On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America paid an Archpastoral visit to the St Mark Summer Camp in Sheffield Village, Ohio (https://www.facebook.com/Saint-Marks-Serbian-Orthodox-Youth-Camp-1418887481747075/).

Following the service of Matins, Archimandrite Leontije (Alavanja), Abbott of St. Mark’s Monastery, together with Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Mijoljub Matic, parish priest of St. Sava Church in Broadview Heights, Ohio, greeted His Grace, who was accompanied by Economos Dragan Goronjic, parish priest of St. Demetrius Church in Fairlawn, Ohio, and Dean of the Cleveland Deanery of the Diocese of Eastern America. Ushering the Bishop into the monastery church, which is now richly adorned by lovely frescos executed by Filip Subotic, Archimandrite Leontije celebrated the Doxology of Welcome for the Bishop, who presided from the throne, expressing heartfelt sentiments of joy at the Bishop’s visitation. The responses were prayerfully rendered by the campers.

His Grace presented the campers and staff, headed by Milos Markovic, with richly illustrated Prayers Books as a gift from the campers, staff and clergy from the St. Sava Camp in Shadeland, Pennsylvania. Following a light Lenten breakfast, Bishop Irinej held a catechetical lesson to explain the iconic illustrations in the Prayerbooks, which were rendered by renown iconographer Protopresbyter Stamatis Skliris. As the Bishop explained the various images and their meaning, the children were engaged in a lively discussion with His Grace, posing many interesting questions.

Following this informative session, the children and staff received their blessing from the Bishop, and thanking him, bid him farewell. Thereafter, His Grace together with the clergy and camp director, visited with Archimandrite Leontije in the monastery residence. In all, it was truly a day of joyous encounters, which will evoke pleasant memories for many years to come.