Paterson Parish Celebrates 900th Anniversary of the Birth of Stefan Nemanja - St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing

Paterson, NJ - If the majority of historians agree that Stefan Nemanja was born in the year 1113 and if we agree that this fact is true that would make this year a jubilee year and we would be celebrating the 900th birthday of the "father of the Serbian state".

At St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Paterson, New Jersey a lecture was given on Sunday, February 24, following the Divine Liturgy, about St. Simeon, his origins, birth, signifance to the Serbian nation, Serbian church and our time. Fr. Vladislav Radujkovic gave a brief life story of this "giant" of Serbian culture, focusing mainly on his memorial churches, his effort to bring Serbia closer to God and create for Serbia a piece of Serbian heaven, building both an earthly and heavenly dwellling for his people.

Over 140 parishioners from New Jersey and New York attended the Divine Liturgy, meal and lecture, and the many questions and comments of the participants proved that this theme is more than current and should be discussed more frequently. The guest from New York, professor Dr. Radmila Milentijevic, gladly added a few notes as answers to the questions asked by the public. At the same time, a exhibit of paintings of Gordana Nenadovic-Milivojevic was on desplay, which made this celebration all the more festive, while the writer and poet Dr. Milutin Srbljak read "Zavestanje Svetog Simeona" and a few of his poems.

Saint Simeon, pray to God for us.

Re. Vladislav Radujkovic