On Monday, December 19, His Grace Bishop Peter was honored to concelebrate Divine Liturgy for the feast of St. Nicholas with His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coastlands, and with His Grace Bishop Longin, Bishop of New Gracanica and Midwestern America.  

Joining the respected hierarchs were seven priests and five deacons from both the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.  ROCOR clergy included Archpriest Seraphim Gan, Priest Alexander Antchoutine, Priest John Malcom, and from Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral, Protodeacom Vadim Gan and Reader Andrei Urtiew.  

Several members of the participating Serbian Orthodox Clergy are also graduates of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY; these included Hieromonk Serafim Baltic, Deacon Nikolaj Kostur and Deacon Radomir Plavsic.  Deacon Radomir was ordained to the diaconate by Metropolitan Amfilohije at the end of the Eucharistic Canon.

For Bishop Peter, it was a special honor to serve with Metropolitan Amfilohije, who had been his teacher at the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade.  

Additionally, His Grace Bishop Longin celebrates his family slava on the feast of St. Nicholas.  A festive meal was held at the refectory, and the Serbian choir sang folk songs that were personally meaningful to both Bishop Longin and His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije.  With love in Christ, we wish Bishop Longin and his faithful flock Many Years!  

Glory be to God in all things!

Reader Nikolai Lochmatow