DIOCESE OF BRITISH – SCANDINAVIAN PAROCHIAL
PATRON SAINT’S DAY OF ST. THE APOSTLES ANDREW IN BEDFORD PARISH
800 YEARS OF THE AUTOCEPHALY OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
630 YEARS FROM THE BATTLE IN KOSOVO – 1389
Every year at this time our parish celebrates its patron saint’s day, the Apostle St. Andrew the First-Called.
This time, this slava is of a completely different character, as our Anglo-Irish clergy celebrated a historic jubilee, the 800th anniversary of the Autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as 630 years since the Battle of Kosovo.The ceremony began by welcoming His Grace Bishop Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, who served the Archiepiscopal Liturgy, co-served by protopresbyters on the Anglo-Irish clergy Žarko Nedić of Bradford, Milun Kostić, Radomir Aćimović and Aleksandar Mundžić of London, Nikola Kotur of Bedford, Nenad Popović of Birmingham and proto-deputy Boris Medimak from Leicester.
The choir of St Sava’s Church in London chanted the responses, serving as acolytes at the altar were theologian Milutin Stokić of Kansas City, USA, Andrej Lazić of London, and Petar Simić of Bedford. The Epistle was read in both languages by theologian Milutin Stokić.
Attending Divine Liturgy was HRH Crown Princess Katherine Karađorđević (daughter of Prince Tomislav), Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United Kingdom HE Jadranka Joksimović and our special guest Professor Dr. Milan Lekić from Belgrade.
After Archiepiscopal Liturgy was served, Bishop Dositej blessed the ceremonial bread (slavski kolač) in the hall. The hosts for this year was Aleks Simić of Bedford and his family. The host for the next year’s slava will be Dragan Balatunović and family from Bedford.
A rich banquet was prepared by members of the Parish Circle of Serbian Sisters “Sv. Petka” from Bedford, led by President Vesna Simić.
The official part of the program was opened by the St. Sava’s Choir from London, with the Serbian and British national anthem.
The cultural and artistic program was presented by students of the Serbian School in Bedford and Corby, the Choir of St. Sava in London with conductor Zorka Maksimović, Danijela Bastajić from Corby with her pupils, the traditional Serbian dance group “Rastko” choreographed by Nada Grkinić from London as well as Folklore group “Sv. Andreja” from Bedford choreographed by Marina Ivanović.
Our special guest for this celebration was Prof. Dr. Milan Lekić. Parish priest Radmilo Stokić led the programme and introduced him to the audience. Dr. Lekić has led an impressive life: “Born in Kosmet, professor of Nuclear Medicine in Belgrade, PhD in Nuclear Medicine at the University of Miami in 1991, a participant in the Republika Srpska Krajina war from 1991 to 1996, he established the first war hospital in Komogovina Monastery on Banija. 1991 god. Since 1992. he joined the Army of Republika Srpska and became part of the medical team during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was Secretary General of the Congress of War Medicine (1996) in Banja Luka. As per General Ratko Mladić’s order, Lekić travelled to America, where he gave lectures on the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim of getting US doctors to participate in the work of Congress, which in fact happened. His host was our parish priest, Radmilo Stokic who at that time (1996) lived in Saratoga, California. Between 2000 – 2010, Dr. Lekic was the first director of the International Red Cross Hospital in Gračanica, near Priština, in Kosmet, where he was born.”
Dr. Lekić delivered an unforgettable lecture on St. Sava and Serbian medieval history, which until that moment, most of the audience had not had the opportunity to hear. It was a very impressive lecture, with no prepared text and illustrated by slides on a projector screen. Dr. Lekić was extended a warm welcome.
Proto Radmilo also thanked Dr. Lekic, who (by mutual consent) personally went to Kosmet over the summer, and received with the blessing of His Grace Theodosius, Bishop of Raška-Prizren two stones (sacred memorials). One was from the Monastery of St. Archangels near Prizren and the other a part of the burial memorial of one of the 9 Jugović brothers who sacrificed their lives in the Kosovo field in 1389. They were transported from Belgrade to Bedford by Proto Žarko Nedić from Bradford. Our parish is very grateful to His Grace Bishop Theodosius for this blessing and Dr. Lekić as well as Proto Žarko for their endeavours. These two stones (exhibited at the slava) will permanently remain under the ownership of Bedford parish of the Apostle St. Andrew the First-Called.
The surprise of the evening came from a video address from Belgrade by Frenchman and a great humanist in Kosmet, Arnaud Gouillon, in excellent Serbian. In addition to his humanitarian work, he continues to bear vivid and courageous witness to the truth about the suffering of the remaining Serbs in Kosmet, and because of that truth, the so-called Republic of Kosovo, has banned his entry to the Serbian Holy Land – Kosmet. At the end of his address, he promised to visit us in Bedford at the earliest opportunity.
Proto reminded the audience that during the war of 1999, the following eternally-true message was written on a bridge in Kosmet:
” НЕМА НАМ ДРУГОГ ПУТА, ДО ПУТА НА КОСОВО ” !
” THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, BUT THE ROAD TO KOSOVO ” !
Prota Radmilo also read two letters of greeting. The first was from HRH Crown Prince Alexander Karađorđević. The second from Saša Šušić, President of the Kingdom of Serbia Association.
At the very end of the highly-appreciated programme, the principal host His Grace Dositej, of Britain and Scandinavia spoke inspirationally to bring that segment of proceedings to a close with his blessing on this highly successful jubilee.
Our parish was given the honour, as well as the responsibility, to organise the final celebration at the end of this jubilee year, for which we are grateful, primarily to the Lord and St. Sava, as well as our His Grace our Bishop Dositej.
At the very end of the program, St Sava’s Choir from London sang “Na monogaja ljeta” (Many Years).
After the program, the guests continued their to socialise with folk-cultural celebrations.
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Source: Parish of the Apostle St. Andrew the First-Called, Bedford
Photos: RPI News and Britić