On October 3 and 4, 2020, Serbian Patriarch Irinej visited the Diocese of Nis on the occasion of the consecration of bells on the recently reconstructed northern tower of the monastery of St. Nicholas at Kursumlija, as well as of the great consecration of the Church of the Transfiguration at Prolom Banja.
The Patriarch was greeted by a number of monks, priests and faithful people, headed by Bishop Arsenije of Nis, on Sunday, October 4, 2020.
Patriarch Irinej performed the rite of great consecration of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord at Prolom Banja, with the concelebration of Bishop Ilarion of Timok and Arsenije of Nis; Archimandrite Seraphim (Misic), Abbot of the Sukovo monastery; and Protopresbyter Staurophor Milutin Timotijevic, principal of the Theological Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Nis.
The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy itself was celebrated in the courtyard of the church by Serbian Patriarch Irinej with the concelebration of Bishop Ilarion of Timok; Bishop of Arsenije of Nis; Archimandrite Raphael (Golushina), Abbot of the monastery of Visocka Rzana; Archimandrite Seraphim (Misic), Abbot of the Sukovo monastery; Archimandrite Damaskin, Abbot of the monastery of St. Roman in Djunis; Protopresbyter Staurophor Milutin Timotijevic, principal of the Theological Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Nis; Protopresbyter Staurophors Branislav Cincarevic and Slobodan Petrovic; Archpriests Dusko Kaplarevic and Dejan Arsic as well as by Archdeacon Stevan Kricka and Deacon George Filipovic.
The Liturgy was especially enhanced by chanting in the church apse of archpriest Vladica Savic and professor of Church chanting at the Theological Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Nis archpriest Dejan Krstic as well as Priest Stefan Cincarevic, whereas liturgical responses were chanted by the Great Choir of the Nis Cathedral “Branko”, conducted by Sara Cincarevic.
The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy was attended by a large congregation, who came to pray to the Lord together with their Patriarch, Hierarchs and priests of the Diocese of Nis and Timok.
The Patriarch thanked the founder of the church, Radovan Raicevic from Plocnik, General Manager of Planinka Company at Kursumlija, for the great love he invested into constructing this church, that high above the rock above Prolom Banja (Spa) is not only a place of prayer but a real decoration of the Toplica area as well.
The founder, Radovan Raicevic was awarded the highest recognition of the Orthodox Diocese of Nis – the Order of St. Roman of Djunis of the first degree. On the previous day, by the hand of the Patriarch, and by the decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops, he was awarded the highest recognition of the Serbian Orthodox Church – the Order of Saint Sava of the first degree.
The Bishop’s charter for designing the project of the church was handed to Jovan and Jelena Mandic from Nis.
Source: Serbian Orthodox Church
