Solemn celebration of the glory of the monastery of St. George in Ćelije near Lajkovac

On the eve of the Feast of St. George, 5th May 2019 on the occasion of the celebration of the Ćelije Monastery in the eponymous village near Lajkovac, this great shrine of the Diocese of Sumadia was visited by the abbot of the Serbian Imperial Lavra, the Hilandar Monastery, the high-ranking Archimandrite of Methodius. Archdiocese of Methodius led the festive vigil according to the Epiphany typology, with the dedication of the descendants of this family of hieromonk Dositej Hilandarac, proto-priest-Stavrophor Miroslav Filipovic, proto-priest-stavrophor Vojislav Odavic, proto-priest Radivoj Stojadinovic, proto-priest Ivanovic Baban.
The students from the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade sang.

     The following day the Holy Liturgy was served in the presence of many faithful people. He commemorated the liturgy with the high-ranking Archimandrite of Methodius with the services of the abbot of the monastery of Pinosave Peter, the founder of the monastery of the Ćelije monastery of the Hieromonk Dositej, the proto-priest Stavrophor Miroslav Filipovic and the deacon Nikola Urosevic.

After the Liturgy, the Archimandrite of Methodius broke the Church cake with the founder of the Ćelije monastery, the monk Dositej, and then in front of the monastery Temple, a memorial service was given to the commanders and soldiers of the famous Kolubara battle whose bones rest in the ossuary below the Temple itself.

      In a word after the Liturgy, Archimandrite Methodius said: “It is a great spiritual joy today for us from the Hilandar Monastery to be together with you at the Temple Feast of this Monastery of the Holy Martyr George. We thank the Abbot Father Dositej Hilandar who brought the spiritual flame from Hilandar Monastery.  We pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary the Triune who is our abbot, who was also his abbot until very recently, and who will always accompany him because he is a hilandar servant and, of course, St. George whom he has been very zealously serving since the first day, to measure him and to burn this flame who brought it, not only keep it to yourself but burn it in the hearts of all of you who come to this monastery.” The abbot of Methodius thanked Bishop John of Sumadia for the blessing of serving in this holy family on this great feast, and then, continuing his word and speaking of the martyrdom of St. George, instructed many people to persevere in their anguish against those who St. George had suffered, endured, so that the Lord may reward us with a crown of glory.

     After the Worship, a table was set up for high guests and faithful people. After serving the sacrificial one, Methodius abbot wished the newly appointed abbot Dositej from Ćelije to always be the Most Holy Mother of God in his aid, and on this occasion he presented the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God to the three. Donating to his former abbot Methodius the Holy Scripture, Rev. Dositej said, “Thank you Abbot Father for making this truly great blessing for us, for visiting our family of Holy Martyr George – Ćelije. Not only Saint George the Great Martyr, but all these martyrs who lay here, were glad to hear you today. I would like to give you, as a sign of attention, a very powerful weapon that you will have on your desk somewhere, and that is a decorated Scripture, that you can think of the most powerful weapon in the world, which is the Word of God, which will help you in your spiritual to the leadership of the fraternity to which you are abbot”. Referring to the history of the monastery, hieromonk Dositej said that the Ćelije Monastery was probably founded in the 15th century by ecclesiastics who fled before the Turks invaded.

In the afternoon, the monastery was also visited by Bishop John of Sumadia. At the monastery, the bishop met with Archbishop Metodi, Abbot of Hilandar Monastery. The meeting took place in conversation and love, and Bishop John emphasized that he was particularly pleased that this great shrine had begun to prosper since the arrival of the Hilandar hieromonk Dositej for her tutor.