![\"\"](\"http:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/image-46.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cThis was Orthodoxy in dialogue with the Colombian landscape. Prayers in Spanish rose and mingled with the mountain air. Their journey does not end in the baptismal font\u2014it only begins. Their arrival is the clearest proof that the light of Epiphany continues to shine, attracting those whose hearts sincerely seek the truth,\u201d said Protosyncellus Simeon Lopez, the only Serbian Orthodox missionary in Colombia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All six newly baptized youth came to the Church through their own search. \u201cThey began searching online. Some visited other churches claiming to be Christian but which were sects, and they sought in different ways where they could recognize or nourish their faith. They came to our Church,\u201d Father Simeon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weekly Catechism Classes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
He explained that the catechumenate\u2014the preparation for baptism\u2014lasted six to eight months, with weekly Thursday classes on Christianity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first six baptized are part of a group of 18 young Colombians preparing for this sacrament. \u201cThese are young people who already understand what the Orthodox Church is, who already practice fasting, one of the hardest things for us Westerners. Other rules and liturgical norms include prayer, obedience, active participation in liturgical services, frequent confession\u2026 All are signs and symbols of a way of life that makes us true Christians and reflects the practices of our Orthodox faith,\u201d the priest emphasized, noting that he himself converted to Orthodoxy at age 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A trained psychologist, Father Simeon discovered Orthodoxy \u201cpurely by chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wanted to begin a search for a faith I could believe in and practice. A Russian traveler introduced me to the faith through stories about the desert fathers, and I superficially learned about the Orthodox Church. That began a small \u2018calvary\u2019 for me,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeking more knowledge, he contacted Orthodox communities in South America and received a response from a Serbian Orthodox priest in Argentina. Soon he visited the country and spoke with Metropolitan Amfilohije, founder of the Buenos Aires and South-Central American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith him, I began to discover and learn about the beautiful faith that is the Orthodox Church,\u201d Father Simeon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He then traveled to Montenegro, staying at Petar Cetinjski Monastery for his monastic tonsure and receiving his first monastic rank at Ostrog Monastery, where he served.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI returned to Colombia in July 2014 as a hieromonk to open a Serbian Orthodox mission of the Serbian Patriarch here, in my hometown of Medell\u00edn,\u201d he revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bello, the town of half a million near Medell\u00edn where the six Colombians were baptized, has historically been associated with one of South America\u2019s most powerful drug lords, Pablo Escobar. Escobar was killed in 1993, and Father Simeon recalls the violence of that period but notes that \u201chistory\u201d is increasingly forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnfortunately, our country and city carry a stigma, a label connecting us to Pablo Escobar. He was a figure of the 1980s, and that\u2019s all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born during Escobar\u2019s peak, Father Simeon remembers the violence in Medell\u00edn\u2019s streets and the day Escobar was killed. However, he emphasizes that the city has moved past this history and turned toward the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSome still remember him, mostly foreigners who come seeking references to Pablo Escobar. But in Medell\u00edn, the culture and society no longer recognize him much,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Father Simeon added that Colombians know little about Serbia, its culture, tradition, or history. \u201cTheir concept of Serbia is mostly tied to wars, NATO conflicts, internal divisions, and somewhat to Kosovo, though they have little reference to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The small Serbian community in Colombia poses challenges for spreading Orthodoxy. Social and economic factors are key obstacles. Many Colombians see the Orthodox Church as a \u201cgarage church,\u201d meaning a small or newly established church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Economic difficulties are significant. The parish operates from a rented house, and parishioners cannot cover all expenses to support the priest and the community. \u201cMany hardships arise, as the Church always faces when establishing missions or bringing the Gospel to new lands. One must confront the reality of the time,\u201d Father Simeon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even seemingly minor tasks, such as obtaining icons, become complicated. \u201cIt is challenging, but rewarding to see that despite all difficulties and obstacles, there are always people who connect, learn, and stay. Some visit and stay; others visit and leave, but become friends of our Church,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2014, the Holy Trinity Parish in Medell\u00edn and Protosyncellus Simeon Lopez, together with the \u201cDignified Colombia\u201d foundation, have assisted the poorest families in Medell\u00edn. It has become a tradition to give gifts to children during Christmas through the \u201cChristmas with Children\u201d campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SERBIAN BISHOP GAVE A SPEECH BEFORE THE AMERICAN VICE PRESIDENT: Irinej opened the \u201cMarch for Life\u201d with a prayer, then gave the podium to J.D. Vance! (VIDEO, PHOTO)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH ORTHODOXY: Two daughters and a mother from Turkey were baptized in Trebinje, here are the names they took!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A SERB PLAYS THE GUITAR IN ROBBIE WILLIAMS\u2019 NEW HIT: Nikola guest starred on his new album at the personal request of the world pop star! (VIDEO)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/image-47.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom Pablo Escobar\u2019s Legacy to a Focus on the Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Challenges of Missionary Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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