The 22nd Annual KSS Lenten Women’s Retreat
The contribution made by the women’s organization to our Church life on both the local and national level was enormous. Serbian Sisters’ Circles (Serbian: Kolo Srpskih Sestara) were often founded before parishes and church-school-congregations. For building new churches, installing iconostases, supplying the church with ecclesiastical furnishings to metal, wood or textiles, the Serbian Sisters’ Circles contributed to the most. Occasionally they even paid monthly bank installments financing the construction of churches or church buildings (schools and church halls).
Once of the most spiritually nourishing events every year is the Women’s Spiritual Retreat. Organized by the Diocesan Circle of Serbian Sisters and held every year during the weekend of the 5th Sunday of Great Lent (St Mary of Egypt), two weeks before Easter, at one of our Parishes, this retreat always attracts many faithful from 
throughout the Diocese. The weekend officially begins on Friday with the Akathist Service to the Mother of God. After dinner, the evening is devoted to informal discussion. Saturday morning begins with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Following breakfast, all gather in the Church hall to hear a lecture offered by a distinguished speaker. A lecture for ladies on how to advance in spiritual and religious life is always profound, thought-provoking, and moving.
The Diocesan Kolo Srpskih Sestara Circle of Serbian Sisters held the 22nd Annual Women’s Lenten Retreat April 12th-13th, 2019 at St. Steven’s Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Alhambra, California. The perennial retreat included women from various Western Diocesan parishes and local Greek Orthodox parishes.
The featured speaker was His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas, Metropolitan Bishop of the Metropolis of the Dardanelles and Proctor of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute in Berkeley, California. His Eminence spoke about “Women in The Lenten Texts.” The ladies participated in the Divine Liturgy, Vespers and round table discussions. Lovely Lenten meals were prepared providing an opportunity for fellowship. As with each annual Lenten Women’s Retreat, a greater understanding of our rich Orthodox heritage was provided and the importance of strengthening our faith through prayerful learning continues to prepare us in defending the one true faith.
