ST. STEPHEN NEMANJA ORTHODOX CHURCH
216 Park Avenue, Bisbee, Arizona 85603
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5666, Bisbee, Arizona 85603
UPCOMING AT ST STEPHEN NEMANJA
YULETIDE GREETINGS!
In just a few days, we will be hearing shouts of “Happy New Year!” On the “old” Julian Calendar followed in many Orthodox churches, including our own, that signals that we soon will be celebrating Christmas, the feast of Christ’s Nativity. At St Stephen Nemanja, our festivities will include the traditional Badnje Veche (blessing of the badnjak, or Yule tree) on the evening of Tuesday January 6, beginning at 6:30 PM in the church hall. Following a brief service, Christmas Eve festivities will continue with traditional seasonal carols from many traditions, with violin, viola, and piano accompaniment.
The Divine Liturgy on Christmas Day, Wednesday January 7, will begin at 10:00 AM in the Church. Serving will be Fr. John Erickson and Deacon Joseph Johnson. In the course of the Divine Liturgy, several new members will be received into the Orthodox Church, making this a very special occasion in the life of our parish. Following the Divine Liturgy a festive luncheon will be served in the hall. There is no charge for the meal but to help in planning, please rsvp to Kay Gojkovich (nancytechau@msn.com or 602-339-4576) if you will attend.
HISTORY OF ST STEPHEN NEMANJA
The Serbian Orthodox presence in Bisbee goes back to the late 1880s. While some of these early immigrants went into business, most went to work in the mines. Their importance for the local economy can be seen in Bisbee’s “copper man” statue, for which a Serbian miner served as model. Many of these early immigrants became American citizens, but they retained a love for the Orthodox Christian faith of their homeland. Newspaper articles document visits by early priests for baptisms and special occasions – most notably Fr. Sebastian Dabovich, American-born son of Serbian immigrants who was canonized in 2015 as St. Sebastian of Jackson and San Francisco.