Slava Celebration at the Presentation of the Lord Monastery in Escondido, California
Ever since its founding the Presentation of the Lord Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Escondido, just north of San Diego, has attracted Orthodox faithful from various jurisdictions, especially the pan Orthodox youth living in the greater San Diego area. In fact, last year a group of young adults attended Divine Liturgy on Bright Tuesday and while visiting the monastery they expressed their desire to spend a few days at the monastery and help clean up the property, the church, the pavilion and do some landscaping work.
This year, following up with their plan, a group of young adults, having received a blessing from His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America, upon the recommendation of Fr. Milovan Katanic, administrator of the monastery, met at the monastery February 10-12. They were joined by Fr. Nathan Thompson of the St. Anthony Antiochian Orthodox Church who led them in prayer Saturday morning and evening as well on Sunday, on the feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs, for the Divine Liturgy. The weekend was spent not only in prayer and fellowship, but also working! Over twenty young adults split up in groups, some cleaning the church, doing yardwork and other tasks. The monastery property is very 
large and there is much work to be done. They have already expressed an interest in spending another weekend in the future at the monastery and continue working on the monastery grounds.
This clean up weekend took place just in time as the monastery Slava was approaching which this year was celebrated on the feast day, Wednesday, February 15, 2023. The Divine Liturgy was served by Rev. Hieromonk Vasilije Gavrilovic, Protopresbyter Stavrophor Milovan Katanic and Rev. Vladan Radovanovic. Fr. Vasilije greeted the faithful at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy conveying the greetings of His Grace Bishop Maxim who was unable to attend the Slava celebration. This was Fr. Vasilije’s first time at the monastery and in his homily, in which he spoke about the feast and the miraculous encounter between St. Simeon the God-Receiver and the Newborn Christ Child, he also spoke of the beauty and tranquility found at this monastery where we have also come to meet God but also to find joy and happiness in meeting and seeing one another.
A festal agape meal followed which began with the cutting of the Slava kolach served by Rev. Hieromonk Vasilije. Joining the celebration was Protopresbyter Stavrophor Bratislav Krsic of the St. George Serbian Church in San Diego.
