It was yet another traditional frescoe exhibit of the students of the Serbian Orthodox Church Academy for the Arts and Preservation of Professor Goran Janicijevic. Thanks to the efforts of parish priest V. Rev. Aleksandar Vlajkovic and the Boston parishioners, this exhibit was made possible for the first time in Boston, after being in Belgrade and Munich.
The exhibit was formally opened on Friday, June 30, 2006 as Fr. Aleksandar Vlajkovic welcomed the guests from Serbia. Afterwards, Professor Goran Janicijevic spoke of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church, of the exhibit dedicated to Kosovo and Metohija as well as the efforts of the students and professors of the Academy in the field of iconography, renovation and preservation of frescoes. Finally, Mrs. Silvana Hadzi Djokic spoke of the work in renovating the destroyed and damaged churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija and the efforts taken by both the Serbian Church and State. As the representative of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the Serbian Republic Mrs. Hadzi Djokic answered many questions after her lecture. Following the lecture the Boston parishioners were able to view the exhibit and speak with the professors about contemporary Serbian iconography.
The dean of the Academy, Protojerej-Stavrophor Radomir Popovic served Vespers on Saturday evening. On Sunday Fr. Radomir and Fr. Zeljko Djuric con-celebrated with Fr. Aleksandar at the Divine Liturgy. A parastos for all Serbian soldiers since the Kosovo Battle was served following liturgy. Fr. Zeljko Djuric spoke of the necessity of knowing the theological significance of the Kosovo Testament and cited the Gospel text that was directly connnected with it.
Following the service Fr. Radomir gave a lecture in the church hall on the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church with special mention of the Battle of Kosovo and the period of Turkish rule on Serbian lands. Fr. Radomir spoke of the martyrdom of Prince Lazar and the Serbian nation all of which he tied with the Christ's suffering and His resurrection. At the end of the lecture, Fr. Radomir mentioned that the answer of contemporary Christians to the challenges of this day must be evangelical since Christ is the same yesterday, today and unto all the ages of ages.
The representatives of the Academy are grateful to their hosts Fr. Aleksandar Vlajkovic, his Protinica Vera and the entire Boston parish for their Christian welcome and hospitality.
The frescoe exhibit is moving to New York where it will formally open on the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Friday, July 7, 2006 and last until Sunday, July 9th.
PRESIDENT OF SERBIA BORIS TADIC VISITS BOSTON PARISH
Boston, MA - The first annual Serbian festival in New England was held on Saturday, September 23, 2006 hosted by the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA. The goal of the festival was to present to our American friends and neighbors the Serbian culture and tradition through folklore, music, art and the traditional Serbian foods. This was the first festival of this kind in New England. The highlight of the celebration was a visit by President of Serbia Boris Tadic together with the Ambassador Ivan Vujacic from WashingtonD.C. This visit came after President Tadic’s participation at the General Assembly of the UN and a lecture at Harvard Universtiy on Friday evening.
Upon his arrival President Tadic first visited the church where he was greeted by young girls dressed in traditional costumes that offered him bread and salt, welcoming him. President Tadic and Ambassador Vujacic were interested in the details of the church, which was purchased just ten months ago from the Roman Catholic Church. Fr. Aleksandar and Milica Pogorzelski, Church Board president, gave the esteemed guests a tour of the church and answered their questions.
Afterward, the guests went through the exhibit of icons and frescoes in the parish hall, the work of the students of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Iconography and Conservation from Belgrade. The icons are replicas of the frescoes that had been destroyed during the Pogrom in Kosovo in 2003.
President Tadic was led by his hosts to the tent area where he was welcomed with thunderous applause from the parishioners of St. Sava, together with their American friends. Fr. Aleksandar began with a prayer and afterwards, on behalf of the Church Board and all of his parishioners, greeted their prominent guests and called on the president to formally open the festival.
In his address, President Tadic said, among other things: “It is a great pleasure for me to open a Serbian festival in America. This is the first time it has happened to me. Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with our students, following the presentation that the president of Croatia and I had at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. I would like for my stay in Massachusetts and in America in general to be such to improve your life here, and in some way, to live better.
“You know very well that today we are met with very difficult challenges. However, this does not mean, despite all of our difficulties, that we should cease organizing festivals and celebrating. It is of great importance that we do everything in our power to preserve our community and respect our customs...
“On the other hand, I would like to reiterate that which I said to our students at Harvard yesterday, which is that Serbia today is a land of great opportunity. Despite all of our many hardships I want to believe that Serbia is a land of great opportunity.”
At the end of his address President Tadic proclaimed the festival to be opened. Afterwards, he spent some time with his countrymen that live here, far from their homeland. The Serbian atmosphere was all the more present through the music of the brass band Zlatne Uste from New York. Before departing President Tadic requested they play Tamo Daleko one more time, which they did happily.
Finally the prominent guests bid farewell to their gracious hosts and continued their travels, going to Wentworth Institute of Technology where they were greeted by Dr. Zorica Pantic, the President of this esteemed institution, and in the evening they returned to Serbia.
To the delight of all the parishioners the festival lasted until late in the evening. It was nice to see such a large number of our youth and the children for whom there were special activities. It was noticed how our young Serbian boys and girls proudly wore their Serbian sajkace (hats) which were brought from Serbia for this occasion. The folklore group Gracanica performed in the evening. This was the first festival and it is our desire and hope that each one in the future, with God’s help, be better and more successful. Protojerej Aleksandar Vlajkovic
December 5th Concert
December 5th Concert
On Tuesday, December 5, 2006 Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares (Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices) gave an outstanding concert at our St. Sava Church. About 400 people attended this event. We hope that everyone who attended had a great time.
Serbian New Year’s Party, January 13, 2007
We thank all the people who attended New Year's party at our church. We hope you enjoyed it(despite loud music). More than 300 people attended. Click here to see more pictures from the party.
Nativity icon
Nativity icon
Four priests and 11 altar boys served in the Altar
Four priests and 11 altar boys served in the Altar
Boston- St. Sava was celebrated throughout the Eastern American Diocese.Especially festive was the celebration in Boston and Cleveland where His Grace Bishop Mitrofan served the Divine Liturgy. The patron saint for both the Boston and Cleveland churches is St. Sava. On the eve of the Feast of St. Sava, a Great Vespers service took place in the Boston parish (Cambridge). Four priests, including one monk from Greece, served in the presence of Bishop Mitrofan.His Grace greeted the faithful people at the end of the Service.
On the actual day of St. Sava, His Grace Bishop Mitrofan together with eight other clergy celebrated the Divine Liturgy.Besides Serbian priests there were clergy from the Greek, Romanian, Bulgarian, Georgian and Antiochian jurisdictions. During the Liturgy, Bishop Mitrofan awarded Fr. Ivan Marjanovic from the Portland parish with a rank of Protopresbyter for his many years of service. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Slava bread was blessed in the presence of many children and Slava kumovi, Zivadin and Borka Gvozdenovic and their children Dusan and Bojana..
In his sermon, Bishop Mitrofan emphasized the importance and greatness of St. Sava. He mentioned the recent attacks on St. Sava in the newspapers in Serbia.Namely, an author of a text wrote that St. Sava wanted himself to become an Archbishop, ignoring historical facts that he took with him several monks and suggested that one of them becomes an Archbishop. Also, he accused St. Sava that he established the Serbian church for the Serbian elite, which is very far from the truth. The Bishop stressed that St. Sava is not only a Serbian Saint but a pan orthodox saint, and is loved and respected by other nations, which is confirmed by the presence of clergy and laity from other Orthodox jurisdictions at the Liturgy.
After a festive lunch that was prepared by the kumovi, a children’s program followed, consisting of poems, songs and folklore. For the first time in the Boston parish, a St. Sava play was performed by the children, written by Fr. Radovan Jakovljevic. This play depicts young Rastko Nemanjic who departs for Mount Athos and becomes monk. About three hundred faithful participated in honoring St. Sava in the Boston parish.
In the evening His Grace departed from Boston and the next day, January 28, he took part in St.Sava celebration in Cleveland.
Visit our Photo album to see photos from the celebration of St. Sava
Click here to see video clip, courtesy of Dusan Drljaca.
Click on image to view a short movie from St. Sava celebration at our church, courtesy of Mr. Dusan Drljaca. Visit our Photo album for additional pictures.
Orthodox Clergy Together
Orthodox Clergy Together
SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY IN BOSTON AREA
The annual Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers Service, organized by the Orthodox Clergy Association of Greater Boston, took place on Sunday, February 25, at 5:00 p.m., at St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington.
The Pan-Orthodox Service led by over 30 clergy was attended by about 400 faithful, one of the largest gatherings for Sunday of Orthodoxy in the Boston area in recent years. A Pan-Orthodox Choir, including members from the St. Sava Choir, sang the responses beautifully.
The highlight of the celebratory service was the clergy's procession with icons around the church and the reading of the proclamation by the Ecumenical Council of 843 which ended the iconoclastic controversy and restored icons and their veneration in the Church. Because this historically took place on the first Sunday of Lent, that Sunday is now commemorated as the "triumph of Orthodoxy." St. Athanasius Church hosted the Vespers Service in their new church home and generously held a Lenten dinner reception following the Service. About half a dozen St. Sava parishioners attended the Service.
On March 9th and 10th Annual Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America was held at St. Sava Church in Cambridge, MA. More than 60 priests and delegates represented about thirty parishes of our Diocese.
The guitar family, from Belgrade – Serbia, performs its original instrumental music, a fusion of many Balkan elements: Serbian, Gypsy, Macedonian, Romanian, Moldavian, Bulgarian, Mediterranean, Greek, Oriental…including some Jazz improvisations and classical elements. The result, combining many cultures, is rich and unconventional, fresh and spontaneous, brimming with energy. They has performed in many Jazz, Classical Guitar, World music festivals and concerts in: Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, USA…They did master classes-clinics and concerts for classical and Jazz guitar students in Europe and in the USA. One of them was at NYU - New York University.
Cooperation with Festivals, Schools, musicians and Jazz clubs is continuing in 2007 on USA tour ( Boston, New York, Chicago, Portland, Scharlotte, Washington...), and in Europe also.
First prize winner - Music World 2004 - Fivizzano-Italy - The best instrumental ensemble
First prize winner - 2005 USA Song Writing Competition - in the World music category.
"Trio Balkan Strings dedication to the music of the Balkans and central Europe is inspiring. The guitar interpretations of this music are wonderful. Really good !!!"
John McLaughlin
Their music is like a handmadecarpet, colorful and full of beautiful ornaments, but when you look more carefully and closely, you will see all the beauty of colors and art of every single pattern, thread and string woven in. Trio Balkan Stringsis that kind of a carpet which one of the best Balkan guitar players,Zoran Starcevic, has been weaving on guitar strings all his life. It demands a lot of experience and technique, as well as the sophisticated feeling. Nikola’s and Zeljko’s classical guitar education added some classical guitar techniques and elements and therefore was very useful in writing this music. There is also an influence of the West culture, because Zoran has started his career as a rock musician. He sold a million records in various different musical styles, but his first, final and greatest love is instrumental guitar music. You cannot find anythingsimilar to this interpretation in all the discography, because some ornaments and techniques distinctive for other instruments such as sax and violin found place here. Many of the trills, mordents and the legato technique have never been played on guitar strings before. Authentic, attractive music with the finest taste, real presentation of guitar music in Balkan style and arrangement. You will hear the perfect interpretation from three of them and the universal music language, without frontiers, that fills everyone who listens to the Trio Balkan Strings . It is a music trip to that part of Europe, so if you like any of these elements, or you simply like instrumental guitar music, Trio Balkan Strings is your perfect choice.
The Trio has signed a contract for CD Balkan Guitars-Guitares des Balkans with Sunset-France-PlayaSound, a French music world records company specialized in World music for thirty years. The publisher in Serbia is PGP RTS and Starcevic Production. The new CD, Water-mill, is released in March 2007.
On October 18, 2007 our parish had an honor to welcome distinguished guests from Serbia: Deputy Prime Minsiter Bozidar Djelic and Minister for Diaspora Milica Cubrilo. After their visit to Harvard, WIT and MIT, where they held public address, they came to St. Sava church where a reception was held.
On November 17, 2007 St. Sava parish celebrated second anniversary of the church purchase and held an Annual fundraiser . It was a very pleasant and succesfull event with music and folklore program providied by Gracanica Dance Ensemble and St. Sava young girl dancing group.
Dr Ana S. Trbovich teaches European Integration and Public Administration at the Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration (FEFA), University of Singidunum, Belgrade, Serbia, and is a consultant for various international organizations. From 2002 to 2006, Dr. Trbovich served as Assistant Minister of International Economic Relations in the Government of Serbia, charged with coordinating Serbia's EU accession process and foreign investment policies. She worked on implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia in 1997 and actively supported democratization efforts in Serbia during the 1990s.She holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, MALD, Fletcher School; MPA, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard; and BA from Tufts University as a triple-major in Economics, International Relations and French Literature. Dr Trbovich further specialized in European Union policies at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in France. She is the author of A Legal Geography of Yugoslavia's Disintegration (Oxford University Press, 2007).
Brief description of the book: A Legal Geography of Yugoslavia's Disintegration by Dr Ana S. Trbovich (Oxford University Press, Nov 2007) explains the violent break-up of the former Yugoslavia in early 1990s in the context of two legal principles: sovereignty and self-determination of peoples. Recognizing the right to independence of the former Yugoslav republics, the international community effectively recognized the right to secession, departing from the post-WWII practice that generally emphasized territorial integrity and encouraged settlement of ethnic conflicts within the borders of an existing state. The genesis behind this policy decision, which arbitrarily allocated the right to secession to the largest federal units in a state, lay in the history of Yugoslavia's disintegration, occurring in conjunction with larger global developments, such as the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany. The right of a territory to secede could have been firmly established by the 1991 recognition policy were it not later reversed by the staunch political refusal to call the international recognition of former Yugoslav republics a precedent, claiming that this was not the case of secession but "dissolution." The international intervention in the former Yugoslavia thus rendered human and minority rights the only legitimate form of self-determination, specifically focusing on European integration since 1999 as a framework for peaceful conflict resolution that would stem further secessions. Only Kosovo's international recognition now, as a clear case of endorsed secession, would imply that the exclusive international focus on the internal aspects of self-determination following the recognition of former Yugoslav republics was but a temporary aberration based on geopolitical concerns and that secession remained a viable option for dissatisfied peoples in the twenty first century.
Cambridge, MA
Драги пријатељи,
Српска православна црква Свети Сава и Serbian-AmericanAllianceofNewEngland (SANE) Вас позивају на позоришно вече са Звездара Театром из Београда у сарадњи са Народним позориштем Републике Српске из Бање Луке. Не пропустите јединствену прилику да видите великане српског позоришта. Овогодишња турнеја по Северној Америци организована је у сарадњи са: МИНИСТАРСТВОМ ЗА ДИЈАСПОРУ РЕПУБЛИКЕ СРБИЈЕ (покровитељ), СКУПШТИНОМ ОПШТИНЕ СТАРИ ГРАД – БЕОГРАД (донатор), САВЕЗОМ ДРАМСКИХ УМЕТНИКА СРБИЈЕ (организатор) и КОНГРЕСОМ СРПСКОГ УЈЕДИЊЕЊА (помоћник).
Светосавска прослава у цркви Светог Саве у Кембриџу је одржана у недељу, 27. јануара 2008. године. И поред снега који је падао тог јутра многи парохијани су дошли и узели учешћа у прослави. Кумови славе су били породице Ојдровић и Стојановић.
Prayer Vigil for our Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohia was held on
Sunday, February 24, 2008 . Click here to view pictures from this event
St. Sava Church hosted Vespers service on Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 16, 2008 . Many clergy from various jurisdictions attended the service. V. Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald, Dean of Holy Cross School of Theology delivered the sermon. About three hundred faithfull participated in service. Reception dinner was held in the parish hall.
Црква Светог Саве у Кембриџу је била домаћин Свеправославног вечерњег боголсужења у недељу, 16. марта 2008. Око 20 свештеника из разних православних јурисдикција је узело учешћа у богослужењу и око 300 верника. Началствовао је Протојереј Алкивиадис Каливас, бивши декан Теолошког факултета Часни крст у Бостону а на крају је проповедао Протојереј Томас Фитџералд, садашњи декан факултета. Певао је мешовити хор од око 40 чланова састављен од свих православних парохија у Бостону. После Вечерњег је послужена вечера у парохијској сали
On Saturday, March 8, 2008 Concert was held at St. Sava Church by Rachmaninoff Festival Choir. Click here to see all photos
У суботу, 8. марта 2008 одржан је концерт духовне музике- Литургија Светог Јована Златоустог од Руског композитора Сергеја Рахманиновог. Певао је велики хор Рахманинов из савезне државе Мејн.
У недељу 15. јуна наша парохија је прославила празник Силаска Св. Духа на апостоле. Истог дана је изведена завршна приредба у црквеној сали поводом краја школске године . Деца која похађају веронауку, часове фолклора и српску школу су узела учешћа. Слике можете погледати овде.
It was a great pleasure to see and listen to Student choir from the Orthodox Cchool of Theolgy in Belgrade, Serbia. After chanting Vespers service at Holy Cross Seminary they held a concert at our St. Sava Church in Cambridge on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.
Крајем маја прошле године, приредили смо прво пролећно донаторско вече у жељи да прикупимо новац за поправке црквеног имања. Том приликом смо уживали у песмама које је изводила наша позната певачица Снежана Ђуришић. Током вечери смо успели да остваримо приход од око $14000 што је било довољно да фанансирамо неке од најбитнијих поправки. Поправили смо котао за грејање (мада нисмо могли да га заменимо што би решило овај проблем за дужи период). Такође, замењене су неке одводне цеви на звонику због којих је вода цурила у цркву. Почетком 2009. замењени су покидани олуци на цркви и пумпа за избацивање воде. И након ових поправки остаје нам још пуно ствари које треба урадити на уређењу/поправкама црквеног имања те се у наредним годинама томе морамо посветити многовише но до сада. Морамо што хитније да комплетно заменимо раван кров изнад црквене канцеларије и поправимо саставе на косим деловима крова јер смо приметили да вода цури на неколико места. Уколико сте обилазили око цркве сигурно сте приметили да је тротоар иза цркве у веома лошем стању и већи део би требао да буде замењен. Поред замене тротара морамо се позабавити и одводом кишнице јер смо до сада два пута имали поплаву у сали након обилних киша (вода би се са улице слила у један од улаза и након тога ушла у салу). У оквиру припрема за освећење желели би смо и да заменимо осветљење испред цркве јер су веома старо и неколико светиљки је већ одломљено или оштећено. Један озбиљан пројекат који би нашем Колу Српских Сестара значајно олакшао рад, а омогућио да се њихове активности прошире, је уградња комерцијалног шпорета у црквеној кухињи.
Као што видите списак ствари које треба урадити је веома дугачак и надамо се да ћете бити у могућности да нам помогнете јер без Ваше помоћи ништа од овога не можемо остварити. До сада смо сви били усресређени на отплату дуга за куповину цркве и успевали смо да годишње сакупимо преко $100,000 за отплату главнице. Надамо се да ћете увидети да сада имамо неке прече трошкове и да ћете преусмерити значајан део својих донација у ту сврху. Помозите да одржимо црквено имање у добром стању и да се за освећење представимо остатку Америке у најбољем светлу.
Last year we made a great effort to raise necessary funds in order to replace the heating boiler. We raised only about $14,000, which was enough to repair it but not to replace it. This year we continue investing in our heating system among other things. Recently we replaced stolen copper downspouts with aluminum ones.
There are several major repairs that are necessary: replacing the broken sidewalk on the north side of the church, repointing of the masonry walls, and repairing the roof in several areas. Also, we will need some electrical work done in our building.
The roof is already leaking in several areas, but the worst section is above church office. Water has already done some damage to the ceiling and walls. We have to start these repairs as soon as possible. Besides these mandatory repairs, we would also like to install a commercial stove in our kitchen. For all these things we need additional funds.
Therefore, we are planning a major fundraising event to be held on May 2, 2009. We have a beautiful church, but we have to take care of it. We especially have to work hard to prepare for the church consecration, which will take place in October. We count on you and hope that you will join us on the May 2 fundraising dinner and dance.
Church Board
St. Petka Circle of Serbian Sisters
cordially invites you to attend their annual slava celebration
Sunday, October 25, 2009
10 a.m. Divine Liturgy
11:30 a.m. Cutting of the slava kolac
12 p.m. Luncheon catered by Kuma Marija Ilic in church hall
Orthodoxy in America
