Category

General Information/News

Mar 16
0

Vesper Service at St. George in East Chicago – Sunday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m.

By | General Information/News, Religious Observances | No Comments

Please join fellow parishioners from throughout Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area for Lenten Vesper Services taking place this Sunday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in East Chicago, Indiana.

The full calendar of these services is listed below.

Lenten Services Schedule 2025

New Gracanica Midwestern Diocese – Southern Chicago Deanery
  • March 2nd Cheese Fare Sunday – Forgiveness Vespers – St. Sava Church, Merrillville, IN -6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Dr Mile Subotic
  • March 9th Sunday of Orthodoxy, Inter Orthodox Vespers – Local schedule
  • March 16th Sunday of St Gregory Palama, Vespers – St. George, East Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Aleksandar Novakovic
  • March 23rd Sunday of Ven of the Cross, Vespers – St. Elijah, Merrillville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist- Fr. Vladimir Lange
  • March 30th Sunday of St John Climacus, Vespers – St. Arch Michael, Lansing, 6. P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Marko Matic
  • April 6th Sunday of St Mary of Egypt, Vespers – Sts. Peter and Paul, South Bend, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Aleksandar Savic
  • Friday, April 11th, Presanctified Liturgy – St. George, Schererville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Milorad Jancic
  • April 13th Palm Sunday, Vespers – St. Simeon, South Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Radovan Jakovljevic
  • P.S. St. Nicholas Parish in Indianapolis will hold Lenten Services with the local Churches.
Mar 15
0

Stojanka “Stella’ Suvajac – Memory Eternal ✝ Vjecnaja Pamjat

By | General Information/News, Obituaries & Memorials | No Comments

The Clergy, Executive Board, and Members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church express condolences to the friends and family of Stojanka “Stella’ Suvajac. Memory eternal.

Stojanka “Stella’ Suvajac

Stojanka “Stella’ Suvajac, age 82 of Crown Point, passed away March 13, 2025 peacefully with her family by her side. Stojanka immigrated to the United States in November 1966 with her family. She was a lifelong member of St. George East Chicago & St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church Merrillville, IN.

Stojanka was employed by Anderson Co.  (ANCO) for 25 years. Her hobbies were gardening, exercising, and cooking. She also appreciated her flowers and took pleasure in watching them bloom. She cherished spending time with her family and preparing a variety of meals for them to enjoy.

She is preceded in death by her husband Ostoja, her parents Gospava & Cedomir Milankovic and brother Zarko Milankovic.

Stojanka is survived by her brother Slavko Milankovic from Futog Serbia, her two beloved children, daughter Ljilijana (Lilly) Trkulja, son Srecko Suvajac; loving grandchildren Mirjana (Nenad) Milosevic, Milorad (Dejana) Trkulja; precious great grandchildren Andrej & Atina Trkulja.

Visitation will be held Monday, March 17, 2025 at 10am at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 9191 Mississippi St, Merrillville with funeral service starting at 11am. V. Rev. Marko Matic officiating. Internment Calumet Park Cemetery. May her memory be eternal. For further information please contact Mileva at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel, 219-736-5840.

Mar 03
0

Ilija “Ico” Savic – Memory Eternal ✝ Vjecnaja Pamjat

By | General Information/News, Obituaries & Memorials | No Comments

The Clergy, Executive Board, and Members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church express condolences to the friends and family of Ilija “Ico” Savic. Memory eternal.

Ilija “Ico” Savic

Ilija “Ico” Savic born and raised in Siljkovaca ,Velika Kladusa on July 15, 1924.  He lived a long and happy life surrounded by his loving family. He was 100 years old when he passed away peacefully with his family by his side on March 01, 2025. He came to United states in 1974 where he permanently stayed and lived since 1994. He retired in 1980 back in Bosnia from custodial engineering. He retired from being a janitor at the local school where he lived. He enjoyed spending time with his family and loved his grandkids and great grandkids unconditionally. They were his pride and joy!

Ico is preceded in death by his wife Milica, his parents Nikola and Kata and his loving brothers Pajo and Branko and his half sister Mica and his granddaughter Mirjana who passed at age 5.

Ico is urvived by his 5 children; Mile (Dragica), Mira (Thomas), Milka (Lazo), Boro (Ranka ), Smilja”Seja” (Milan); 13 adored grandchildren Radmila (Vlado), Milorad (Milijana), Milica (Mladen), Ilija, Nikola (Nada) Nikolina (Alec), Bryan (Bri),  Jadranka (Dave),  Milica (Jason), Nikola, Zoran ( Makenzi) Jovica, (Kristiana) and Danijela; 20 beloved great grandchildren Dusica, Dusko, Milica, Lydia, Emilija, Hayden, Dejan, Mihailo, Mia, Maja, Micah, Nikola, Maja, Drazen, Nemanja, Lorelei, Hudson, Nadia, Oliver, and Niko; also numerous nieces and nephews and many friends and kumovi here and in both Bosnia and Serbia.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral service at 12:00 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church 9191 Mississippi St. Merrillville IN with V. Rev. Marko Matic officiating . Interment St. Sava Holy Cross Cemetery . For future information please contact Mileva at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel. 219-736-5840. May his memory be eternal!

Кладуша 15. јула 1924. године. Живео је дуг и срећан живот окружен вољеном породицом. Имао је 100 година када је мирно преминуо са породицом поред себе 01. марта 2025. У Сједињене Америчке Државе дошао је 1974. године, гдје је за стално боравио и живио од 1994. године. Пензионисан је 1980. године назад у Босну од старатељског инжењеринга. Пензионисао се са места домара у локалној школи у којој је живео. Уживао је да проводи време са својом породицом и безусловно је волео своје унуке и праунуке. Они су му били понос и дика!

Ицу су умрли супруга Милица, родитељи Никола и Ката и вољена браћа Пајо и Бранко и полусестра Мица и унука Мирјана која је преминула са 5 година.

остављен да тугује Ицо су његово петоро деце; Миле (Драгица), Мира (Томас), Милка (Лазо), Боро (Ранка), Смиља”Сеја” (Милан); 13 обожаваних унука Радмила (Владо), Милорад (Милијана), Милица (Младен), Илија, Никола (Нада), Николина (Алек), Брајан (Бри), Јадранка (Даве), Милица (Јасон), Никола, Зоран ( Макензи) Јовица, (Кристијана) и Данијела; 20 вољених праунука Душица, Душко, Милица, Лидија, Емилија, Хејден, Дејан, Михаило, Миа, Маја, Мића, Никола, Маја, Дражен, Немања, Лорелеј, Хадсон, Нађа, Оливер и Нико; такође бројне Hећаке и Нечакиње и многи пријатељи и кумови овде и у Босни и Србији.

Посета ће се одржати у уторак, 4. марта 2025. године у 11 часова до времена опела  у 12 часова у Српској православној цркви Светог Саве 9191 Миссиссиппи Ст. Мерриллвилле ИН уз саслужење проте Марка Матића. Погребно гробље Светог Саве. За будуће информације контактирајте Милеву у погребној капели Цалумет Парк. 219-736-5840. Нека му је вјечна успомена!

Ilija “Ico” Savić rođen je i odrastao u Šiljkovači, Velika Kladuša 15. Jula 1924. godine. Živeo je dug i srećan život okružen voljenom porodicom. Imao je 100 godina kada je mirno preminuo sa porodicom pored sebe 01. marta 2025. U Sjedinjene Američke Države došao je 1974. godine, gdje je za stalno boravio i živio od 1994. godine. Penzionisan je 1980. godine nazad u Bosnu od starateljskog inženjeringa. Penzionisao se sa mesta domara u lokalnoj školi u kojoj je živeo. Uživao je da provodi vreme sa svojom porodicom i bezuslovno je voleo svoje unuke i praunuke. Oni su mu bili ponos i dika!

Icu su umrli supruga Milica, roditelji Nikola i Kata i voljena braća Pajo i Branko i polusestra Mica i unuka Mirjana koja je preminula sa 5 godina.

Ostavljen da tuguje Ico su petoro dece; Mile (Dragica), Mira (Tomas), Milka (Lazo), Boro (Ranka), Smilja”Seja” (Milan); 13 obožavanih unuka Radmila (Vlado), Milorad (Milijana), Milica (Mladen), Ilija, Nikola (Nada), Nikolina (Alek), Brajan (Bri), Jadranka (Dave), Milica (Jason), Nikola, Zoran ( Makenzi) Jovica, (Kristijana) i Danijela; 20 voljenih praunuka Dušica, Duško, Milica, Lidija, Emilija, Hejden, Dejan, Mihailo, Mia, Maja, Mića, Nikola, Maja, Dražen, Nemanja, Lorelej, Hadson, Nađa, Oliver i Niko; takođe brojne nećakinje i nećake i mnogi prijatelji i kumovi ovde i u Bosni i Srbiji.

Poseta će se održati u utorak, 4. marta 2025. godine u 11 časova do vremena opela u 12 časova u Srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi Svetog Save 9191 Mississippi St. Merrillville IN uz sasluženje prote Marka Matića. Pogrebno groblje Svetog Save. Za buduće informacije kontaktirajte Milevu u pogrebnoj kapeli Calumet Park. 219-736-5840. Neka mu je vječna uspomena!

Mar 03
0

Lenten Services Schedule 2025

By | General Information/News, Religious Observances | No Comments

Lenten Services Schedule 2025

New Gracanica Midwestern Diocese – Southern Chicago Deanery
  • March 2nd Cheese Fare Sunday – Forgiveness Vespers – St. Sava Church, Merrillville, IN -6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Dr Mile Subotic
  • March 9th Sunday of Orthodoxy, Inter Orthodox Vespers – Local schedule
  • March 16th Sunday of St Gregory Palama, Vespers – St. George, East Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Aleksandar Novakovic
  • March 23rd Sunday of Ven of the Cross, Vespers – St. Elijah, Merrillville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist- Fr. Vladimir Lange
  • March 30th Sunday of St John Climacus, Vespers – St. Arch Michael, Lansing, 6. P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Marko Matic
  • April 6th Sunday of St Mary of Egypt, Vespers – Sts. Peter and Paul, South Bend, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Aleksandar Savic
  • Friday, April 11th, Presanctified Liturgy – St. George, Schererville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Milorad Jancic
  • April 13th Palm Sunday, Vespers – St. Simeon, South Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Radovan Jakovljevic
  • P.S. St. Nicholas Parish in Indianapolis will hold Lenten Services with the local Churches.
Feb 23
0

Lenten Versper Service and Dinner – Sunday, March 2 at 6:00 p.m.

By | General Information/News, Religious Observances | No Comments

Please join us this Sunday, March 2 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, Indiana for Great Lenten Vesper Service with His Eminence Metropolitan Longin, visiting clergy, and guests. Responses by Karageorge Choir.

Lenten dinner to follow.

Click here to download a printable flyer and schedule of these special events.

See the schedule below of special Vesper Services taking place throughout Lent.

Lenten Services Schedule 2025

New Gracanica Midwestern Diocese – Southern Chicago Deanery
  • March 2nd Cheese Fare Sunday – Forgiveness Vespers – St. Sava Church, Merrillville, IN -6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Dr Mile Subotic
  • March 9th Sunday of Orthodoxy, Inter Orthodox Vespers – Local schedule
  • March 16th Sunday of St Gregory Palama, Vespers – St. George, East Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Aleksandar Novakovic
  • March 23rd Sunday of Ven of the Cross, Vespers – St. Elijah, Merrillville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist- Fr. Vladimir Lange
  • March 30th Sunday of St John Climacus, Vespers – St. Arch Michael, Lansing, 6. P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Marko Matic
  • April 6th Sunday of St Mary of Egypt, Vespers – Sts. Peter and Paul, South Bend, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Aleksandar Savic
  • Friday, April 11th, Presanctified Liturgy – St. George, Schererville, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr Milorad Jancic
  • April 13th Palm Sunday, Vespers – St. Simeon, South Chicago, 6 P.M.
    Homilist – Fr. Radovan Jakovljevic
  • P.S. St. Nicholas Parish in Indianapolis will hold Lenten Services with the local Churches.
Feb 20
0

Join us for Zadusnice Memorial Service – Saturday, February 22 – St. Sava, Merrillville, Indiana

By | General Information/News, Obituaries & Memorials, Religious Observances | No Comments

Please join us for a special Zadusnice Memorial Service taking place Saturday, February  22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Sava Church, Merrillville, IN.

We encourage anyone to attend. There is no need to bring anything special to this service other than your memories and prayers for your loved ones. However, we do encourage you to write down a list of departed family members and friends, if you wish, to bring with you to the service so that we may read the names and remember all of them.

The purpose of the memorial service is to bring comfort to both the living and the dead. As is sung in the concluding song – Memory Eternal – it also helps us keep the memory of loved ones alive.

Zadusnice, also known as Saturday of Souls or All Souls’ Day, is a day commemorating the faithful departed, particularly but not exclusively one’s relatives. This special observance takes place on a Saturday, a traditional day for prayer for the dead, because Christ lay dead in the Tomb on Saturday.

For the Zadusnice observance, there is normally a Panikhida (memorial service) served on the Saturday morning for which Koliva (a dish made of boiled wheatberries and honey) is prepared and placed in front of the cross or icon with a lit candle, before which the Panikhida is served.

After the service, the priest blesses the koliva and it is then eaten as a memorial by all present.

Zadusnice Memorial Service takes place four times per year. If you are not available this Saturday, we encourage you to join us for the next Zadusnice Memorial Service

Feb 17
0

Sreten Vasiljevic – Memory Eternal ✝ Vjecnaja Pamjat

By | General Information/News, Obituaries & Memorials | No Comments

The Clergy, Executive Board, and Members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church express condolences to the friends and family of Sreten Vasiljevic. Memory eternal.

Sreten Vasiljevic

Sreten Vasiljevic age 84, went home to heaven on February 15th, 2025. He was born July 29th, 1940 in Vitanovice, Kosovo Serbia and immigrated to America.

Sreten loved being surrounded by his family, played the lottery every week, enjoyed gardening and helped build his beautiful church Sveti Sava in Merrillville.

He retired from Local 81 after over 30 years of his hard work and dedicated service. You could always catch him singing a tune or telling a joke. He loved spending time with his grandkids and great grandkids the most of all.

He is preceded in death by his parents Zivko and Natalija (Radivojevic) Vasiljevic and brother Milovan Vasiljevic.

Sreten is survived by his wife of 58 years, Slobodanka. His brother Miodrag Vasiljevic; 2 cherished daughters Olivera Vasiljevic & Vera (Proto Jerej Stavrofor Mijoljub)Matic; he was the loving Deda of Milica (Anthony) Kurek, Stefan Matic, Anastasija (Brandon) Webb, Luka Matic, Alexander Vasiljevic & Natalija Matic; he was the most amazing pradeda to Adrijana Webb, Dimitri, Niko & Viktorija Kurek.

Our lives will not be the same without our Dear Deda. Sreten is also survived by his nieces and nephews, cousins, family, friends and Kumovi across the United States & in Serbia.

Funeral Services will take place Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 9191 Mississippi St, Merrillville at 11:00 a.m., with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. V. Rev Marko Matic officiating. Internment St. Sava Holy Cross Cemetery.

For further information please call Mileva  at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel 219-736-5840. Vecnaja Pamjat.

Feb 13
0

St. Sava annual membership meeting agenda now available; meeting scheduled – Sunday, Feb. 23

By | General Information/News | No Comments

The Executive Board of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church has shared the agenda for the Annual Membership Meeting taking place Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at the South Wing Social Center of St. Sava Church, located at 9191 Misssissippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana.

It is important to note that membership dues must be up-to-date before the day of the meeting. Members are encouraged to make arrangements to make sure dues are paid and up-to-date prior to February 23. Call the office at 219-736-9191 for more information or to make appropriate arrangements to make payments.

This annual meeting will take place in accordance with the by-laws of the Church-School Parish, Part III, Article 16 (a, b, and c), the Annual Membership Assembly of the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Parish membership.

All current members are encouraged to attend to gain important insights about church operations and to vote for the new Executive Board that will provide leadership through the year ahead until the next annual meeting in early 2026.

Annual Membership Assembly 2025 Agenda

The Executive Board proposes the following agenda:

  1. Opening of Assembly with prayer
  2. Establishment of the Quorum
  3. Election of the Assembly President
  4. Confirmation of the proposed agenda
  5. Acceptance of the minutes of the 2024 Annual Assembly
  6. Discussion and acceptance of the Executive Board reports:
    a. Parish Priest
    b. Financial Secretary
    c. Treasurer
    d. Church School Report
    e. Executive Board President
  7. Report of the Audit Board
  8. Questions and proposals for the good of the Parish
  9. Election of delegates for the Diocesan Assembly
  10. Dismissal of the old Board and election of the new Board
  11. Closing of the Assembly with prayer

DUES WILL NOT BE COLLECTED AT THIS ANNUAL MEETING

Financial reports and minutes of the 2024 Annual meeting will be attached to each member’s 2024 Report. In order to save time and spare our members of the need to have the 2024 minutes read, members will have ample time before the meeting to read the minutes. This rule was unanimously passed at the 1989 General Assembly.

Parish Priest – Marko Matic

Executive Board President – Miloš Drljević

Secretary – Kathleen Baroevich

Feb 02
0

Fragment of the True Cross of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ at St. Sava Serbian Church in Merrillville, Indiana – February 7

By | General Information/News, Religious Observances | No Comments

Father John of the Greek Orthodox Church, visiting from Greece will be present to bless and cross all who wish to come and venerate the Cross of Christ during special hours Friday, February 7 from Noon to 8:00 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Merrillville, Indiana.

  • St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church
    9191 Mississippi Street
    Merrillville, Indiana 46410

Fr. John has been granted the high honor of carrying a fragment of the True Cross of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, which has worked and continues to work miracles amongst the faithful, and through God’s Providence even those who are found lacking of such faith.

During the period of Greek captivity under the Ottoman Turks, and prior, many monasteries, Churches, and places of worship were desecrated and destroyed, resulting in the destruction and loss of many priceless spiritual relics and treasures from amongst the glory of Christendom.  This reality encouraged the priests, hierarchies, and Holy Fathers of the Great Church of Christ, that is the Orthodox Church, to distribute these holy artifacts amongst the faithful, entrusting to them the safeguarding of such spiritual gifts until the time was fulfilled and they were instructed on how to act with regards to these articles, icons, relics, and even pieces and fragments of the True Cross of Christ.

One fragment of the True Cross, embedded also with the sacrificial blood of our Lord, was found to be with a pious woman in Greece.  The Mother of God appeared to her instructing her to deliver the Cross to Fr John when he was still a young priest, which this pious soul was faithful to do, according to our Lady’s instructions.  Surrendering the Cross, it is until this day under the care of Father John.

The gift of the Lord’s Salvation has come to grace St. Sava’s Church.  This Friday the Cross will be present for all those who are able and willing to come to the Lord and turn to Him that they should be healed.  All who are able and all who ail are encouraged to come.

Jan 26
0

About the Tradition of Blessing Homes

By | General Information/News | No Comments

This little article is not about what you probably already know about blessing homes – get a candle, get an icon, write out a list of all the living you want the priest to pray for, and write out a list of the departed too. Turn off the television, radio, and other electronic devices… you know all that. This is instead a message about the deeper meaning of this, a serious application of the blessing to our lives.

The tradition of blessing homes is of special beauty and significance. It is not simply a sentimental custom without meaning. It is attached to a special event in our Holy Church – the feast of the Lord’s Baptism – reminding us of not only our baptisms, but also of the need of baptizing the world in which we live, including what we might call “my world” – ‘my personal space.’

When an Orthodox Christian believer moves into a new home, he dedicates it not only as the abode of a follower of Christ, but also as a shining example to the community of good clean Christian life. He asks that God, the source of all goodness and the Giver of every perfect gift, bless his house and all that is within it; he recalls that Jesus Christ, His Son, came to bring Salvation to it, even as He brought Salvation to the house of Zacchaeus, the house of Mary and Martha and Lazarus; he prays that the Holy Spirit may abide in it, guiding those who dwell in it in the Paths of righteousness.

When our house is blessed, after the Feast of Theophany, we rededicate our home for its original purpose, just as we must periodically rededicate our life to Christ. An Orthodox Christian must dedicate not only himself and his house to the Lord, but his daily work and all his efforts as well. All things are to be done to the glory of God. That is why in the Christian Orthodox Church, not only religious objects, such as icons, crosses, churches and vestments, are blessed, but also homes, fields and all objects which are used in our daily lives for the good of man. In this the Church expresses its faith that the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying action extends over the whole Creation.

At the Nativity of Our Lord, we sing a carol which tells us ‘Let every heart prepare Him room.’ We know that this means not only to ‘make a space for’ but it means to clean and cleanse and purify our homes and get ready for Him to come to us, not only in our homes but also, and more especially, into our hearts.

We prepare our hearts and souls and heads, cleaning them of all sinfulness so that when He comes, the place will be refreshed and ready. When someone comes to stay in your guest room (which you may not use often, or may use only to store lots of ‘stuff’), we normally air the room out, dust it and change the bed linens which may have become somewhat musty. We might even wash the windows to let the light shine in, clean the floor, and make room by shoving all the ‘stuff’ into closets (or under the bed). We know then that cleaning the house of our soul is equally hard work – we take stock of our lives and actions over the past year, come to confession so that Our Lord – who washes away our sins when we confess them – when He comes in to us, has a refreshed and clean place worthy of laying His head – He comes to abide in us as well as our homes!

Blessing the home is a spiritual ‘exercise’ led by the Lord Himself, through his priest and in the presence of the members of the assembled family, dressed in ‘good clothes,’ and maybe even invited guests and friends, who all enter into worship and thanksgiving with us. Effective family life does not just happen; it is the result of deliberate intention, determination and practice.