News and Events - May 2010
Rev. Vasilije Vranic
ST. SAVA CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMP IN LIBERTYVILLE, 2010
Libertyville, IL - This year St. Sava Children’s Summer Camp is opening its doors once again to welcome all school-age children to St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, which is the center of Serbian existence on the North American Continent.
The Monastery of St. Sava in Libertyville, which has been housing the Children’s Summer Camp for over half a century, is the symbol of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian culture, and tradition in America. It was built and bequeathed to the subsequent generations of Serbs by + Bishop Mardarije (Uskokovic), the first Serbian bishop in America. Bishop Mardarije began the construction of the Monastery in the 1930’s, an era of great economic instability, general insecurity, and utmost poverty. His vision of building a central place, a symbol of Serbian presence, which the Monastery of St. Sava represents, was originally received with skepticism. However, he would not give up this grand and noble idea. His resolution was best manifested in the fact that he would not hesitate to ride his bike many miles in order to buy some bricks, which he would then take back to Libertyville on the bike. Such was the resolve of this visionary and saint, who deeply cared about our Holy Serbian Church, and our Serbian people. Soon everyone, according to his/her ability, began contributing to the creation of the center of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America.
St. Sava Monastery was bequeathed by Bishop Mardarije in his Last Will to us, the succeeding generations of Serbs
“… as a gathering place for all Serbs in America, as a place of worship, as an eternal God’s temple, I leave [the Monastery] to my beloved Serbian people with one request: to be protected and nourished by them as I did, to be passed on as a fine monument of Serbian and religious thought, to the new Serbian generation in this new world, in order that they would know forever that there were Serbs on this side of the Atlantic, far from homeland…”
This legacy of Bishop Mardarije was further continued by St. Nikolaj Velimirovic, who wholeheartedly supported the erection of the St. Sava Camp building. It was through his support, prayers, and blessings that the Children’s Camp became a reality. This magnificent history of the Monastery and the Camp remain alive to this day among the generations of Serbian Orthodox youth who spent many years in Christian Fellowship at the St. Sava Camp. Surely many Serbs who have experienced life at St. Sava Camp will agree that it is a place where lifelong friendships are formed.
However, we all know that our St. Sava Campers take home much more than nice memories. During their stay they are taught valuable lessons in religion, our cultural history, and tradition. Most importantly they experience an active church life with daily worship.
Keeping all this in mind our St. Sava Children’s Summer Camp Committee is working constantly on preserving the sacred legacy of our holy ancestors-hierarchs, St. Nikolaj and Bishop Mardarije. This year, St. Sava Camp will open its doors once again to receive prayerfully and with joy our Serbian Youth from all corners of America and the World to the bosom of St. Sava.
WELCOME TO ALL CHILDREN OF SAINT SAVA AND SAINT NIKOLAJ OF SERBIA!
The application packet is available from the Internet at: http://serbiancathedral.org/
or by contacting via email: Mrs. Joanne Voynovich at voyno5@aol.com or Rev. Vasilije Vranic at frvasilije@gmail.com