Patriarch of Serbia visited the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Manhattan, NY

His Beatitude Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, accompanied by a priest and members of the administration of the New York Church-school municipality and parish, visited the Cathedral of St. Sava in Manhattan to be briefed on the ongoing renovation and reconstruction works.

The Patriarch noted that significant effort has been dedicated to the project in the last twelve months, since his previous visit to the Church and his first time serving the Holy Liturgy there in seven years, resulting in visible progress in the works.

The Cathedral of St. Sava in Manhattan, situated near the iconic Empire State Building, is among New York’s most stunning places of worship. Originally acquired by St. Bishop Nikolaj and the then American-Canadian Bishop Dionysius from the Episcopal Church in 1943, it has since become a spiritual sanctuary and gathering point for thousands of post-World War II refugees and immigrants who arrived in New York.

On Friday, in the late afternoon, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia arrived in New York, accompanied by Archpriest-Stavrophore Dr. Velibor Džomić, professor at the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac; Archdeacon Dr. Dragan Radić, professor at the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade; and Subdeacon Dejan Nakić.

At the John F. Kennedy airport, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church was welcomed by Archpriest-Stavrophore Dr. Živojin Jakovljević, head of the Cathedral of St. Sava in Manhattan, and Veljko Dobrilović, President of the Church Administration. Children dressed in national costumes welcomed the Patriarch.

The itinerary includes a Holy Liturgy service to be conducted by the Patriarch at 9 am. on Sunday, February 18, at the Cathedral Church of Saint Sava in Manhattan. Additionally, several working meetings are scheduled to focus on advancing the restoration efforts for both the Cathedral and the parish house in New York, both of which were damaged in a fire on Easter 2016.

Source: Serbian Patriarchate