On 24th May 2020, on the sixth Sunday after Pascha – the Sunday of the Blind, the Holy Brothers, Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius were solemnly celebrated in the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, the Chilandar metochion in Nis.
On that day, the Church patron saint day was celebrated (the Sunday of Myrrh-bearing women), whose solemn celebration was postponed for the day when the Theological Seminary in Nis celebrates its patron saint day as well. That is why the Paschal service was sung at the Liturgy.
In the exceptionally decorated church-yard of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, Bishop Arsenije of Nis, was greeted with joy by professors, clergy and numerous faithful people.
The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was officiated by Bishop Arsenije with the concelebration of Protopresbyter-Staurophor Milutin Timotijevic, principal of the Theological Seminary; Protopresbyter Miodrag Pavlovic, the first Bishop’s dean in Nis; Protodean Dimitrije Petrovic, Protopresbyter Predrag Radosavljevic, principal of the Church of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Empress Helen; Protopresbyter Vladan Stojanovic, Principal of the Church of Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Donja Vrezina; Protopresbyter Dejan Krstić, professor of the Seminary; Presbyter Boban Milovanović, Protodeacon Stevan Krička and Protodeacon Dejan Nikolić, professor of the Seminary.
Solemn chanting contributed to the pleroma of the Holy Eucharist, performed by some of the best chanters of the Diocese – priests and students of the Theological Seminary who live in Nis. This year, due to the emergency situation, the students of the Seminary studied at their homes, so there were not many of them to attend the ceremony.
After the Gospel reading (John 9:1 – 38), Bishop Arsenije delivered an inspired pastoral sermon, pointing out importance of spiritual sight, comparing physical and spiritual blindness.
In vain the eyes of all of us if there is no light. If it were not the Light of God, darkness would fulfill our life, like the life of the blind from birth. We, who see, should not think that we have more luck than those who do not see. Oh, how grateful we should be to God for giving us a sense of sight. We should not forget that blindness is a great misfortune, but no less a misfortune is the other blindness – spiritual blindness. Spiritually blind is the man who lives in spiritual darkness, whose spiritual man is darkened and does not see the Light of the Divine Truth, justice and good. Spiritually blind is the man who does not see in God his Creator and the Creator of everything material and immaterial.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
