Page 59 - Western Diocese Annual 2023

2023 DIOCESAN ANNUAL
Slava Celebration at the
Presentation of the Lord Monastery in Escondido, California
Ever since its founding the Presentation of the Lord Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Escon- dido, just north of San Diego, has attracted
Orthodox faithful from various jurisdictions, espe- cially the pan Orthodox youth living in the greater San Diego area. In fact, last year a group of young adults attended Divine Liturgy on Bright Tuesday and while visiting the monastery they expressed their desire to spend a few days at the monastery and help clean up the property, the church, the pavilion and do some landscaping work.
This year, following up with their plan, a group of young adults, having received a blessing from His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America, upon the recommendation of Fr. Milovan Katanic, adminis- trator of the monastery, met at the monastery Febru- ary 10–12. They were joined by Fr. Nathan Thomp- son of the St. Anthony Antiochian Orthodox Church who led them in prayer Saturday morning and eve- ning as well on Sunday, on the feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs, for the Divine Liturgy. The week- end was spent not only in prayer and fellowship, but also working! Over twenty young adults split up in groups, some cleaning the church, doing yardwork and other tasks. The monastery property is very large and there is much work to be done. They have
already expressed an interest in spending another weekend in the future at the monastery and contin- ue working on the monastery grounds.
This clean up weekend took place just in time as the monastery Slava was approaching which this year was celebrated on the feast day, Wednesday, February 15, 2023. The Divine Liturgy was served by Rev. Hieromonk Vasilije Gavrilovic, Protopresbyter Stavrophor Milovan Katanic and Rev. Vladan Rado- vanovic. Fr. Vasilije greeted the faithful at the con- clusion of the Divine Liturgy conveying the greet- ings of Bishop Maxim who was unable to attend the Slava celebration. This was Fr. Vasilije’s first time at the monastery and in his homily, in which he spoke about the feast and the miraculous encounter be- tween St. Simeon the God-Receiver and the New- born Christ Child, he also spoke of the beauty and tranquility found at this monastery where we have also come to meet God but also to find joy and hap- piness in meeting and seeing one another.
A festal agape meal followed which began with the cutting of the Slava kolach served by Rev. Hiero- monk Vasilije. Joining the celebration was Proto- presbyter Stavrophor Bratislav Krsic of the St. Geor- ge Serbian Church in San Diego.
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