Religious Observances

In preparation for Orthodox East taking place Sunday, May 1, the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts service will take place Wednesday, April 13 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana.

These services take place every Wednesday morning at St. Sava Church during Great Lent wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified (consecrated) in advance, hence the name Presanctified Liturgy; this Divine Liturgy has no anaphora (eucharistic prayer).

The Presanctified Liturgy is used on the weekdays of Great Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and intensified prayer when the more frequent reception of communion is desirable; however, the full Divine Liturgy having a joyful character is not in keeping with the somberness of the season of repentance (Eucharist literally means “thanksgiving”) and so the Presanctified Liturgy is substituted.

Although this service may be performed on any weekday (Monday through Friday) of Great Lent, common parish practice at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church is to celebrate it on Wednesdays.

Find out all spiritual and other events taking place at St. Sava by visiting www.saintsava.net/calendar on the church website.

The schedule of Holy Week and Easter Services taking place at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana is now available online and for download.

• Click here to download the schedule of Holy Week and Easter Services for printing in Adobe PDF format
• Click here to see the Versper Services schedule throughout the Chicagoland area

Holy Week and Easter Service Schedule

Lazarus Saturday – April 23, 2016

• Confession at 9:00 a.m.
• Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. – VRBICA
• Holy Communion for children

Palm Sunday – April 24, 2016

• Confession at 9:00 a.m.
• Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

Holy Wednesday – April 27, 2016

• Presanctified Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.
• The Sacrament of Holy Unction will take place at St. George Serbian Church, Schererville, IN at 6:00 p.m.

Holy Thursday – April 28, 2016

• Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.
• The Great Vigil: Reading of 12 Passion Gospels at 6:00 p.m.

Holy Friday – April 29, 2016

• Morning Service/Hours at 10:00 a.m.
• Vespers with laying of Holy Shroud and Funeral Service at 6:00 p.m.

Holy Saturday – April 30, 2016

• Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.
• Resurrection Matins at 11:30 p.m.

Pascha – May 1, 2016

• Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

Easter Monday – May 2, 2016

• Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

Easter Tuesday – May 3, 2016

• Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

The schedule of Lenten Vesper Services taking place throughout the New Gracanica Midwest Diocese, Chicago Deanery – 2016 is now available online and for download.

Services will take place at various Serbian Churches throughout the Diocese. See the schedule listed below for specific locations and other information.

• Click now to download the Lenten Service Schedule for the New Gracanica Midwest Diocese and schedule of Holy Week and Easter Services at St. Sava for printing in Adobe PDF format

Lenten Service Schedule for New Gracanica Midwest Diocese

Vespers – Saturday – April 2, 2016

• Services at St. Sava, Merrillville, IN at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Radovan Jakovljevic

Vespers – 3rd Sunday – April 3, 2016

• Services at St. Elijah Cathedral, Merrillville, IN at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Ilija Balach

Vespers – Friday – April 8, 2016

• Services at Holy Resurrection, Chicago, IL at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Marko Matic

Vespers – Saturday – April 9, 2016

• Services at St. Nicholas, Brookfield, IL
• Preaching – Fr. Aleksandar Savic

Vespers – 4th Sunday – April 10, 2016

• Services at St. George, East Chicago, IN at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Milos Vesin

Presanctified Liturgy – Friday – April 15, 2016

• Services at Monastery New Gracanica
• Clergy confession and conference
• Second Vigil – Monastery New Gracanica at 5:00 p.m.
• Diocesan Annual Assembly at 7:00 p.m.

Diocesan Annual Assembly – Saturday, April 16, 2016

• Assembly continued from previous day at Monastery New Gracanica

Vespers – 5th Sunday – April 17, 2016

• Services at St. Peter and Paul, South Bend, IN at 6:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. CDT)
• Preaching – Fr. Dobrivoje Milunovic

Presanctified Liturgy – Friday – April 22, 2016

• Services at St. George, Schererville, IN at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Dennis Pavichevich

Vespers – 6th Sunday (Palm Sunday) – April 24, 2016

• Services at St. George, Joliet, IL at 6:00 p.m.
• Preaching – Fr. Vasilije Vranic

The next Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts service will take place Wednesday, April 6 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana.

These services take place every Wednesday morning at St. Sava Church during Great Lent wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified (consecrated) in advance, hence the name Presanctified Liturgy; this Divine Liturgy has no anaphora (eucharistic prayer).

The Presanctified Liturgy is used on the weekdays of Great Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and intensified prayer when the more frequent reception of communion is desirable; however, the full Divine Liturgy having a joyful character is not in keeping with the somberness of the season of repentance (Eucharist literally means “thanksgiving”) and so the Presanctified Liturgy is substituted.

Although this service may be performed on any weekday (Monday through Friday) of Great Lent, common parish practice at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church is to celebrate it on Wednesdays.

Find out all spiritual and other events taking place at St. Sava by visiting www.saintsava.net/calendar on the church website.

You are cordially invited to attend the Lenten Vesper Service Of the Chicago Deanery With His Grace Bishop Longin, visiting Clergy, and V. Rev. Radovan Jakovljevic taking place Saturday, April 2 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana.

Following the Vesper Service a Lenten dinner will be served.

Guest speaker will be Deacon Jovan Anicic.

Anicic completed his studies at Saint Sava Seminary and the Theological Faculty in Belgrade.

He received his Masters of Divinity degree at the Gregorian University in Rome and submitted his doctoral dissertation for a PhD in Dogmatics at Aristotle University in Thessalonica.

The next Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts service will take place Wednesday, March 23 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana.

These services take place every Wednesday morning at St. Sava Church during Great Lent wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified (consecrated) in advance, hence the name Presanctified Liturgy; this Divine Liturgy has no anaphora (eucharistic prayer).

The Presanctified Liturgy is used on the weekdays of Great Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and intensified prayer when the more frequent reception of communion is desirable; however, the full Divine Liturgy having a joyful character is not in keeping with the somberness of the season of repentance (Eucharist literally means “thanksgiving”) and so the Presanctified Liturgy is substituted.

Although this service may be performed on any weekday (Monday through Friday) of Great Lent, common parish practice at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church is to celebrate it on Wednesdays.

Find out all spiritual and other events taking place at St. Sava by visiting www.saintsava.net/calendar on the church website.

Descent of the Holy Ghost Romanian Orthodox Church, 750 W. 61st Ave., Merrillville, Indiana 46410

The Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Northwest Indiana is sponsoring the “Triumph of Orthodoxy Pan-Orthodox Vesper Service” taking place Sunday evening, March 20 at 6:00 p.m.

Clergy from St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church will be participating in the services along with Clergy from Orthodox Churches from throughout the Northwest Indiana area. Members of St. Sava Church, Orthodox Faithful from throughout the region, and visitors are all encouraged to attend.

A reception will take place following the Vesper Service and presentation of the Holy Icons.

The service will take place at the Descent of the Holy Ghost Romanian Orthodox Church, 750 W. 61st Ave., Merrillville, Indiana 46410.

The guest speaker will be V. Rev. Dr. Milos Vesin, parish priest at Saint Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, Lansing, IL and Professor of Theological Faculty.

TheTriumph of Orthodoxy (also knowns as the Sunday of Orthodoxy or the Feast of Orthodoxy ) is unique historical event that is celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent (six Sundays before Pascha) in the liturgical calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Feast is kept in memory of the final defeat of Iconoclasm, a time when icons were banned in churches, and the restoration of the icons to the church.

• Click to learn more about the story behind the Feast of Orthodoxy (also knowns as the Sunday of Orthodoxy or the Triumph of Orthodoxy).

For more information about this event, please contact V. Rev. Alin Munteanu at alinmunteanu1972@yahoo.com or 623-693-4639.

The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts service will take place Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. beginning March 16 at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana during Great Lent wherein communion is received from Gifts (the Body and Blood of Christ) that are sanctified (consecrated) in advance, hence the name Presanctified Liturgy; this Divine Liturgy has no anaphora (eucharistic prayer).

The Presanctified Liturgy is used on the weekdays of Great Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and intensified prayer when the more frequent reception of communion is desirable; however, the full Divine Liturgy having a joyful character is not in keeping with the somberness of the season of repentance (Eucharist literally means “thanksgiving”) and so the Presanctified Liturgy is substituted.

Although this service may be performed on any weekday (Monday through Friday) of Great Lent, common parish practice at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church is to celebrate it on Wednesdays.

Find out all spiritual and other events taking place at St. Sava by visiting www.saintsava.net/calendar on the church website.

Join us this Thursday, Mar. 10 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Sava Church in Merrillville, Indiana for our weekly Akathist prayers (Click here to learn more about the Akathist prayer services at St. Sava Church).

This week we offer praises forHoly Martyr Zlata of Maglen.

Holy Martyr Zlata of Maglen

Saint Zlata of Maglen

This week’s Akathist is dedicated to Holy Martyr Zlata of Maglen.

Holy Martyr Zlata was born in Slatina region, of poor peasants who had three other daughters. Zlata was a meek and devout girl, wise with Christ’s wisdom and golden (Zlata means golden) not only in name but also in her God-fearing heart.

When Zlats went out one day to get water, some shameless Turks sized her and carried her of to their house. When one of them urged her to embrace Islam and become his wife, Zlata answered fearlessly, “I believe in Christ, and know Him alone as my bridegroom; I shall never deny Him even if you put me to a thousand tortures and cur me into pieces.”

Her parents and sisters then arrived, and said to her. “O our daughter, have mercy on yourself and us. Deny Christ publicly; He will forgive you, that we all can be happy. Christ is merciful, He will forgive you your sins, committed under the pressure of life.”

She replied to her parents, “When you urged me to deny Christ, the true God, you are no longer parents or sisters to me; I have the Lord Jesus Christ as father, the Mother of God as mother, for brothers and sisters, the saints…’ Then the Turks hung her from the tree and cut her to small pieces.

This Martyr Maiden gave her soul into God’s hands, and entered into the realm of Paradise, in 1796. There were many miracles performed at the site of her grave, and holy relics.

What is Akathist?

The Akathist Service at St. Sava Church in Merrillville, Indiana is a brief weekly celebration of the works of the Saints, Holy Days, and Holy Trinity.

The Akathist service lasts approximately 35 minutes and is an opportunity for a uniquely participatory service in which men and women may have the option to read passages from the Book of Akathists, exchanging phrasings with Clergy, and experiencing a unique mid-week spiritual connection with fellow parishioners.

St. Sava Church understands the lives of parishioners today are increasingly busy. The intention of the this evening service start time is to enable people to come together, after work, in the early evening, to worship as a community for a mid-week spiritual uplifting and connection.

Consider making Thursday nights a special night for the entire family. Start your evening at Akthist and then enjoy some additional quality time together as a family.

Everyone is welcome to attend and participate as much as one feels comfortable. If you are new to the Orthodox Faith or if you are familiar, but haven’t been in touch recently, Akathist is a great way to connect and reconnect. It is completely acceptable to come to the Thursday evening Akathist service wearing a work uniform or making a visit on your way home from work. It’s not as much about what you wear as it is about the spirit you bring with you when you join us.