1000 years of Bigorski – 1000 years of patriotism, revival, holiness

A word of gratitude of our beloved Elder and Abbot, the Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius, addressed to Metropolitan Timothy during the Vespers before the ceremony, in which he stressed with God-inspired words the importance of the Bigorski’s 1000th jubilee

Your Holiness,

Your High Reverence,

Honourable and righteous Fathers, brothers monks, and sisters,

Beloved guests and friends,

Here we are in the eve of the great celebration in honour of the glorious anniversary of the Bigorski Monastery – 1000 years since its founding by our Father among Saints, the first and renowned Archbishop of Ohrid, St. John of Debar. This anniversary reveals a vast ocean of spirituality, history, education, patriotism, revival, holiness. This day is actually, underlining and completion of 1000 years of monastic life and testimony, of feat and sacrifice in this sacred sanctuary of the Honorable Forerunner and Baptist John, and concludes the entire humble achievement of our holy monastic community. Standing in awe before this magnificent anniversary, our hearts are filled with gratitude and duly respect for our noble predecessors, the reposed Fathers and brothers of ours, who have written the Word of Truth in their hearts and left us an example of authentic life and incomparable inheritance. So now, asking for their intercession before God we exclaim with respect and devotion: ”May their memory be eternal!”

The thousand years long heritage which encompasses the entire course of the Liturgical and ascetic way of life, transformed this place into a fertile ground for deification, making it the garden of Eden for spiritual nourishment and tranquillity, a real shelter for the souls exhausted and burdened by the sin and the world. During these past 10 centuries, Biorski blazed forth like the Upper Room in Jerusalem, because in it one can constantly hear the rustling sound of Pentecost; these blessed slopes of Bistra are revealed as the new Mount Tabor, where through the rays of the uncreated light many souls are transfigured and sanctified; the river Radica proved to be the new Jordan River, where one can constantly hear the call for repentance of the Forerunner: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3,2) – a call which for centuries resounded powerfully in its cliffs and echoed from there in our towns and villages.

Elder and Abbot, the Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius

The full sermon is at the following link

1000 years of Bigorski – 1000 years of patriotism, revival, holiness

Elder and Abbot, the Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius

A word of gratitude of our beloved Elder and Abbot, the Bishop of Antania, Mr Parthenius, addressed to Metropolitan Timothy during the Vespers before the ceremony, in which he stressed with God-inspired words the importance of the Bigorski’s 1000th jubilee