St Sava College - Divine Liturgy and picnic day

Stage 1 of St. Sava College is now at lock up stage, and to celebrate this important milestone, His Grace Bishop Siluan, summoned the clergy and faithful of Sydney and environs to come together in prayer and fellowship on Monday of the long weekend just passed. Several hundred people shared in the radiance of the Divine Liturgy, followed by, the much appreciated performances of the “Nasledje” children’s orchestra under the leadership of Zeljko Glamocanin and the various folk dance groups form Sydney and Wollongong. 

The invitation was sent out to “Come and See”. And they did. With the addition of  several icons and temporary fixtures in what is to become the College Church, the celebration of the Divine Liturgy  gave everyone an impression of how this space will  in time be transformed into a place of worship for our children and their families. The Lazarica Choir from Alexandria added to the beauty of the service, as did the vestments and altar coverings created by the diocesan embroidery workshop, RIZA.  The 2,400 square metre footprint is now enclosed and the SSC Board is committed to the immediate fitting out of the internals and the landscaping of the grounds.

Not everybody could be served lunch in that part of the building which will become the first four classrooms of the College, but there was additional seating provided outside and the many children present had masses of space outside to run around and play. The Serbian Orthodox Youth of Australia - SOYA, busied themselves with the preparation and provision of food and drinks. Who ever heard of Serbs under-catering at a community event or worse still at a household celebration?  Surprisingly, it happened this day, and we apologise to anyone left hungry. 

His Grace Bishop Siluan has committed himself and our Church to completing the building of St. Sava College as soon as is possible. At a time when dramatic changes are occurring in Australia, and where the definition of marriage stands to be altered, His Grace called upon everyone to heed the Biblical teaching on marriage and creation.  He called the faithful to resist the radical ideologies which are already being thrust upon society, and which will be intensified if the current plebiscite is successful. In his encyclical distributed amongst the  faithful,

he stated the following:

Mothers and fathers, do not be fooled! Nobody in this world cares for your child more than you do. No government, no school, no teacher, not anybody! At schools throughout Australia, parents are being forced to surrender their children’s moral and spiritual education to the authors of such disgraceful programs as the notorious “Safe Schools”. It has officially gone for now from NSW schools, but it is already back in other packaging. 

The opening of St. Sava College is the most important focus for our Church in Australia, His Grace said, and he called on everyone to support this all-important project.  This is a project of immense significance for our children and grandchildren. In the following weeks, we will be asking for people to join one of our sub-committees, to assist us in everything from and fundraising, to dissemination of information and event organisation. 

“We will build St.Sava College, but St.Sava College will build us” said His Grace Bishop Siluan.