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METROPOLITAN CHRISTOPHER OF LIBERTYVILLE-CHICAGO, FELL ASLEEP IN THE LORD
Chicago, IL -
At 7:45 this evening, Wedesday, August 18, 2010, on the eve of the
feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His
Eminence +Christopher, Metropolitan of Libertyville-Chicago, fell asleep
in the Lord at the age of 82. Clergy are asked to serve a small pomen at tomorrow's Divine Liturgy.
May His memory be eternal.
Born
in Galveston, Texas, and baptized Velimir Kovacevich, the future
Metropolitan Christopher was the ninth of twelve children of Serbian
immigrant parents. After graduation from high school, he attended
Nashotah House and graduated from St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Seminary in
Libertyville, Illinois. After marriage, he was ordained to the Diaconate
and Priesthood. Continuing his education, he earned a B.A.
(Philosophy), Master of Letters (History) at the University of
Pittsburgh; the Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School
of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and completed courses and
examinations for the doctorate at the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Father
Velimir ministered to parishes in Pennsylvania and in Chicago, also
serving as chaplain to four universities. He assisted his parishes to
become bilingual in their worship and education programs. As a priest,
he served as spiritual father, counselor, youth worker, administrator,
educator, and, above all, in priestly ministry at the Holy Altar.
Widowed in 1970, he is the father of four, as well as the grandfather of
nine.
Elevated to the episcopate in 1978 by the Assembly of
Bishops in Belgrade and tonsured with the monastic name of Christopher,
he became the first American-born bishop to serve a diocese of his
church in North America. As Bishop of Eastern America and Canada, he
soon developed a diocesan-wide program in religious education. Active
also in ecumenism, he has served on the joint commission of Orthodox and
Roman Catholic bishops and on the Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue, and has
represented his church at high levels in both the National and World
Councils of Churches. In 1991, he was elevated to the rank of
Metropolitan, thereby becoming Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church in
the U.S. and Canada.
May the Lord our God grant blessed repose and eternal rest to His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher.
AUGUST 23, 2010
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Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, 10:00 AM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at Holy
Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive,
Chicago, IL 60631.
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Funeral Matins (Burial Service), 7:00 PM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at
Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive,
Chicago, IL 60631.
AUGUST 24, 2010
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Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Requiem Service (Trisagion), 9:00 AM,
Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery 32377
N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048, followed by burial at the
gravesite on the south side of the church.
A
memorial lunch will be served at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox
Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631, following
interment.
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Orthodoxy in America
