the Baron upon his attaining the rank of admiral. The Baron was taken aback. This was news to him. It was confirmed\, but only after an elapse of some time\, and just before he departed for Saint Petersburg. \nFather Herman said to the administrator Kashevarov\, from whom he accepted his son from the font (during the Sacrament of Baptism)\, “I am sorry for you\, my dear ‘kum.’ It’s a shame; the change will be unpleasant for you.” In two years\, during a change of administration\, Kashevarov was sent to Sitka in chains. \nOnce\, the forest on Spruce Island caught fire. The Elder\, with his disciple Ignaty\, in a thicket of the forest made a belt about a yard wide in which they turned over the moss. They extended it to the foot of the hill. The Elder said\, “Rest assured\, the fire will not pass this line.” On the next day\, according to the testimony of Ignaty\, there was no hope of salvation (from the fire) and the fire\, pushed by a strong wind\, reached the place where the moss had been turned over by the Elder. The fire ran over the moss and halted\, leaving untouched the thick forest which was beyond the line. \nThe Elder often said that there would be a Bishop for America; this at a time when no one even thought of it\, and there was no hope that there would be a Bishop for America. This was related by Bishop Peter\, and his prophecy was fulfilled in time. \n“After my death\,” said Father Herman\, “there will be an epidemic\, many people shall die during it\, and the Russians shall unite the Aleuts.” And so it happened. It seems that about a half a year after his passing\, there was a smallpox epidemic; the death rate in America during the epidemic was tremendous. In some villages\, only a few inhabitants remained alive. This led the administration of the colony to unite the Aleuts; the twelve settlements were consolidated into seven. \n“Although a long time shall elapse after my death\, I will not be forgotten” said Father Herman to his disciples. “My place of habitation will not remain empty. A monk like me\, who will be escaping from the glory of men\, will come and he will live on Spruce Island\, and Spruce Island will not be without people.” (This prophecy has now been fulfilled in its entirety. Just such a monk as Father Herman described lived on Spruce Island for many years; his name was Archimandrite Gerasim\, who died on October 13\, 1969. This monk took on himself the responsibility of taking care of the Chapel under which the Elder Herman was first buried. Metropolitan Leonty\, soon after his elevation to the primacy of the Russian Orthodox Church in America\, made a pilgrimage to Spruce Island\, and the grave of Saint Herman.) \nProphecies for the Future \nThe Creole Constantine\, when he was not more than twelve years old\, was asked by Father Herman\, “My beloved one\, what do you think; this chapel which they are building now\, will it ever stand empty?” The youngster answered\, “I do not know\, Apa.” “Indeed\,” said Constantine\, “I did not understand his question at that time\, even though the whole conversation with the Elder remains vivid in my memory.” The Elder remained silent for some time\, and then said\, “My child\, remember\, in time there will be a monastery in this place.” \nFather Herman said to his disciple the Aleut Ignaty Aligyaga\, “Thirty years shall pass after my death\, and all those living on Spruce Island will have died\, but you alone will remain alive. You will be old and poor when I will be remembered.” And indeed after the death of Father Herman thirty years passed when they were reminded of him\, and they began to gather information and facts about him\, on the basis of which his Life was written. “It is amazing\,” exclaims Ignaty\, “how a man like us could know all this so long before it happened! However\, no\, he was no ordinary man! He knew our thoughts\, and involuntarily he led us to the point where we revealed them to him\, and we received counsel from him.” \n“When I die\,” the Elder said to his disciple\, “you will bury me alongside Father Joasaph. You will bury me by yourself\, for you will not wait for the priest. Do not wash my body. Lay it on a board. Clasp my hands over my chest\, wrap me in my mantia (the monk’s outer cloak)\, and with its wings cover my face and place the klobuk (monastic head covering) on my head. If anyone wishes to bid farewell to me\, let them kiss the Cross. Do not show my face to anyone….” \nThe Repose of Father Herman \nThe time of the Elder’s passing had come. One day he ordered his disciple Gerasim to light a candle before the Icons\, and to read the Acts of the Holy Apostles. After some time his face glowed brightly and he said in a loud voice\, “Glory to Thee\, O Lord!” He then ordered the reading to be halted\, and he announced that the Lord had willed that his life would now be spared for another week. A week later\, again by his orders\, candles were lit\, and the Acts of the Holy Apostles were read. Quietly\, the Elder bowed his head on Gerasim’s chest; the cell was filled with a sweet-smelling odor; and his face glowed\, and Father Herman was no more! Thus he died in blessedness\, he passed away in the sleep of a righteous man in the eighty-first year of his life of great labor the 25th day of December 1837. (It was the 13th of December according to the Julian Calendar\, although there are some records which state that he died on November 28th and was buried on December 26th). \nThose sent with the sad news to the harbor returned to announce that the administrator of the colony Kashevarov had forbidden the burial of the Elder until his own arrival. He also ordered that a finer coffin be made for Father Herman\, and that he would come as soon as possible and would bring a priest with him. But then a great wind came up\, a rain fell\, and a terrible storm broke. The distance from the harbor to Spruce Island is not great—about a two hour journey—but no one would agree to go to sea in such weather. Thus it continued for a full month\, and although the body lay in state for a full month in the warm house of his students\, his face did not undergo any change at all\, and not the slightest odor emanated from his body. Finally\, through the efforts of Kuzma Uchilischev\, a coffin was obtained. No one arrived from the harbor\, and the inhabitants of Spruce Island alone buried the remains of the Elder in the ground. Thus the words which Father Herman uttered before his death were fulfilled. After this the wind quieted down\, and the surface of the sea became as smooth as a mirror. \nOne evening\, above the village Katani (on Afognak) an unusual pillar of light which reached up to heaven was seen above Spruce Island. Astonished by the miraculous appearance\, experienced elders and the Creole Gerasim Vologdin and his wife Anna said\, “It seems that Father Herman has left us\,” and they began to pray. After a time\, they were informed that the Elder had indeed passed away that very night. This same pillar was seen in various places by others. On the night of his death a vision was seen in another of the settlements on Afognak; it seemed as though a man was rising from Spruce Island into the clouds. \nThe disciples buried their father\, and placed a wooden memorial marker above his grave. Father Peter Kashevarov\, the priest on Kodiak\, says\, “I saw it myself\, and I can say that today it seems as though it had never been touched by time; as though it had been cut this day.” \nHaving witnessed the life of Father Herman glorified by his zealous labors\, having seen his miracles\, and the fulfillment of his predictions\, finally having observed his blessed falling asleep\, “in general\, all the local inhabitants\,” Bishop Peter witnesses\, “have the highest esteem for him\, as though he was a holy ascetic\, and they are fully convinced that he has found favor in the presence of God.” \nIn 1842\, five years after the passing away of the Elder\, Archbishop Innocent of Kamchatka and the Aleutians\, was near Kodiak on a sailing vessel which was in great distress. He looked to Spruce Island\, and said to himself\, “If you have found favor in God’s presence\, Father Herman\, then may the wind change.” It seems as though not more than fifteen minutes had passed\, said the bishop\, when the wind became favorable\, and he successfully reached the shore. In thanksgiving for being saved\, Archbishop Innocent himself conducted a Memorial Service (Panikhida) over the grave of the blessed Father Herman. \nO Holy Father Herman of Alaska\, pray unto God for us! \nSource: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2016/08/09/102241-glorification-of-venerable-herman-of-alaska-wonderworker-of-all                                        12/24/2023 \n+++ \nСВЕТИ ГЕРМАН АЉАСКИ\nУ XVIII веку живео је у Русији дечак по имену Герман\, који је чезнуо за Богом више него за било чим другим у овом пролазном свету. Када је имао дванаест година овај – за Бога већ опредељени – дечак отишао је у манастир. Духовник тог манастира је био чувени старац Теодор Санаксарски\, пријатељ монаха Пајсија Величковског. \nЈедном приликом неки људи\, у потрази за печуркама\, зађоше дубоко у шуму и тамо набасаше на малену колибу. Из колибе изиђе дечак: био је то млади Герман који је већ у том узрасту подвижнички живео у беспутној руској дивиљини. Герман је читавим својим бићем волео тиховатељски живот у дивљини\, јер је управо ту проналазио Бога. Док је још био сасвим млад\, Герман се нашао лицем у лице са смрћу: оболео је од опасне и болне инфекције. И мада се – тешко болестан – већ растављао са животом\, Герман није хтео да иде земаљскоме лекару\, већ се закључао у келију и са сузама молио Богу своме за исцељење. После целоноћне молитве Герман је пао у несвест од исцрпљености и бесвесно лежао на поду. Када се ујутру пробудио\, осетио је да је потпуно оздравио. Ове Божије посете Герман се\, као свог највећег блага\, сећао до краја живота. \nПосле много година једноставног монашког живота\, монах Герман се преселио у велики и чувени валаамски манастир који се налазио на острву усред језера. У то време игуман манастира је био праведни старац Назарије. Он је подучавао Германа духовном животу\, пригрливши га као што би отац пригрлио свог сина. Назарије је овако говорио младом Герману: \n„Монах мора неодступно испуњавати Господше заповести\, чезнути за достизањем ангелскога стања и поретка\, узрастати у богопознању и љубави према Богу и ближњима. Монах се у свему мора држати речи Божијих и не сме нимало обраћати пажњу на глас који га зове на порок. Монах мора просвећивати свој ум вишњом светлошћу\,мора чувати своје тело неокаљаним\, његова уста морају бити окована ћутањем\, а његов језик – чист. Монах се мора непрестано сећати смрти\, мора непрестано умирати за овај свет. Такав би сваки монах требало да буде\, и то је темељ који би монах требало да положи за испуњење свог завета\, е да би могао да принесе Богу не само дарове свог видивог подвига\, већ и жртвени принос своје душе и свога духа”. \nНазаријеви духовни савети и очинска љубав испуниле су монаха Германа огњеном ревношћу. Видевши то\, Назарије допусти Герману да живи сам у дивљини. Ова стаза одвајања и одрицања од света је само за малобројне и изабране монахе\, који су у стању да издрже такав тегобан и усамљенички живот. Монах Герман је био један од тих малобројних. \nПосле много подвига и борбе у самоћи\, дошло је време да Герман оконча свој отшелнички живот\, јер је старац Назарије затражио од Германа да иде у далеку земљу и тамо мисионарски проповеда Христа. Герман је прихватио крст саможртвеног мисионарског подвига и\, са седморицом монаха\, напустио Отаџбину да би помогао људима који страдаху без Христа на туђој земљи. Њих осморица отидоше за Америку. \n1794. мала група православних монаха стигла је у северозападну област Америке\, звану Аљаска. После тегобног путовања кроз сибирску дивљину и опасне пловидбе преко океана\, они стигоше до Аљаске где наставише своја мисионарска путовања. Они су учили обичаје и језик домородаца\, живели са њима и никада се нису постављали као виши од домородаца којима су проповедали Христа. \nДомородачка племена била су крајње дивљачког понашања\, тако да су их Герман и његови монаси\, уз велике тешкоће\, учили Христовоме миру и састрадалној милости. Учили су домороце дугоочекиваној Истини Христовој\, коју су многи домороци прихватили без оклевања. Аљаски домороци су сасвим природно прихватали Христа зато што су одавно већ чекали на откривење пуне Истине Божије\, која је требало да буде објављена свету. Они су ту истину препознали у Христу. \nМонах Герман се настанио на острву Спрус Ајленд (Острво смреке)\, близу Кодиака\, док су остали монаси наставили своја мисионарска путовања. Герман је ту почео да живи истим пустињачким животом\, којим је живео у дивљини своје родне Русије. Он је пронашао одговарајуће место у густој шуми и саградио своје ново станиште по узору на „барабара”-колибе (колибе које су аљаски домороци градили од стабала дрвећа које је расло крај мора и маховине) тамошњих домородаца. Он је свој нови дом назвао „Нови Валаам” по манастиру\, који је оставио у родној Русији\, јер му је Отаџбина много недостајала. \nТамо\, у непроходној шуми\, потпуно сам на пустом ос-трвцу\, Герман се молио\, постио и живео у миру и ћутању. Живео је у свом свету Светитеља Божијих и ангела\, проливајући многе сузе љубави према Богу. Домороци\, видевши његов саможртвени и богоносни живот\, заволеше га веома и долажаху му у посету да слушају његове приче о Русији и о животима Светитеља и праведника Божијих. \nУ то време су на Аљаску долазили и тамо се насељавали многи Руси са намером да зараде новац на рачун аљаских домородаца. Герман је за те похлепне и агресивне досељенике дредстављао препреку тако да су они решили да га уклоне. Они су га често нападали због тога што је бранио домороце\, као и нису могли да поднесу пример његовог богоугодног живота. Они су много пута покушали да га застраше\, али Герман је знајући да тако мора да буде – истрпео све тешкоће са отменом хришћанском храброшћу. \nГерман је видео да међу домороцима има много сирочади и ванбрачне деце\, те почео да их доводи на своје острвце где се о њима бринуо као прави отац. Он се старао да их нахрани и телесно и душевно\, приправљао им је переце и пите од лососа\, подизао их у богопознању. Он је био њихов једини заштитник. \nУ писму Сергију Јановском\, управитељу Руских колонија\, чији су се становници ужасно опходили према домородцима\, монах Герман пише: „Ја\, најпонизнији слуга овдашњег становништва\, стајем пред вас са крвавим сузама и пишем мој захтев: будите отац и заштитник наш! Утрите сузу беспомоћној сирочади\, олакшајте жалост у напаћеним срцима\, дајте нам да осетимо шта је утеха”. \nМонах Герман је живео животом потпуног себеодрицања: подизао је сирочад\, али – у исти мах – држао сва монашка правила о посту\, молитви и тиховању. Носио је исту одећу и лети и зими\, трпећи страшне крајности аљаског поднебља. Преко одеће је носио само кожу јелена\, коју није скидао нити мењао читавих осам година. \nГерман је спавао у мртвачком сандуку\, да би се\, на тај начин\, и када спава сећао смрти. Камен који је користио уместо јастука био је прекривен јеленском кожом тако да посетиоци нису могли видети на чему стварно спава. Јео је врло мало\, а своје тело подвргавао је најстрожим подвизима\, одричући се сваке лагодности овога света која би одвлачила његову пажњу од Бога. Да би умртвио своје тело и подвизавао се још више\, носио је око врата ланац са великим металним крстом који је био тежак око осам килограма. Нико те ланце никада није видео током његовог живота\, јер их је Герман брижљиво скривао испод своје одеће – била је то тајна коју је знао само Бог. \nНајвећи део свог времена Герман је проводио као прави монах\, молећи се у тишини своје колибице. Неко га је једном приликом упитао: „Како успевате да живите сами у шуми? Зар вам није досадно?”. На ово питање старац је одговорио овако: \n„Не\, ја нисам тамо сам. Тамо је Бог\, јер Бог је свугде! Тамо су свети ангели! Како некоме може бити досадно са њима? Са ким је боље и угодније разговарати\, са ангелима или са људима? Наравно\, са ангелима!”. \nСергије Јановски\, управитељ Руских колонија\, почео је да долази код старца Германа да би разговарао са њим. Сергије\, касније\, пише о тим својим разговорима са Германом: „Био сам добро образован\, познавао сам многе науке и много прочитао. Али\, закон Господњи сам тешко разумевао. Био сам слободни мислилац\, деиста. Када сам разговарао са Германом\, он је – на моје изненађење – говорио тако силно\, тако смислено да ми се чинило да се никакво образовање ни земаљска мудрост не би могли мерити са његовим речима. Разговарали смо о љубави Божијој\, о вечности\, о спасењу душе\, о хришћанском животу. Тако сам се променио и вратио на пут Истине”. \nТај Сергије не само да је\, касније\, и сам постао монах\, већ је и три своје кћерке и сина усмерио ка монаштву. \nЈедном приликом су старца Германа позвали на брод\, који је допловио из Петербурга. На броду су га дочекали капетан и двадесет и пет официра. Сви они су били високообразовани људи које је поставио руски Царски адмиралитет. Био је то заиста призор: међу свима њима седео је монах маленога раста\, у одрпаној монашкој раси\, који је својим мудрим речима довео оне што су га слушали дотле да нису знали шта да му одговоре. \nМонах Герман им је поставио следеће питање: „Шта је то\, господо\, што волите изнад свега и што би свако од вас пожелео као остварење своје среће?”. Једни су желели богатство\, други славу\, трећи лепу жену. „Није ли истина”\, рече потом старац\, „да би се све ваше различите жеље могле свести на ово – да свако од вас жели оно што он по сопственом мишљењу сматра најбољим и највреднијим љубави?”. „Да\, управо тако”\, одговорише сви углас. Тада им старац рече: \n„Реците ми\, онда\, има ли ичега бољег и вишег\, што надилази све остало и што је – уопште узев – вредније љубави човекове од нашег Господа Исуса Христа\, Који нас је створио\, Који нас је обдарио таквим савршенством\, Који даје живот свему\, Који све држи\, Који о свему брине и Који све воли\, Који је Сам Љубав и Који је неупоредиво бољи од свих људи? Зар онда не би требало да волимо Бога изнад свега и да изнад свега чезнемо и трагамо за Њим?”. \nОни му одговорише: „Па\, наравно! То се подразумева! То јасно само по себи!”. Тада их старац упита: ” А волите ви Бо-га?”. Сви углас одговорише: „Наравно да волимо Бога! Како ико може не волети Бога?”. \nТада монах Герман рече: \n„А ја\, грешни\, више од четрдесет година трудих се да заволим Бога и још увек не могу рећи да Га волим савршеном љубављу”. \nЗатим поче да их поучава како би човек требало да воли Бога: \n„Када некога волимо\, онда непрестано мислимо на њега\, трудимо се да му угодимо\, дању и ноћу наше је срце заокупљено оним кога волимо. Да ли тако\, господо\, и ви волите Бога? Да ли Му се често обраћате\, да ли често мислите на Њега\, да ли Му се стално молите и испуњавате Његове свете заповести? Зато\, за наше добро и нашу срећу\, обећајмо себи макар ово – да ћемо се од овога дана\, од овога часа\, од овога тренутка трудити да волимо Бога изиад свега и испуњавати Његову свету вољу!„. \nБило је случајева да је старац Герман говорио и као пророк. Једном приликом он је рекао да ће доћи дан када ће се један монах\, оставивши славу овога света\, настанити на Спрус Ајленду. То његово пророштво се испунило у наше дане\, када се у напуштену дивљину Германовог „Новог Валаама” доселио млади јеромонах Герасим. Овај јеромонах је\, сагласно древном пра-вославном обичају\, ископао ковчег старца Германа\, преместио његове свете мошти у кивот и пренео их у манастирску црквицу да би се на тај начин стално сећао колико су нам Светитељи и Царство Божије увек близу. \nБез трунке страха пред онима који имају власт\, монах Герман је радио за Господа ревносно до саме смрти. Непосредно пред своје упокојење\, Герман је пророчки рекао једном од сво-јих сирочића: „Овде ће једнога дана нићи манастир”. У то време\, те његове речи су звучале невероватно будући да је место на коме је живео било пусто острво\, далеко од сваке цивилизације. Међу-тим\, сто педесет година касније његово пророштво се обистинило\, јер је на његовом Спрус Ајленду\, у Монашкој лагуни осно-ван манастир чиме је испуњена његова света жеља. \nДошао је час да свети монах Герман напусти овај свет. Лежећи на самртној постељи\, старац Герман је затражио од једног од својих сирочића да му запали свећу и\, из Светог Писма\, чита Дела Апостолска. Његови вољени сирочићи су\, кроз сузе у очима\, гледали небески спокојно лице свог упокојеног оца\, које је светлело у ноћној тами… \n  \nИзвор: https://svetigora.com/sveti-german-aljaski-apostol-pravoslavlja-u-americi/                                24.12.2023.
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/saint-herman-of-alaska-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b8-%d0%b3%d0%b5%d1%80%d0%bc%d0%b0%d0%bd-%d0%b0%d1%99%d0%b0%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8/2026-12-26/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Saint-Luke-Logo-Square.webp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261226T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261226T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251201T044758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251220T212456Z
UID:10000820-1798270200-1798275600@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-16/2026-12-26/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261227T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261227T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000216-1798365600-1798371000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2026-12-27/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270103T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270103T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000217-1798970400-1798975800@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-01-03/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270110T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270110T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000218-1799575200-1799580600@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-01-10/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270117T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270117T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000219-1800180000-1800185400@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-01-17/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270124T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270124T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000220-1800784800-1800790200@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-01-24/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270127
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270128
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20260101T031148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260101T031148Z
UID:10000931-1801008000-1801094399@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Saint Sava\, The First Archbishop of Serbia +++ Свети Сава\, Први Архиепископ Српски и Просветитељ
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/saint-sava-the-first-archbishop-of-serbia-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b8-%d1%81%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b0-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b2%d0%b8-%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%85%d0%b8%d0%b5%d0%bf%d0%b8%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bf/2027-01-27/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Saint-Sava-full-figure-scaled.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Serbian Church DC":MAILTO:info@svluka.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20260101T031240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T204304Z
UID:10000935-1801155600-1801159200@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-2/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Vespers-final.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Serbian Church DC":MAILTO:info@svluka.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270129T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270129T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20260101T031318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T164303Z
UID:10000936-1801242000-1801245600@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-3/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ORGANIZER;CN="Serbian Church DC":MAILTO:info@svluka.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T073000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T090000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251228T042026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T164332Z
UID:10000920-1801294200-1801299600@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-28/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Serbian Church DC":MAILTO:info@svluka.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T180000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20260101T031357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T164355Z
UID:10000937-1801328400-1801332000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Vespers
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/vespers-4/
LOCATION:Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington\, DC\, 10660 River Road\, Potomac\, MD\, 20854\, United States
ORGANIZER;CN="Serbian Church DC":MAILTO:info@svluka.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270131T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270131T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000221-1801389600-1801395000@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-01-31/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270207T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270207T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T192350
CREATED:20251108T051540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T010428Z
UID:10000222-1801994400-1801999800@serbianchurchdc.org
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy +++ Света Литургија
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://serbianchurchdc.org/calendar/divine-liturgy-%d1%81%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bb%d0%b8%d1%82%d1%83%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-3/2027-02-07/
LOCATION:MD
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://serbianchurchdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Divine-Liturgy.webp
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR