Bishop Irinej of Backa officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy concelebrated by Bishop Isihije of Mohacs and the clergy of the Diocese of Backa in the Church of Saint George in Novi Sad on 16 November 2019.
The Divine Liturgy was attended by Milos Vucevic, Mayor of Novi Sad; Miroslav Ilic, Assistant to Provincial Secretary of Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities; Professor Dr. Dragan Stanic, President of the Matica Srpska; Selimir Radulovic, Head of the Library of the Matica Srpska; Dr. Radivoje Stojkovic, Principal of the Grammar School Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj; Zoran Vapa, Director of the Provincial Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments; Petar Djurdjev, Director of the History Archives of the City of Novi Sad and by many other representatives of the public and cultural life of Novi Sad.
The bishop blessed the slava gifts, cake and wheat, and handed over the Order of Saint Sava to the Library of the Matica Srpska.
For immense contribution to the promotion of culture, for preservation of the Serbian language, tradition and cultural heritage of our people in general, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, upon the proposal of Bishop of Backa, awarded the Gallery of the Matica Srpska; Professor Dr. Dragan Stanic, President of the Matica Srpska; and Selimir Radulovic, Head of the Library of Matica Srpska with the Order of Holy Desport Stefan Lazarevic.
Order of the Holy Despot Stefan Lazarevic, in recognition of his great contribution to the advancement of culture and preservation of cultural heritage of the Serbian people, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, upon the proposal of Bishop of Backa, was handed over to Zoran Vapa, Director of the Provincial Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments.
The celebration of the Patron Saint continued with the rite of blessing slava gifts in the City Hall, in presence of members of the City Council, representatives of the Army of Serbia, clergy of the Diocese of Backa, representatives of the traditional Churches and religious communities, as well of many invitees from the public life of this ‘Serbian Athens’. The rite of blessing the cake and wheat was performed by Bishop Isihije of Mohacs, with concelebration of local priests.
SOURCE: Serbian Orthodox Church