On the Sunday before the feast, the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, the St. Petka Serbian Church in San Marcos, southern California celebrated their patronal feast of the Venerable Mother Paraskeva, St. Petka.

Matins began promptly upon the arrival of His Grace Bishop Maxim. During the morning service the faithful began to slowly fill the church with many parishioners and visitors attending and filling the church for the Holy Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Grace were V. Rev. Protopresbyter Milovan Katanic and Diocesan Deacon Vladan Radovanovic.

In accordance to the ancient custom a procession was led around the church after which the Slava kolach and wheat were blessed with this year’s kumovi Dragan and Kristina Cvetkovic, together with their children Nevena and Milos, as well as all the children and faithful parishioners.

On the occasion of this year’s Slava celebration His Grace Bishop Maxim awarded the parish priest with the right to wear the pectoral cross.

During the banquet in the social center Bishop Maxim awarded Slavko Kljajic and Milan Djokic with the Episcopal Citation-Gramata for their years of service in the parish.

All three groups, the pee-wees, juniors and seniors, of the parish folklore group AVALA performed during the banquet. Attending the banquet festivities were V. Rev. Protopresbyter Stavrophor Bratislav Krsic and Deacon Paul Germain from the neighboring St. George Serbian Church in San Diego. Also in attendance was San Diego District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond.

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