19th Sabor

19th Triennial Church Assembly - Sabor

Ravanica has successfully hosted another Triennial Clergy-Laity Assembly
Of The Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada

There were total of 180 delegates represented at the Sabor, which included:

1 Metropolitan (who also as Dean represented The School of Theology),
4 Bishops, 64 Priests (including 1 abbot)
7 Deacons
6 Circle of Serbian Sisters’ representatives
38 Congregation Presidents
41 Elected Delegates
6 Diocesan Council members
5 Central Council members
3 Official observers, and many other people who took part at various workshops and activities.

There were 5 Serbian bishops attending this Assembly:
His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern America
His Grace Bishop Georgije of Canada,
His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica
His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America,
And His Grace newly ordained Bishop Maxim of Western America.

We also had three guest-bishops at our Assembly:
His Eminence Greek Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, as official lecturer for the First Plenary Session of Sabor,
His Eminence Greek Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit and His Eminence Romanian Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit, as special guests at Sabor Grand Banquet.

Sabor was held from August 9, through August 11, 2006.
One day before Sabor, August 8, Serbian Clergy Brotherhood had their annual meeting with Metropolitan Isaiah as guest lecturer. Other Bishops were present and there was live discussion on Contemporary issues and problems that our priests experience in their Pastoral Practice.

Between regular Assembly Sessions various workshops took place in Ravanica’s Church School and Choir rooms.

Those workshops covered next fields of Church life:
Christian Education, Christian Stewardship, Church Ministries, Serbian Language, Culture and Heritage, Communications and Publications, and Liturgical Music.
At the same time Sabor was in progress, there was another Sabor going on not far from Ravanica, in Plymouth.

It was First Youth Conference, and it took place at St. John’s Catholic retreat center. Every parish in the United States and Canada was invited to send a youth representative to this conference. Goal was to bring together our youth for three days of worship, friendship and learning about their faith and Serbian Culture.

On the last day of Sabor they came back to Ravanica and joined General Assembly for last Session. At that time another event took place. It was the finals of Saint Nicholai of Zhicha Oratorical Festival 2006. Namely, every Diocese organized a competition for young speakers on Subject “As a Serbian Orthodox teen, what does it mean to serve Christ?” Finalists from every Diocese came to Ravanica for the finals.

There were two resolutions that Sabor produced, and several very important decisions for Church life on this continent.

Sabor Documents