Bedford town’s plush historic Harpur Suite was the venue for the parish’s proslava St Andrew’s.
In the morning Divine Liturgy served by Archpriest-Stavrophor Žarko Nedić, the Bishop’s governor of Britain and Ireland, the elder of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Bradford, Archpriest-Stavrophor Milun Kostić from London parish, Archpriest-Stavrophor Nolika Kotur of Oxford parish, Deacon Ilija Ćalina of Leicester-Derby parish and the parish’s own Archpriest-Stavrophor Radmilo Stokić at the St Paul’s Church whose site can trace back Christian worship as far back as the 8th century.
Proto Milun Kostić gave an address at the conclusion of Divine Liturgy. Proto Radmilo gave the welcoming address at the proslava venue and spoke of the main projects in the parish including the repairs and improvements at the country’s second purpose-built Serbian Orthodox Church, St Elijah’s in Corby.
St Andrew, the First Called, is not one of the most popular patron saints in our tradition, however he is the patron saint of the royal house of Karađorđević.
The parish’s Kolo Srpskih Sestara served appealing traditional postno dishes and sweets. Among the guests were presidents and representatives from various parishes around the country.
The parish’s folklore ensemble performed three sets of dances, Igrale se delije, Šumadijski Venac and Žikino Kolo which were very well received by the audience which occupied all the tables at the venue. One lovely moment came from Petar Simić, 6, with his recital of the poem ‘Moja Mama’.
The audience welcomed special guest Marko Gašić, president of St Sava’s parish in London, who spoke of the WW1 book “Folly and Malice” by academic John Zametica. Marko explained that the book, which he had edited, is a seminal work in the canon of WW1 history. It authoritatively redresses the balance of blame for the outbreak of WW1 which recent trendy pop authors had shifted towards the Serbs and Russians. Next year marks the centenary of the end of the Great War and the version of events decided will undoubtedly persist for the following century.
After the event, Anđelka and Zoran entertained guests with music throughout the evening.