The feast of Saint Sava was celebrated in Hilandar

The Holy Imperial Serbian Lavra Hilandar solemnly and prayerfully celebrated its founder, Saint Sava, the Archbishop of Serbia.

The abbot of the Gregoriou monastery, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Hristofor, was the main guest and presided over the all-night vigil and the Holy Liturgy.

Monks from several Athonite monasteries and pilgrims from Serbia and other countries also attended the panegyric.

The beauty of the service was enhanced by the chanters from the Gregoriou monastery, who chanted on the right chanters’ desk, as well as the Hilandar monks and the chanters of the choir “Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming” on the left desk.

The patronal feasts of the Gregoriou and Hilandar monasteries have recently been celebrated together. This practice was established by the late abbot of Gregoriou, Georgije (Kapsanis), who maintained close relations with the brotherhood of the Hilandar monastery. On the day of the Venerable Grigorije Gornjački, the patron of the Gregoriou monastery, the abbot of Hilandar visits this Athonite sanctuary, whilst the Gregoriou abbot returns the visit on the day of Saint Sava of Serbia.

After the Holy Liturgy, a festive meal was served in the monastery refectory.

Photo: monk Milutin Hilandarac