Miami, March 7, 2024
Bp. Irinej anoints the holy altar table. Photo: easterndiocese.org
The love and labors of more than four decades’ worth of Serbian Orthodox faithful in Florida finally culminated in the consecration of a beautiful new church last month.
The Church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher in Miami was consecrated on February 24 by the local hierarch, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America, together with Their Graces Bishop Longin of New Gračanica and Midwestern America and Bishop Mitrophan of Canada, the Diocese of Eastern America reports.
And since the Diocesan Assembly was held at the church just days before, more than 30 priests, hieromonks, and deacons were also present for the joyous occasion, concelebrating with the hierarchs, in addition to a host of Orthodox faithful.
L to R: Bps. Mitrophan, Irinej, and Longin, in procession with the holy relics. Photo: easterndiocese.org
The journey to February 24, 2024, began as far as 1978, when a small group of Orthodox Serbs began gathering member signatures to petition for the establishment of a parish. In June 1979, they voted to dedicate their church to St. Simeon, and later that year, they were officially registered with state authorities as the Mission of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher.
In 1980, they purchased the plot of land where the church currently sits, with a house that served as both the rectory, the church, and the social hall. They later acquired an adjacent plot, and in 2003, they started construction on a hall that was also adapted for worship.
As Church life developed, the parish knew it needed to build its own church, and construction began in 2013. The first patronal feast was celebrated in 2018, when the church was nearly finished. Before the Liturgy that morning, Bp. Irinej celebrated the rite of the Lesser Blessing of the church.
The Orthodox faithful fill the church. Photo: easterndiocese.org
Since then, the construction of the church was completed, “down to the last detail, so the time had arrived for the Great Consecration,” the diocese writes.
At the evening service on the eve of the consecration, Bp. Irinej brought the holy relics of St. Mardarije of Libertyville and of the Holy Martyrs of Jasenovac and Prebilovci into the church. A multitude of people went forward to venerate the relics after the service.
The next morning, the three hierarchs celebrated the Great Consecration of the Church of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, during which the holy altar table was anointed with Chrism and the holy relics were placed inside. All the walls of the church were also anointed Chrism.
Bp. Mitrophan distributes the slava bread. Photo: easterndiocese.org
The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was then celebrated, presided over by Bp. Longin. At the end, Bp. Mitrophan blessed and cut the festal slava bread for the feast of St. Simeon.
Gifts were distributed to all present, including a copy of the icon of St. Simeon from the church’s iconostasis, a wooden cross, and a piece of the white garment the bishop wore during the consecration.
The celebration then moved to the banquet hall, where a festal lunch was served.
Bp. Irinej congratulates parish rector Archpriest-Stavrofor Milan M. Krstić
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