The festive celebration of Holy Petka, the patron saint of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, was held in Philadelphia, and the ceremony at the Church of Saint Nicholas was also an opportunity to open the parish library.
After the holy liturgy in the Church of Saint Nicholas and the opening of the parish library, an exhibition of academic painter and member of the Circle of Serbian Sisters Zvezdana Stojmirović was also opened.
The ceremony, which began with the holy liturgy, when the faithful gathered in large numbers in honor of the great saint and patroness, was also attended by the Consul General of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Božović, at the invitation of the church-school municipality of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas.
The Consul General emphasized on that occasion the importance of the newly opened library as a place where Serbian children will have the opportunity to learn the Serbian language, religious education, culture, tradition, and customs, which contributes to the preservation of our national identity.
“The opening of the parish library is a significant contribution to the preservation of the spiritual, cultural, and artistic heritage of our community in Philadelphia,” said Božović, who reminded that the relics of Saint Petka were kept in Serbia for more than a century, and that her temple, which adorns Belgrade’s Kalemegdan, represents one of the most respected shrines of the Serbian people.
Congratulating all the faithful and members of the Circle of Serbian Sisters on the holiday, Božović recalled the special role of the Circle of Serbian Sisters in preserving faith, tradition, and charity among Serbs outside the homeland, the General Consulate of Serbia in New York announced.
He recalled that this organization, with its long and glorious history across the countries where Serbs live, has been contributing to the church, cultural and humanitarian life of the communities for decades, emphasizing that the SOC is the spiritual pillar and support of the Serbian people, the Church, and the state.
Their dedication and self-sacrifice represent, he added, a strong support in preserving the faith, tradition, and national identity of the Serbian people in the diaspora.
“The ceremony, marked by a spirit of prayer, togetherness, and cultural content, once again showed the strength and dedication of our community in preserving the Serbian identity far from the homeland,” Božović said.
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Source: Tanjug, Photo: Printscreen Instagram