Orthodox Baptism
“A child is a gift from God”
3 Sacraments of Holy Baptism
“The Service of Baptism inaugurates the person’s reception of three Sacraments –
Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist – allowing that person to have the same
potential as any of the greatest saints.
“Nothing more can be added.
“Baptism is one’s personal acceptance of the feast of Pascha. It celebrates one’s unification and identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“Holy Chrismation marks one’s acceptance of the Feast of Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered disciples. It celebrates the consecration and dedication of a person’s uniqueness and talents – all in the context that “God’s Holy Name might be glorified” in the life of that person or child.
“The gifts of Baptism and Chrismation prepare one for the true possibilities of communion, life, and nourishment that God provides in Holy Communion, the Eucharist.
“These Sacraments of Entry mark the opening moments of Christian life: the beginning of
a life in Christ which leads from “glory to glory” and to continual re-discovery and joy.”
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Usually we think of babies being baptized, but here we have two sisters, beautiful young ladies, who decided on their own, to be baptized into Christ. If you haven’t been baptized yet, think about making the commitment to Christ. He welcomes all!
The girls, their Kumovi, and Fr. Milan Pajic of Midland, PA
EXORCISMS
Fr. Rajko Kosic and Nicholas’ Kum help prepare him for a life with Christ.
The priest then calls upon the sponsor to renounce the devil and all his works for the child: “Do you renounce Satan, and all his angels, and all his works, and all his services, and all his pride?”
union with Christ express our faith that the newly-baptized child has been transferred from one master to another, from Satan to Christ.
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
The priest then makes the sign of the cross on the child’s body. This is repeated often during the service. Essentially the cross is the sign of victory which puts the devil to flight. In the old days,
slaves were branded, as are animals today, to show to what master they belong. Today, the sign of the cross brands us as belonging to Christ.
The lighted candles, the censor and songs, typify that the newly enlightened, through Baptism, has entered into a union with Christ, the Light of the World. The Procession is a circle that has a beginning with no end, following the Priest around the baptismal font and the table upon which lay the Gospel and Cross, the center of Unity. This shows faithfulness to the Gospel of Christ and the willingness to accept the Cross, the center of Christian life, a life of future spiritual happiness.
Parker Nicholas’ first trip to the Altar with Fr. Rajko, Pgh.
Before the conclusion of the service, the priest takes the newly baptized and chrismated one to the altar. He/she is offered to God and the church, just as St. Simon offered Jesus to the temple. The priest then proclaims, “The servant of God is Churched in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy SPirit.” The mother then receives the child at the Royal Doors at the altar just as Virgin Mary received Jesus at the temple.
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Thanks to our website Contributors George Vurgich and his sister, Dolores Vignovich, who collaborated to produce this wonderful Baptism leaflet for St. Nicholas’ Serbian Orthodox Church in Monroeville to help people better understand the Holy Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation.
Baptism, as St. Paul writes, is death and resurrection with Christ. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the Holy Spirit cleanses the soul of sin so that all the human soul enters into a relationship with God through grace and is received into the fellowship of true believers. Those baptized receive forgiveness of original sin and are united with Christ in such a way as to receive full benefits of His redemption. They are mysteriously reborn into a spiritual Christian life.
The Orthodox Rite of Baptism begins in the vestibule of the church. The priest breathes three times into the face of the one being baptized, making the sign of the cross on his/her forehead and chest. By this he signifies that through Baptism the breath of life has been granted, just as God breathed into the nostrils of Adam, the first man. The three times indicate the life-giving Trinity.
The Priest makes the sign of the cross on the brow of the one being baptized three times to signify that by personal disgression he/she is separated from unbelievers. The brow is considered the center of disgression. The placing of the priest’s hand on the head indicates that the newly baptized has taken refuge in the church. o be completely separated from Satan and to belong to God, the one being baptized and their sponsors (Kum and Kuma) are turned away from the altar, toward the west, and asked to reject Satan three times and to breathe and spit upon Satan. Then turning toward the east, to the altar, the sponsors are asked to confess three times on behalf of the infant, their acceptance of Christ–thus uniting the infant with Christ. The Nicene Creed is then read in its entirety.
Blessing the Water and Immersion
“Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)
After receiving Baptism, the newly baptized is then clothed in white (The Robe of Holiness) expressing the purity of the soul that has been washed from sin. It also recalls the shining robe in which Christ appeared at the Transfiguration. There is now a likeness between the one baptized and the transfigured Lord (II Corinthians 5:17).
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Chrismation is administered at the time of Baptism. Through Chrismation, the Holy Spirit fills the soul with strength and wisdom and other gifts to live a holy life. This Sacrament is considered to be the fulfillment of Baptism and gives strength for living the new life received through being baptized.
During this ceremony, the priest anoints certain parts of the body of the baptized infant (or adult) with a substance, containing olive oil and various perfumes, called Holy Chrism, which is prepared by the bishop only during Holy Week. The priest says, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” It is the Holy Spirit of God that we are all “sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
By this sacrament, the one being baptized is made a Christian, now eligible to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
(Be sure to read more about the Karamarkovich/ Vurgich/Vignovic family on the Serbian Handicrafts page on this website!)
Here’s a special baby! Welcome Samantha!
Bato and Ljubi (Ostojich) Hayden were pleased to welcome to Christ, their 3rd grandchild, but the first (1st!) female in the Hayden family in 38 years!
Bato and Ljubi have four sons: Milan (Jen) have Ilija; Adam (Beth) have Luke and Samantha (baby shown here above); and Luke and Daniel are still single as of this writing. (Come on’ girls!)
Bato Hayden is originally from Aliquippa, PA. He’s a relative to Sava Hajdin, founder of the Serb National Federation. Bato is founder of the “Pee Wee Division” of the SNF Basketball Tournaments.
Baba Ljubi’s maiden name was Ostoich, and her mother was a Chicago Popovich. Beth’s (baby Samantha’s mother) maiden name was Lauer.
The Christening took place at St. Archangel Michael’s Serbian Orthodox Church on Oct. 10, 2009, with V.Rev. Fr. Dr. Milos Vesin officiating.
Kumovi for Samantha were Mark Zagorac and Dana Wilkins, marking a 2nd generation Kumstvo, as Bato and Ljubi held Mark for his Christening. Marko’s brother Sam (Nicole) and the Hayden’s son Milan (Jen) are also Krsteni Kumovi.
Maternal grandparents are Bob & Kathy Lauer
Great-grandparents are Sophie (Popovich) Ostoich of Lansing, IL, Barbara Hayden of Marco Island, FL and Joe and Pam Lauer, Lansing, IL
Ziveli, all!
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Baptized unto Christ….
Family and Friends gather….
The Midland, PA St. George Church altar is beautiful!
Top photo: Fr. Milan Pajic baptizing in the name of the Holy Spirit.
Bottom photo:Cutting the hair: First gift to God after baptism.
This ritual cutting of the hair is a sign of dedication, commitment and obedience, as well as faithful service to God. The newly cut hair is preserved in candle wax and given to the mother for safekeeping.
THE CUTTING OF HAIR -more-
After confirming the child, the priest cuts three locks of hair from the child’s head. This is an
expression of gratitude from the child, who having received an abundance of blessings through the
Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of its hair, which is symbolic of strength (see Samson in the Old Testament). The child, therefore, promises
to serve God with all its strength. In the words of Fr. Schmemann, the cutting of the hair “is a sign that
the life that now begins is a life of offering and sacrifice.”
This ritual cutting of the hair is a sign of dedication, commitment and obedience, as well as faithful service to God. The newly cut hair is preserved in candle wax and given to the mother for safekeeping.
THE CUTTING OF HAIR -more-
After confirming the child, the priest cuts three locks of hair from the child’s head. This is an
expression of gratitude from the child, who having received an abundance of blessings through the
Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of its hair, which is symbolic of strength (see Samson in the Old Testament). The child, therefore, promises
to serve God with all its strength. In the words of Fr. Schmemann, the cutting of the hair “is a sign that
the life that now begins is a life of offering and sacrifice.”
THE ANOINTING WITH OIL
Jocelyn welcoming the Holy Spirit and the “Oil of Gladness” from Fr. Tom Soroka, separating herself from unbelievers.
The Olive oil is blessed and then applied by the priest to the various members of the child’s/adult’s body: hands, feet, ears, mouth, in order to dedicate them to the service of Christ. The oil is called “THE OIL OF GLADNESS,” symbolic of future happiness.
However dark may be the night that surrounds us, baptism remains the sacrament of entrance
into light. It opens the eyes of the soul to see Christ, the light of the world (John 1:19). It makes us
sons of light (I Thess. 5:5).
In the early church, the baptismal candle was always kept by the one baptized. It was given to
the newly baptized with the scriptural admonition: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
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The Immersion….
Deacon Dragoslav Kosic and his happy Family
Happy relatives share the joy!
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This is what its all about!
Kuma Paula Winowich knows!
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Joining the family of Christ
Kosovo, Serbia's Jerusalem.
“A King for Yugoslavia,” Speech delivered at the Slava luncheon sponsored by the Serbian National Shield Society Toronto Chapter ‘Karadjordje.’ Voice of Canadian Serbs, Thurdsay, December 27, 2001.
A Shameful Tale of Duplicity, Double Standards and Mismanagement
Kosovo is not just a piece of geography. It is the heart and soul of the Serbian nation, wherever the nation exists, no matter how great or how small.
Kosovo is like a mirror. It echoes the past and reflects the future, wherever one lives.
The Battle of Kosovo mirrors the SPIRIT of the people. The Battle of Kosovo is the KEYSTONE of Serbian history.
Many sacrifices were made by the Serbian heroes on Kosovo Polje or the Field of Blackbirds for the Serbian ideals of Liberty, Justice, Equality and THE CROSS!
Individual Serbs carry Kosovo with them wherever they are, just like they carry the image of the “White Angel” (Bjeli Andjel) with them wherever they travel.
If the icon of Christ on the Cross is reminiscent of the painting of The Maid of Kosovo, then the White Angel icon is representative of the hope, the freedom, the better tomorrow— such as when the angel guarding Christ’s tomb announces, “He is not here, He has Risen!
People are forced to make hard choices every day in their lives, but the Serbs are fortunate in that they have a good example to follow. Follow the cross! Czar Lazar had to make a choice between an earthly kingdom or a heavenly one. Choose well.
Although the Serbs were vassals under the Turks for many centuries, called “dogs” and other derogatory terms, they were never slaves. There were always the resistance fighters, the ones who could never be shackled in thought and prayers.
This photo was taken in front of the Pec Monastery in Kosovo, in 2006, during a “Tour of Serbian Monasteries.” Surely, this Serbian Monastery, the Seat of the Serbian Patriarchate at the time of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, attests to the rightful heritage of this Holy Land, the Serbian Jerusalem!
600 years ago, Prince Lazar uttered this curse:
“Ko ne dodje na boj na Kosovo,
Od ruke mu nista se rodilo
Ni u polju psenica bjelica
Ni u brdu vinova lozica
Ne imao u kuci porode
Rdjom kap’o dok mu je kolena.”
Translated, that means:
“Whoever comes not to Kosovo to fight
May no fruit come forth from his laboring hand
Neither the sweet white-kerneled wheat in his fields,
Nor yet the wine from his vineyards in the hills.
May there be no children born unto his house.
May he and all his live and die in torment.”
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To learn more about the museum where the Serb National Federation’s Museum collection is now housed, visit: http://www.pghhistory.org
Famous gusle right behind Mim. Banner, King Alexander painting, GI Joe doll of Mitchell Paige, Vinka’s costume, a few other things to see. Mitchell Paige was a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. In his mother’s kitchen in Charleroi, PA was always the painting of THE MAID OF KOSOVO.
The SRBORAN showed this photo of the men from Farrell donating the flag to the Serb National Federation, which is now at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. It’s embroidered on BOTH sides, one in Serbian Cyrillic, and the other in English!
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Serbian Hero, Milosh Obilich, slew Sultan Murad in his tent, by pretending to be a turn-coat “traitor” to his people.
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In 1989, the Petar Krstich Serbian Choir of Steubenville, OH, performed “Kosovski Bozuri” as the main event of the Gala Banquet commemorating the 600th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in Detroit’s Hyatt Regency Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. The cantata was set to music by Director Emeritus, Slobodan Zelich.
“Kosovski Bozuri” is the Serbian’s beloved bright red Kosovo poppy (bozur), which according to tradition, sprang up from the precious blood of the heroes of Kosovo, and covered the “Field of the Blackbird.”
(Tole Artwork by Billie Brnilovic & Georgette Osman)
For generations, Serbian poets, writers, artists and composers have created cultural flowers, spiritual Kosovo poppies.
Paul Bielich, wrote in the August 23, 1989 American SRBOBRAN, “These spiritual Kosovo poppies watered the soul with patriotism and faith. The spiritual bouquets trace the historical rise and fall of our people from Kosovo to the present day— in which they still proclaim loudly,
“For the Honorable Cross and Golden Freedom!”
Za krst casni, i slobodu zlatnu!
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Rev. J. Popovich wrote about the Battle of Kosovo, and The Field of Blackbirds, printed in Milan Karlo’s June, 1948 magazine American SERB LIFE.
Here’s the bus from Pittsburgh in Washington, DC!
Around the world, people were quick to protest the unfair land grab from Serbia and recognition of Kosovo as an independent country. U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, stating the official U.S. position, stated: “It’s time to drop centuries of grievance and sentimentality in the Balkans. I mean, after all, we’re talking about something from 1389! Time to move forward.”
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There’s a beautiful song on YouTube about Kosovo.
It was translated here by
Nena Jovonovich & Ann & Voya Vitorovich
Kosovo je Duša Srbije <—- click to hear
Kosovo je duša Srbije
Sveto polje najSrpskije
Kosovo je Vera, Nada
Mesto gde se za krst strada
Kosovo je najSrpskije
Lice Božije
Tamo gde je duša ostala
Tamo je I naša sudbina
Tamo gde je srce bilo
Gde se Božje dogodilo
Tamo sto je, sve je Srbija
Jedno polje prelepo
Božurom se kitilo
Jedno polje presveto
U nebo se propelo
Jednu veru ćuvao
U krvi se kupalo
Kad se java razdeli od sna
I ostane samo ikona
I kad većnost broji dane
Nad Srbijom sunce grane
Kosovo je uvek Srbija
Uvek Srbija
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Kosovo is the soul of Serbia
Hallowed ground, most Serbian
Kosovo is Faith, Hope
Land of martyrdom for the cross
Kosovo is most Serbian
Face of the Lord
There where the soul remained
There too is our destiny
There where the heart remained Where God’s will was done
All that is there, all is Serbia
All is Serbia
REFRAIN:
One most beautiful field
Adorned with poppies
One most sacred field
Has ascended to heaven
One faith safeguarded
Bathed in blood
When reality replaces the dream
Only an icon remains
And when Eternity counts the days
Above Serbia the sun shines
Kosovo is always Serbia
Always Serbia
In Cyrillic:
Косово је Душа Србије
Свето Поље најСрпскије
Косово је вера, нада
Где се место за крсту Страда
Косово је најСрпскије
Лице Божије
Где је тамо Душа Остала
Тамо ми је Наша Судбина
Где је Срце тамо било
Где се Божије догодило
Што је тамо, Све је Србија ”
Једно прелепо Поље
Божуром себи китило
Једно Поље пресвето
У небо се пропело
Једну веру ћувао
У крви се купало
Кад себи Јава раздели од сна
Само да остане Икона
Кад сам већност броји Дане
СУНЦЕ гране над Србијом
Косово је увек Србија ”
Увек Србија ”
American SRBOBRAN headlines, Friday, June 25, 1943, Vol. XXXVII, No. 8368
These headlines say it all— As long as there are people and as long as there is Kosovo…. and the two starring figures are Milosh Obilich & Draza Mihailovich in this 1943 issue of the SRBOBRAN above!
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$621.00 was raised quickly at the St. Sava’s Day program 2007 in St. Elijah’s to help buy firewood for the freezing Serbian children in Kosovo. (Even the young orchestra gave all their “tip” money to the cause!) The money was sent to V. Rev. Arch. Necatious Serfes of Boise, Idaho, immediately after his plea as administrator of the Decani Relief Fund. He can be contacted at frdmitri@connecttime.net or:
V. Rev. Arch. Necatrious Serfes
2618 W. Bannock St., Boise, Idaho 83702
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Sporting Events and Kosovo
Milorad Cavic, a young American Serb from California was swimming for Serbia when he won the Gold Medal for his Butterfly stroke in Europe, breaking all previous world records. However, one official complained about Milorad’s shirt because it said in Cyrillic, “Kosovo is Serbia,” and unbelievably, Cavic was fined over $10,000!
This was incredibly cruel, as (1) in America, we have freedom to express ourselves; (2) they displayed the wrong flag when he won the championship. Was that official biased or what?
Milorad Cavic sent all of you children greetings! He worked hard in preparation for the Beijing Olympics.
UPDATE:
CAVIC EARNS SILVER MEDAL AT OLYMPICS, but GOLD MEDAL in Serbian Hearts!
Read the Story here:
Cavic Already a Hero in Serbia by Andrew Dampf, AP Sports Writer AP, Beijing, China, August 16, 2008
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September 12, 2008
From our Detroit contributor, Pam, comes this news!
Imagine how THRILLED young American Serb Alexa of Dearborn Dolphins Swim Club was to actually MEET her hero, Milorad Cavic, at a swim camp in Florida! He encouraged her to keep pursuing her dreams of being in the Olympics someday too! Our eyes & hearts are upon you, Alexa! Keep on going and make us all proud like Mike has!
Everyone loves Milorad because of his kindness to others and desire to always do his best! There is even a FACEBOOK group you can join about the American/Serbian Champion Milorad Cavic.
Click here to another article from the NY Times about Cavic Finds Triumph in Narrowest of Defeats
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Make sure you check out the latest in Serbian tennis stars. They (Ana, Jelena and Djoko) are doing a tremendous job.
Isn’t it telling that the French said the ceremonies were copyrighted and wouldn’t let YouTube continue showing the playing of the Serbian National Anthem, “Boze Pravde” that proclaimed Ana’s /Serbia’s 1st place Championship at the French Open?
Perhaps those French officials aren’t familiar with the English translation of “Boze Pravde”-God of Truth:
Here it is in Serbian Cyrillic
Milosh Obilich is here promising Czar Lazar at their “Last Supper” that he is NOT a traitor. He proved it the next day by pretending he was ready to join the Turkish side. Once inside the Sultan’s tent, he slew Murad I and ever since has been known as one of Serbia’s greatest and bravest heroes!
Serbia has medals with images of Milosh Obilich.
Here is Czarica Milica and Czar Lazar. Note the crest in the middle. Czar Lazar is the one who added the 4 C’s to the Serbian crest that you will find everywhere, even to his day!
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SONG TO SACRED SERBIA
by St. Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
(Translation by Voya and Ann Vitorovich)
“Oh, Serbia, beloved mother!
May you always have good fortune,
Your children love you,
And for you they pray to God.
Land of our forefathers,
Knights, and saints.
For the honor of the cross, martyrs
For freedom, defenders.
Grave to grave — holy cemetery,
There rest Serbian slaves.
And all altars to altars
The legacy of Serbian kings.
On Kosovo, Gracanica,
On the mountain, Studenica,
By the Morava, Ravanica,
In Krusevac, Lazarica.
From every battle to battle,
Before and after Vidov Dan,
You are everywhere poured out in blood,
Everywhere washed in tears.(or awash in tears)
There Kosovo sadly stands,
Counting five centuries of slavery,
Memorial of glory and heroism,
And discord and betrayal.
Fear not, beloved mother,
God will give to you good fortune.
And you will be most happy,
And of all, most praised, glorious.
Bishop Nikolai’s poem appeared in the Sunday, August 3, 1958 dedication of St. Elijah’s NEW church at 2200 Main Street, Aliquippa, PA
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I took the photo of this bombed-out Serbian home.
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Srpska Se Truba
Српска се труба с Косова чује,
Србина сваког да обрадује.
Трубите браћо, силније, боље,
опет је српско Косово Поље.
Српски јунаци, сунце вам сину,
осветисте се ви душманину.
Осветили сте Цара Лазара,
све Југовиће, Богдана стара.
Ивана, Милана, Милоша лава,
Српство им кличе хвала и слава.
Бановић Страхињу, Краљевић Марка,
све нас је српска родила мајка.
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Srpska se truba s Kosova cuje
Srbina svokog da obraduje
Trubite jace silnije bolje
Srpsko je opet Kosovo polje
Janci srpski sunce van sinu
Osvetiste se dindusmaninu
Osvetiti ste cara Lazara
Sve Jugovice Bogdana stara.
Ivana, Milana, Milosa-Lava
Srpstov vam klice slava i hvala. (2 times)
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From my Baba’s diary in 1941.
Andja Mamula wrote right before I was born, “Rano sam ustala, idem raditi. Danas je mili Vidov Dan. Na taj dan propala je Srpska Carevina, ali dodje vreme da se povrati Srpsko Carstvo. To su Srbi svojom krvi povratili i nikada nisu popustili, nisu dok opet svoje ne dobishe Carstvo. To je bilo dugo cekati. Tu su se cekale stotine godina dalje. Srbin svoje pravo dobijo ali sad opet udari Prokleta izdaja sav narod. Sve porushi i ognjen popali prokletom seme i koljeno. Ovo pisem i suzom polevam. Idem u Mater Crkvu dase svi skupa Bogu pomolimo, za nashe umrele i izginule junake. Slava im!
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Bishop Artemije of Serbian Orthodox Church Rashka-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija Diocese, Interview to Glas Javnosti on 18 March 2008
“Others for whom also another, spiritual, criteria exist say that Kosovo gave us strength to endure five centuries of Turkish occupation and live to see the sun of freedom rise again from Kosovo and shine its light upon us.
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Four wonderful men of one mind @ Kosovo.
Kind and wonderful Princess Katherine distributes small gifts to children.
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Click the lower right hand corner to see this exciting poster about Vidovdan with the Serbian folklore group “Miroslav Bata Marcetich” celebrated on Friday, 26 of June, 2009 at 8:00 PM.
Near/Far, wherever they are:
Kosovo is Serbia!
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“What then is the earthly worth?
It is but a day, It passeth away,
And the glory of earth full soon is o’er,
But the glory of God is more and more.”
Czar Lazar chose the Kingdom of the Lord rather than the worldly empire. And so indeed, do the Serbian people.
“There resteth to Serbia a glory,
A glory that shall not grow old;
There remaineth to Serbia a story,
A tale to be chanted and told!
They are gone to their graves grim and gory,
The beautiful, brave and bold;
But out of the darkness and desolation,
Of the mourning heart of a widow’d nation,
Their memory waketh an exultation!
Yea, so long as a babe shall be born,
Or there resteth a man in the land–
So long as a blade of corn
Shall be reapt by a human hand—
So long as the grass shall grow
On the mighty plain of Kosovo—
So long, so long, even so,
Shall the glory of those remain
Who this day in battle were slain.
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And doubt ye, doubt ye, the tale I tell?
Ask of the dead, for the dead know well;
Let them answer ye, each from his mouldy bed,
For there is no falsehood among the dead;
And there by twelve thousand dead men know,
Who betray’d the Tzar of Kosovo.”
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Mark S. Kuhar, poet,
Cleveland OH
“Remembering the Bloody Spring of 1999: Serbia Burning” (May 10, 1999)
Excerpts as they appeared in the American SRBOBRAN Literary Supplement of 2001
Baba Anka is in Kosovo,
hiding in the root cellar.
She refuses to leave.
Militias set fire to farms
and raze villages,
and pilfer TV sets
from once proud suburban homes,
and rape teenage girls
in foul garages stinking of gas.
Baba Anka hides—-
as she did in 1944.
In Belgrade
they hold hands and sing songs
with targets pinned to their backs.
They pick through the ruins of buildings
and as bombs fall,
another wave
of the deceased and deported
crosses over Albania’s borer
with only the shirts on their back….
There are no new cars in Kosovo,
none in Belgrade.
The planes rain metal death
on convoys and columns
attacking mute targets
while soldiers cower in the forest….
Once the Turks
owned the dirt of Kosovo.
On the Field of Blackbirds
the Serbian army-
wiped out to the last dead man.
Kosovo is Gettysburg.
Kosovos is Normandy,
Kosovo is Waterloo,
Kosovo is Stalingrad,
Kosovo is Bunker Hill,
Kosovo is Atlanta burning.
That’s what it means to the Serbs.
There is no Serbia without Kosovo.
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Branko Terzic
Former Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner (FERC),
State Public Service Commissioner and Utility Chief Executive officer
Currently a Global and U.S. Regulatory Policy Leader in Energy & Reources for Deloitte Services LP.
Served as a regional managing partner for the Resources, Energy & Infrastructure practice group of Deloitte & Touche Central Europe (Prague, Czech Repubic).
For more, go to this Deloitte-Touche website:
Don’t forget to come back!
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”Коме правда лежи у топузу, трагови му смрде нечовјештвом.” – Његош
He whose law is written by his cudgel (club) leaves behind the stench of inhumanity” –Njegos
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Noble Czar Lazar praying
The choice Czar Lazar and his brave Serbian warriors made in the fateful battle of 1389 still help their descendants today make the right choices.
In the epic cycle, the Supper is followed by the Prince’s agony. In the poem “The Fall of the Serbian Empire,” Lazar is confronted with a choice between a heavenly and an earthly kingdom. If he wants an earthly kingdom, he will be victorious, but if he chooses a heavenly kingdom, then let him build a church, let his army receive communion, and let them be ready for suffering, “and you, Prince, will die with them.” Lazar’s agony corresponds to Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Like Jesus, Lazar accepts God’s will: “not what I will, but what thou wilt,” and prepares himself and his people for their Golgotha. Lazar’s choice is not between good and evil, but between what may be good (avoiding suffering) and what is much more than any good thing (accepting God’s will and his heavenly kingdom), a more difficult choice. Lazar’s choice led to his martyrdom, and the other Kosovo warriors followed his example. Never before, according to the Kosovo tradition, had the people as a whole, not as individuals, been brought so close to the cross of Christ as at Kosovo.
The Kosovo cycle ends with two poems recording events after the battle. “The Maid of Kosovo” and “Death of the Mother of Jugovici.”
Like the women in the Gospel, who, on “the first day of the week” at early dawn went to see the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried, so the maid of Kosovo arose early on Sunday to walk through the battlefield. The poem expresses the tragedy of defeat, the destruction of the hopes and dreams of the young people of Serbia. In “The Death of the Mother of the Jugovici,” the most moving poem of the Kosovo cycle, the magnitude of the tragedy is revealed. News of the death of all her family stunned her into immobility. All about her widows and children were wailing and sobbing, the animals were neighing, squealing, howling. Fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, as well as the head of the nation, all had perished. But the mother did not cry. She was not beyond pain, but enveloped by it. It was too overwhelming to react to it. When in the morning two black ravens brought her the hand of her son Damian, a sign to her that the Kosovo heroes do not have even a grave, that their graves would not be known, the mother’s heart burst for her nine sons and for old Jug Bogdan.
The Kosovo heroes were not only admirable for proficiency and valor; they are also martyrs, worthy of imitation. They are portrayed as people of high moral and spiritual qualities, who experienced Kosovo as their personal Golgotha. The bard presents the battle of 1389 as voluntary sacrifice, as the victory of faith over death. Thus the honor and holiness of that day, as well as its sorrow, was handed on to future generations. This poetry enshrines the Serbian historical memory, interprets what happened on Kosovo in the spirit of the Gospel account of the death and resurrection of Christ, and reveals an ultimate truth of human existence.
During these years of hasty analysis, pundits have often referred to the “Kosovo myth” as a morbid glorification of defeat and the very root of Serbian nationalism. But the Kosovo “myth” is a “Christian myth,” which does not celebrate defeat but the victory of life over death, of hope over despair. It does not inspire hatred, nor does it demand revenge. The English scholar G. N. W. Locke protests that there is “no glorification of war—quite contrary, it honors only courage and fortitude. There is more jingoism, vainglory and xenophobic incitement to violence in the fourteen lines of the `Marseillaise’ than in the entire body of the Serbian epics.”
The poetry of Kosovo has cultural, religious and historical dimensions that transcend the boundaries of time and geography.
Look! In 1917, the Pittsburgh Serbian ladies of the church called themselves “Majka Jugovica”– Mothers of the Jugovic Brother heroes! Notice Czar Lazar’s 4 C’s! Only Unity Saves the Serbs! My Grandmother, Andja Mamula was President of this lodge.
“In these days of Paschal joy, in this time of divine mercy toward all and everybody, we cannot but remember the human injustice and violence of the mighty of this world inflicted upon our Kosovo and Metohija, our Serbia and the entire Serbian nation,” the message said.
“Having Kosovo and Metohija in our hearts and our unceasing care for our brothers and sisters and all those that suffer there, having a living Kosovo and Metohija within ourselves day and night, no one will take them away from us. The Homeland is the heart of man, says one poet. Within our hearts we have placed Kosovo and Metohija. We call upon all Orthodox Serbs to fulfill the Kosovo covenant in full, and that is the Holy Lazars testament,” the Easter message continued.
“If we complete that covenant no one will take Kosovo and Metohija away from us, neither in this nor that age, just as no one could have taken Holy Jerusalem from the Jewish people. We call upon all of you, beginning with politicians and scholars down to the most humble and youngest sons and daughters of our Homeland, that with their work and honorable lives we be deserving of and preserve Kosovo and Metohija before God,” the patriarch wrote.
Kosovo, the message said, is an integral part of every Serb’s life.
“Knowing this,” it continued, “the creators of this historic injustice wished to inflict the deepest possible wound, and unspeakable pain and suffering on us”.
“Let scholars with their scientific work defend Kosovo and Metohija; let artists with their creativeness express the beauty and the essence of our Kosovo and Metohija; let athletes vow their successes to Kosovo and Metohija; let every parent have Kosovo and Metohija be a first word to whisper in his newborns ears; let every farmer dedicate his first hour of labor to Kosovo and Metohija; let every worker dedicate his first hour of work to Kosovo and Metohija; let every politician dedicate his first political thought to Kosovo and Metohija, let every pastor offer his first prayer to God for Kosovo and Metohija!,” the message said.
This page is dedicated to Patriarch Pavle.
The National Geographic from May, 1970, vol. 137, no.5 on page 592, in a report by Robert Paul Jordan of the Senior Editorial Staff wrote in a section called “Freedom Lost-Freedom Regained” in his article entitled “YUGOSLAVIA: SIX REPUBLICS IN ONE”:
Serbian self-sacrificing is as puzzling today in our modern day world as the initial Christian sacrifices were to the Romans…………
Fate has dealt the Serbian nation a day which is called Vidovdan. This is not just a date on a calendar but is rather a continuing day, from that fateful year, 1389, up to the present. It is the longest, most significant, most holy, most tragic and brightest day of the Serbian nation. It contains all the ideas of the Christian comprehension of life and living.
Prof. Bigovic has said: “Vidovdan has been up to recently, and, for some is even today, Good Friday, and yet at he same time, Easter. Those two events – Good Friday and Easter – merged into one indivisible whole and further understanding of Vidovdan.”
Kosovo is Serbian Golgotha. It is the Cross through which one nation entered into eternity and uncovered the eternal and divine dimensions of its existence. For this reason, the Kosovo oath, by which Tsar Lazar chose a heavenly kingdom, is our only choice and path, at the same time both a victory and defeat. Defeat is transformed into victory.
Thank goodness the March, 2009 issue of the Smithsonian Magazine Vol.39 Number 12, mentioned that Serbian Orthodox Monastery DECANI in Kosovo is one of the 10 Most Endangered Cultural Treasure sites in the WORLD!
Article beginning on p. 30, written by the SMITHSONIAN STAFF.
from the website
On Vidovdan, 1966
Today is Vidovdan! (1966!)
What good news, what Gospel is announced to us on todays great, holy and terrible day? Behold, before all else, it brings us the magnificent Gods saint, the Holy Czar Lazar. He carries a platter with his head upon it. Wherefore Holy King? To the Kingdom of Heaven. The day has come when Nemanji Serbia takes its horrific exam, the day when the Holy Gospel of St. Sava opens its heavy, frightful pages of Serbian Golgotha. The Holy King chose the Kingdom of God on behalf of the whole nation and with the whole nation, because the earthly kingdom is for naught and short-lived, and the Heavenly Kingdom is forever and unto the end of time.
If we wish to summarize that Holy Gospel of Holy Nemanjis and express in few words the Gospel opened by St. Sava and his holy father St. Simeon, it says: Christ before all and above all! All for Christ, Christ [traded] for nothing! There, that is St. Sava Gospel, therein is the Gospel of Holy Nemanjis, theres the Gospel of the Holy King and Czar Lazar of Kosovo.
Therein lies the only Serbian Gospel that is building Holy Serbia, turning the whole land into a shrine, a shrine where God is served. And they, the Holy Nemanjis, have made that Holy Serbia.
What is Holy Serbia? It is a miraculous Gospel proclaimed by the Lord Christ commanding all the men of all times: Seek first Gods Kingdom and His righteousness, and all the rest will be added to you. That is what Holy Serbia wants, and that alone. The Kingdom of God before else and above all, and His justice. These are the creative forces Gods justice, Gods truth, Gods love these are the holy forces which are shaping and building Holy Serbia. The whole Serbian nation in Kosovo is still laying down its lives for this eternal and holy Gods righteousness. For whom? For Christ the Lord, for Holy Serbia.
It chose the Heavenly Kingdom, because the earthly kingdom is for naught and fleeting. And the miracle happened. Holy Serbia did not perish in Kosovo. No! It carried on through a terrible enslavement, on a pathway of the holy Serbian Church a martyr, a sufferer who took this Holy Serbia in its arms and carried it through the history, bringing it to us, to our days. What does Holy Serbia live for? To serve Lord Christ, to serve the only true God, to reject all the fake gods. To serve the eternal Christs justice, to reject all the mens fake so-called justices. To serve the Christs truth, the only eternal truth, the only everlasting truth, the only undying truth, and to reject and renounce the masked little crumbs of truth, the masked lies.
First, through the holy school. Because the Gospel education, education by Lord Christ, St. Sava [Svetosavsko] education gives one the knowledge about the eternal life, it gives knowledge about the only true God, it gives knowledge about the true man, it gives knowledge about the meaning and purpose of our earthly life. But not only the knowledge, it gives the holy power to transfigure this holy knowledge and transform it to life, to live by it in this world. The sacred school, that is the main minting workshop of Holy Serbia. The holy school, today, perverted into an ape wisdom. The holy school trampled over! There is no sacred knowledge, no such school. What are the people learning? What is that? What is that darkness billowing through our wee little schools?
And the Holy Nemanji Serbia, St. Sava Serbia what is it giving, what more does it want? The sacred family. Without the sacred family there is no progress in any land. That is what St. Sava w anted. St. King Lazar also wanted that. That is what the Gospel of St. Sava wants, to sanctify the family, so that relations within family, between the parents and children and all at home be the holy relations. To serve each other like the holy brothers, holy sisters. To serve Christ the Lord by serving each other. To have everything done for the glory of God. That is the sacred family, when all is done for the glory of God, when each dies and lives for Christs justice, for Christs truth, for Christs love, when the life is lead through Christs faith, when the family serves the Lord. By serving the Lord, we serve ourselves, we serve our eternity, we serve the holy Kingdom of God, because we serve the salvation of our souls. And there is no salvation beyond Lord Christ, and nowhere beyond His Holy Church.
Then, the agriculture. What is that? That is the sacred work. Sacred agriculture. That is what St. Sava wants. That is what Holy Serbia wants, to have the land tilled in Gods glory and for our benefit, because we know all the land is Gods property, entrusted to us. The sacred agriculture there, that is whats building Holy Serbia. And the sacred cattle breeding, beekeeping, every craft, all is the holy craft in Holy Serbia. The sacred craftsmanship! It is the craft-work which serves us, by serving God. The craftsmanship which is carried out to Gods glory, for the salvation of our souls and upkeep of our bodies. But all to Gods glory! That is what Holy Serbia wants. That is what the Holy Nemanji Serbia wants, and what Kosovo Serbia of the Holy King wants, and what Heavenly Serbia wants. It is all one and the same Serbia, starting with St. Sava and his holy father, through all the centuries, up until the present day all that is holy belongs to that Holy Serbia, Holy Nemanji Serbia, earthly and heavenly.
But we, the present-day Serbs, what have we done, what happened to our Holy Serbia? We started burying it, we started deadening it on all sides because, by forcing Lord Christ out of our souls, we are persecuting her, the Holy Serbia. We are forcing out the true God, His justice from our lives by renouncing Christ the Lord, as many Serbs are doing today. What is that? They are trying to kill Holy Serbia. But behold!, they are killing themselves, for they cannot kill Holy Serbia, they cannot kill Christs immortals.
They cannot kill the Holy King Lazar, St. Sava, St. Simeon the Myrrh-Giving and countless Serb saints and countless knights and heroes who were laying their lives for the Honorable Cross and the Golden Freedom through centuries and ages.. They cannot execute the souls of those 700,000 Serbs who gave their souls, their lives, killed for Orthodox faith in a then-Croat state. It is an eternal Holy Serbia, indestructible, imperishable Holy Serbia no one can kill or harm her, because it is all Christs. And who will destroy the resurrected Lord Christ, who will kill Him?
We too, the present-day Serbs, should scrutinize ourselves, each to examine himself. Where am I? Am I in Holy Serbia? Am I really living by the live and holy Kosovo Gospel, St. Sava Gospel? Is Christ all and everything to me in this world? Is Christ my most important care in this world? Is Christ the only true God for me in this world, or am I slowly detaching from Him, running away from Him, and joining the false gods of this world, false teachings, false erudition? Each should examine himself.
Vidovdan 1389, Kosovo Battle
The verification is very easy both for me and you. If you are a true Serb, if the St. Sava Serbian heart beats in you, you are all by the Lord Christs side, all by His truth in this and that world. You are all by the Holy King Lazar, you are all in Kosovo, dying for the Honorable Cross and the Golden Freedom. Kosovo has been and had gone by, but Kosovo is today too.
There are such Serbs in the ground and above.
May the Kind Lord sanctify all the Serb hearts on earth today. May the Holy King, by his mercy, with all the Serb saints beseech the Lord to baptize again many de-baptized Serbian souls. May he bring them to Lord Christ, to Holy Serbia, Heavenly Serbia. For only Holy Serbia is the glory of each Serb in all the ages and times, especially ours.
Our time is the time when faith is tested. The Serbs are either standing in the true faith, St. Sava faith, or perishing as they are falling away from it there is no third way. That is why we, the present-day Serbs, can overcome all the deaths, all the Christ-fighting of this world, all the false teachings only when guided and lead by the Holy King and Czar Lazar and the Holy Gospel of St. Sava, coming out as immortal victors from this world, into the eternal Heavenly Serbia, there! among all the righteous and holy Serbs, to serve Lord Christ and the Holy Heavenly Serbia as we have served in the holy earthly Serbia.
Amen.
Dr. Branko Terzic
Dr. Branko Terzic, U.S. Energy Expert and Kum to His Royal Highness Prince Aleksandar of Serbia, and officially Royal Adjutant, was kind enough to send (12/28/09) this WWI poem from ENGLAND, entitled KOSOVO DAY by Frederick William Harvey, 1888-1957
KOSOVO DAY
From this sweet nest of peace and Summer blue–England in June–a sea bird’s nest indeed
Guarded of waves, and hid by the sea-weed
From envious hunter’s eye, we send to you
Our flying thoughts and prayers, our treasure too,
Poor though it be to bandage wounds that bleed
For country dear beloved. There the seed
Of homely love and occupations grew
To wither in the flame of Godless might
Kindled by hands of treachery yet reeking
With blood of friends and neighbors, Serbia, thou
Has thought us careless and far off; know now
That name to us is sudden drums outspeaking
And tortured trumpets crying in the night!
На Газиместану
At Gazimestan
Од Милана Ракића
By Milan Rakić
Силни оклопници
Mighty armored ones
Без мане и страха,
Without fault and fear,
Хладни ко ваш оклоп
Cold as your armor
И похледа мрка.
And scowling frowns.
Ви јурнусте тада
You charged then
У облаку праха
Through a cloud of dust
И настаде тресак
And the earth began trembling
И крвава тркa.
And the bloody race began.
Заљуљано царство
Тhe shaken kingdom
Сурвало се с вама…
Fell to pieces with you…
Кад олуја прође
When the storm passed
врх Косова равна,
Atop the battlefield of Kosovo,
Косово постаде
Kosovo became
Непрегледна јама,
An unsightly pit,
Костурница страшна,
A horrific mass grave,
И поразом славна.
And an illustrious defeat.
Косовски јунаци
Heroes of Kosovo
Заслуга је ваша
It is to your credit
Што последњи бесте.
That you were the last.
У крвавој страви,
In the bloody terror
Када труло царство
When the rotten kingdom
Оружија се маша,
Waved its’ weapons,
Сваки леш је свесна жртва,
Every corpse was consciously sacrificed,
Јунак прави.
A true hero.
Данас нама кажу
Today they say
Деци овог века,
To the children of this century,
Да смо недостојни
That we are unworthy
Историје наше.
Of our history.
Да нас захватила
That we have been seized
Западњачка река.
By the western river.
И да нам се душе
And that our souls
Опасности плаше.
Fear danger.
Добра земљо моја, лажу!
Good land of mine, they lie!
Ко те воли данас,
Who loves you today,
Тај те воли,
He loves you,
Јер зна да си Мати.
Because he knows you’re his Mother.
Јер пре нас
Because prior to us
Ни поља ни кршеви голи,
Neither fields nor bare rocks,
Не могаше ником
Could not
свесну љубав дати.
Give anyone conscious love.
И данас, кад дође
And today, when it comes
До последњег боја,
To the last battle,
Неозарен
Unlit by
старог ореола сјајем,
The shining halo of old,
Ја ћу дати живот
I will give my life
Отаџбино моја,
My fatherland,
Знајући шта дајем
Knowing what I give
И зашто га дајем.
And why I give it.
V. Rev. Fr. Dr. Mateja Matejic & Kosovo.....
This information is SO valuable, it must be reprinted here…. so EVERYONE can learn more….
Kosovo Ethics
Uncompromising faith in God, without which there is no genuine philanthropy;
Philanthropy, as a confirmation of the professed faith in God;
Firm dedication to Christianity as it is confessed by the Orthodox Church;
Priority of the spiritual over the material;
Faithfulness to God, nation, and motherland;
Freedom as a precious value for which everything should be sacrificed, whereas it should not be sacrificed for anything in the world;
Honesty, righteousness, and love for peace – virtues to be practiced by individuals as a basis for healthy social relationships;
Placing common interest above personal interests and readiness to sacrifice for those interests;
Compassion to be extended even to enemies;
National unity as a condition for national existence.
This testament, this set of ethics of Kosovo, represents the greatest importance of Kosovo and Vidovdan.
Inseparable through six centuries, it is the reason we celebrate Vidovdan today.
++++++++++++++++++
Here are some excerpts from V. Rev. Fr. Dr. Matejic’s speech he delivered in Cleveland on June 29, 2008″
What is Kosovo?
Presently Kosovo is for all Serbs residing in Serbia, and others scattered all over the world, the source of sadness due to of injustice done to us by oppressors among whom are also our former allies. For their sake we had lost our country to enemies in the World War II, and now our former allies have broken up our country in parts. We are full of bitterness seeing that the illegally settled Moslems from Albania in Kosovo, under the protection of Christian soldiers from various countries with impunity murder Serbs, destroy and burn their churches and monasteries, and desecrate their cemeteries. We grieve seeing that those to whom Kosovo does not belong donate it to illegal settlers and give power to murderers and criminals.
We console ourselves remembering that various conquerors had taken from us Kosovo as a geographical territory, but it never had become theirs. For the various plunderers Kosovo has always been just a geographical territory. For the contemporary occupiers of Kosovo it is also just a territory in which it is permissible to murder Serbs, take their vital organs and sell it on black market, burn and raze down Serbian centuries old churches and monasteries, and vandalize and desecrate Serbian cemeteries. For the powerful ones who are giving to Moslem usurpers land that is not their property, Kosovo is a territory rich with mines with precious ore and an area suitable to be a base for realization of their imperialistic geo-political aims.
However, for Serbs Kosovo is not just a geographical territory. For them, Kosovo is the cradle of Serbian nation, their Orthodoxy, and their Church and culture.
Kosovo is the place where the Serbs have adopted and nurtured religious and ethical values characteristic of every true Serb. Those supreme values are love for God, love of neighbor, love of freedom, love of truth, and love of justice.
Kosovo is Jevrosima, Prince Marko’s mother, who is the model for all Serbian mothers. She advises her son Marko: Do not stain your soul with sin; it is better for you to loose your head than to stain your soul with sin…
Kosovo is also the mother of nine Jugovic brothers and the wife of the old Jug Bogdan. Her husband and nine sons died in the battle of Kosovo defending the country and Orthodox religion. After the battle, she strolled over the battle field of Kosovo, saw her husband and her nine sons killed, but did not cry. When the severed arm of her son Damjan was dropped in her lap, she did not shed tears either, but that killed her. The folk-singer tells us: her heart broke from sorrow she fell down dead and gave up her soul to God.
Kosovo is the nine brothers Jugovic. Their sister, Princess Milica, begs each of them, one after another, to stay with her rather than to go to the battle of Kosovo. Her husband, Prince Lazar has given permission that one of the nine brothers may stay with sister. Each of them refused the plea of their sister feeling that it was their duty to go to the battle and defend their country and religion rather than to stay with their sister.
Kosovo is Prince Lazar who together with his army prayed and received the Holy Communion, having decided to give precedence to the Heavenly Kingdom over the earthly one, which is to give up his life defending not only his country, but the entire Europe and Christianity. The sacrifice of Prince Lazar and his army postponed the invasion of Europe for more than a century.
Kosovo is the Maiden of Kosovo who strolls over the field of Kosovo, dressing the wounds of wounded warriors and grieving for the dead, among whom was her fiancé.
Kosovo is our Orthodoxy and our Svetosvlje. That no one can take from us, unless we ourselves abandon them.
Kosovo is centuries old magnificent Serbian monasteries and churches, erected for the glory of God. Yet they are also witnesses of the glory of Orthodoxy and Serbia, and they are deeds proving whose Kosovo has been for centuries. That is why the intruders and usurpers, under the protection of Christian mercenaries, are burning and destroying them. With the funds provided by Saudi-Arabia and other Moslem countries the so-called Kosovars, who are burning and destroying Christian churches and monasteries are building mosques in every village in Kosovo whose inhabitants are willing to practice vahabism (kind of strict Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia) and terrorism. Those mosques are not only centers for spreading of Islam, but are also centers of vahabism and terrorism.
Kosovo is cemeteries with tomb stones and crosses on which the names of Serbian deceased and murdered Serbs are inscribed in Cyrillic letters. That is why the intruders and usurpers are vandalizing and destroying the old graves, while they fill the new, contemporary ones with the corpses of the new Serbian martyrs.
Kosovo is the ancient manuscripts and books containing the written testimony of the fact to whom Kosovo has belonged for centuries. The leaders of Great Powers do not know and do not want to read those manuscripts and books, but the history, truth and justice do read them.
Kosovo is the peonies of Kosovo, unique flowers in the whole world. Their color is a deep red, like blood, because they grow from the soil saturated with the blood of Serbian warriors and martyrs from the day of Vidovdan in the year 1389. until today.
Kosovo is thousands of Serbian children, women and men who during the World War II were expelled from Kosovo, and when the communist regime ruled Serbia they were not allowed to return to their homes, whereas the borders with Albania were wide open to intruders.
Kosovo is also Serbian women, men and children who at the most recent times had to escape the terror of Kosovars finding the refuge in Serbia, where most of them dwell and live in dumper-like containers.
Kosovo is a few thousands of Serbian men, women and children who have survived the slaughter and whom no terror has scared and made them leave their homes and Kosovo. The Great Powers and their Moslem favorites have turned Kosovo into a concentration camp for Serbs, but some Serbs remained to live in Kosovo under the most difficult and dangerous conditions. They are the brave guardians who are preserving Kosovo for future Serbian generation.
Kosovo is also ten years old Jovana Radovanovic and all Serbian children who live in contemporary Kosovo. In her letters published in her book Kosovo peonies, (Publisher Duga Books) Jovana is telling her story that is at the same time the story of all Serbian children who live in contemporary Kosovo. Here only a few passages from her first letter will be quoted:
God help, my dear ones. I am Jovana Radovanovic, a student in the fifth grade and I am an outstanding student. I am 10 years old, soon to be 11. I live with parents in Kosovo and two sisters. The place where we live is named Orahovac; that is the only enclave in the part of Metohija. Orahovac is a divided town; in the larger part live Albanians who have everything needed for a normal life, whereas we Serbs live in a tiny part of the town comprising a total of 300 meters of the free territory. Yes, you read it correctly: only 300 meters. It is that Serbian part and we live there. There is frequently shortage of electricity and it happens so that I and my sisters write our home works at the candlelight. … … We do not dare to go out in the street because there is danger from evil people who stroll in the Serbian part. In the center of the Serbian part there is the church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God. There, together with my sisters and parents I pray God to save the entire Serbian people living in Kosovo and Metohija. … … The church is encircled with barbed wire placed there by the KFOR for protection. In front of the church is positioned a great tank and there are (soldiers, MM) of the KFOR day and night guarding the church. The life in Kosovo is very difficult, but with God’s help it goes on.
Most difficult is for us that we have no freedom of movement. That is what we children feel most.
In her letter #6 Jovana writes:
It is wonderful to be free like a bird and travel wherever you want. In Kosovo that is not possible, because the life of children in Kosovo is like in a cage. I am a bird in the cage which every day dreams that it lives free and flies free. But my wings are broken; the enemies have clipped them up to the shoulders. That is why I sit in the cage (camp) lonely and write all this. This way I feel a bit relieved, in a way I went out my grief and for a moment it leaves me. That is how every child in Kosovo lives and feels. Every child dreams about freedom and, believe me, every child thinks the way I think. Our wishes are same, the same dreams, the same sorrow, the same pain, everything same. All of us desire only one thing: freedom. We wish to move freely. We wish to breathe freely.
Persecutions and suffering are nothing new for the Serbs of Kosovo, as they are nothing new for Orthodox Christians. Who has not grabbed from us Kosovo as a territory, but it never remained in their possession. We are not afraid of their taking away Kosovo from us, because everything that is usurped will again be ours. We are only afraid that it may be given or sold by some Serbs. Unfortunately, there are some Serbs in the government of Serbia who seem to be ready, – for their personal interest, – to surrender or sell Kosovo. To them we should say and shout in a very loud voice that they may temporarily give Kosovo away as a geographical territory, but never Kosovo as it has been identified here.
That Kosovo is Serbia, and if it would be lost, then everything that makes a Serb – a Serb, would be lost, too.
Mateja Matejic,
Protopresbyter-stavrofor
Proto Mateja Matejic's Obituary 2018
From Tijana Samardzija/ FB: 7/30/2018
Standing: +Proto Slobodan Zivadinovich, +Boro Karapandjic,
Seated: +Proto Milan Bajich, +Proto Mateja Matejic
+Prota Mateja Matejic
Protopresbyter-stavrophor Dr. Mateja Matejic fell asleep in the Lord on 27 July 2018.
A WWII refugee seminarian at Bitolj, Yugoslavia, he completed his seminary education in a displaced persons camp in Eboli, Italy.
In 1949, at another camp in W. Germany, he married Ljubica Nebrigic of Srem, his helpmate, brilliant partner, and gentle conscience, who preceded him in death on April 17, 2016.
The life of Father Matejic may best be summarized by his almost constant activity, a passion to work, to produce, to add something to the history, culture, memory, faith of others. In addition, with his words and deeds, he inspired others to believe, to build, to create.
He was ordained as a Serbian Orthodox priest in a camp in 1951. He and his young family immigrated in 1956.
As a priest, he founded two parishes and encouraged and physically contributed to the building of two places of worship, the Church of St. George in Monroe, Michigan (served 1956-1967), and the Church of St. Stevan of Decani in Columbus, Ohio (served 1967-1990).
After his retirement in 1990, he voluntarily served as a temporary priest in Naples, Florida, Kansas City, Kansas, Akron, Norton, Barberton(Ohio), Hermitage, Midland, Youngwood (Pennsylvania), and Seattle, Washington, where he is given credit for helping inspire them to have their first St. Sava parish church.
He continued to regularly volunteer as long as he was able. He also taught and served as Dean of the Serbian Orthodox School of Theology at the St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois.
Dr. Matejic published original works on theology, translations of early Christian texts, discovered and published unknown works of the medieval Serbian Church, wrote on the history of Orthodoxy.
He was especially committed to children’s education and wrote religious poems as well as plays and poems about Serbian saints, suitable for younger children.
In addition to his seminary education, he attained a BA in 1963 (Wayne State University) and a Ph.D. in 1967 (University of Michigan). He taught at Case Western Reserve 1967-1968, and then in the Slavic Department at Ohio State until his retirement as a full professor in 1989. His areas of specialization were diverse, but he was especially known for his lectures on Dostoevsky and Old Russian and medieval South Slavic literature and paleography.
Father Matejic was the co-founder and first editor (1967-1974) of The Path of Orthodoxy / Staza Pravoslavlja, which began as a dual-language newspaper of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the Eastern U.S. and Canada, and is now an official publication of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.
In 1976, he established and for 20 years ran a small publishing company, “Kosovo,” which published books of interest to the Serbian and Eastern Orthodox communities in North America.
As a professor at OSU, in 1969, he helped found and became the first director of the Hilandar Research Project, which microfilmed the medieval Slavic manuscripts of the Serbian monastery, Hilandar, on Mount Athos (Greece), thereby making their content more widely accessible and encouraging research in medieval Slavic studies.
Under his direction, in time he helped found and establish at OSU both a special collection, the Hilandar Research Library, and a small research center, the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies with its “Hilandar” Endowment.
Dr. Matejic had a gift for languages and was fluent in five, conversant in another three, and read six others. He was prolific as a lecturer and author. Well known as a theologian and scholar, he travelled frequently and made presentations in 23 different countries.
He was the author of 49 monographs and reference works, and over 500 articles and literary reviews, many of them for World Literature Today (1976-1981).
His scholarly publications, especially descriptions of Slavic medieval manuscripts, are consulted and cited regularly.
His creativity also extended to poetry and literature. In fact, his first works were published at age 18 in 1942.
Many of his published works are books of poems, short stories, and memoirs, in Serbian and/or English. Several poems were published in the camps. His poems, especially those inspired by Hilandar Monastery and its monks, have been published with and without attribution in several countries, especially Serbia. Some of his poems have been set to original music and performed in concerts.
Father Matejic received recognition and numerous awards, beginning with prestigious academic fellowships, including the Woodrow Wilson.
Later, his research and scholarship were instrumental and led to receiving grants from the U.S. Information Agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities, American Council for Learned Societies, and several research awards of The Ohio State University.
For his dedication to the Serbian Orthodox Church, he was recognized as a “cross-bearer,” with the right to wear a pectoral cross, similar to those worn by bishops.
In 2001 he received both a Commendation and the highest award of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Order of St. Sava.
For his original poetry and literature in Serbian, the Union of Serbian Writers acknowledged him to be among the three best Serbian emigre authors of all-time.
In 1988, he was accepted into the Union of Serbian Writers, and in 1996, 2000, and 2005, he received 3 separate literary awards.
The city of Smederevo, which he left as a political refugee in 1944, acknowledged his many contributions by a lengthy entry in the “Smederevo Encyclopedia.”In 2001, he was awarded the key to the city of Smederevo.
For his contributions to scholarship and medieval studies, he was also recognized by Bulgaria. In 1978, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church awarded him the Order of St. Kliment.
In 1984, he was inducted as a member of the Union of Bulgarian Writers. In 1988, he received the highest recognition of the University of Sofia, the “Blue Ribbon with Medal of St. Kliment.”
The Very Rev. Dr. Mateja Matejic was a classic example of a Renaissance man, “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge.” His breadth and depth of interests, knowledge, and creativity was remarkable. Yet, without the steadfast support, patience, understanding, and sacrifice of his wife, Protopresbytera Ljubica, many of his travels, lectures, opportunities and accomplishments would not have been possible.
The Very Rev. Dr. Mateja Matejic is survived by: five children—
Predrag (Tatyana),
Milica (Frederick),
Vida (Thomas),
Nenad,
Dragana (Milan);
12 grandchildren—Nenad (Tina), Svetoslav (Sarah), Angela (Matt), Anjalyn (Patrick), Zachary, Emily (Doug), Konstantin, Kara, Alex (Lauren), Thomas, Milan, Aleksi; and nine great grandchildren—Ethan, Sam, Eli, Sophia, Dimitur, Stella, Elisaveta, Violet, Finn.
He is also survived by his dear sister-in-law and friend Gordana Miric, nephew Borislav Miric, and many nieces and nephews in Serbia. In lieu of flowers and in accordance with his wishes, donations may be made to support children and orphans in Serbia (lifeline—canada.org orhttp://www.lifelineny.org),
Hilandar Monastery (athosfriends.org), or The Ohio State University’s Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (rcmss.osu.edu and “Giving”).
Tuesday July 31, 2018
2:30-4:30: Viewing Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home / 515 N. High St. Worthington Ohio6:00: Memorial (Funeral) Service | St. Stevan of Dechani Serbian Orthodox Church / 1840 N. Cassady Rd. Columbus
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
10:00: Divine Liturgy | St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral / 6306 Broadview Rd. Cleveland Ohio.Interment: Serbian Orthodox Monastery Marcha Cemetery / 5095 Broadview Rd. Richfield OhioDacha: St. Sava Cathedral Hall.Published in The Columbus Dispatch on July 30, 2018
V. Rev. Stav. Dr.
Mateja Matejic
It is with great sadness we learned about the passing of an icon of Serbian American history, the V.Rev. Stav. Dr. Mateja Matejic.
This obituary was copied from a Facebook posting by Mira Damjanovich of Cleveland on
July 31, 2018.
Vjecnaja Pamjat
Memory Eternal
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Ohio University Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies:
https://rcmss.osu.edu/
Dr. Predrag Matejic, Fr. Mateja’s son, took over for his father at the Resource Center at OSU.
“Founded in 1984, the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (RCMSS), a center of the College of Arts and Sciences, is dedicated to the promotion of medieval Slavic studies, providing broad interdisciplinary research and academic opportunities for students, graduate students, faculty, and visiting researchers.
“For administrative purposes, it is embedded in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures.
RCMSS has close ties with the Hilandar Research Library (HRL).
“Both developed as an outgrowth of the original Hilandar Research Project. RCMSS is a non-national oriented center that promotes Cyrillic-based research and strives to accomplish its goals through the support of HRL preservation and access activities, research, stipends and travel, occasional acquisitions of HRL materials, publication support, and sponsoring conferences, lectures, workshops, etc.”
Vječnaja Pamjat!
About Your Hostess, Mim Bizic
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”- Old Chinese Proverb
“If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.”-Warren Buffett
“If you walk with purpose, you collide with Destiny.” Beatrice Berry
“Who can find a virtual librarian for her price is far above rubies.” Doug Johnson after Proverbs 31:10
I have always tried to follow Doug’s advice to be a Virtual Librarian, Crowsnester, and Rabble Rouser, not as a Critic, but one of a builder. “No more prizes for rain. Prizes only for building arks.”
Mim on YouTube——> “Maximizing America’s Future: Shining Light on the Gifted”
“Mim is one of the best ambassadors of the Serbian community that we have. Not only is she poised to let us know what it means to be Serbian, but to be proud of the fact even in an age where it may not be so popular. She truly knows what it means to connect in a real way. The real way is through her own heart and soul and through her living a Serbian life while in America and several generations removed.” (Dr. Milena Tatic-Bajich, Chicago, IL)
“Keep your face towards the sunshine and the dark shadows will always fall behine you.”
Don’t ever forget who your grandfather was…..
Milana (“Mim”) Karlo Bizic earned a B.S. degree in three (3) years from the University of Pittsburgh where she had a four-year scholarship; a Master’s Degree in 1967; School Library Certification in 1970; and Gifted and Talented Certification in 1981. Her professional experience includes teaching all Elementary grade level students K-6; Teaching Graduate level courses for Penn State University (Beaver Campus for nine years until 1994), Carlow College and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, where she taught fellow educators how to creatively integrate computers into their curriculums across all disciplines and all grade levels, K-12; working as a Supervisor of Student Teachers for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) after she retired from working 40+ years teaching in the public schools, most notably for Quaker Valley School District.
Mim has served as an Educational Consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Apple Computer Co, Scholastic Magazine, and the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. A national presenter for the U.S. Patent Office, Mim has shared her creative and inventive thinking skills expertise with teachers from Portland, OR to Toldeo, OH. She did similar work with the INVENT AMERICA! foundation, reaching out to teachers in Chicago and Washington. She’s been a Co-Keynote Speaker for the Ben Franklin Computer Conference held at Carnegie-Mellon University and the Computer Using Educators (CUE) of Delaware.
Apple Computer Co. and Modern Pictures Services asked Mim to use her creativity and computer technological know-how to write lesson plans in workshops held in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Maui, Hawaii.
Bizic helped write the educational resource handbook for the permanent Smithsonian exhibit, “Beyond the Limits, Flight Enters the Computer Age.” She wrote lesson plans on Clean Coal Technology for the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center.
She was a member of the National Advisory Board of Scholastic Inc.’s TEACHING AND COMPUTERS
She piloted several programs for the University of Pittsburgh’s Regional Computer Resource Center, including the popular “Voyage of the MIMI” series.
Mim and her students won numerous awards, including First Place National Awards for Apple Computer Co. 1985 (Ancient Egypt); 1986 (Ancient Greece and Rome); and 1987 (Space) before being placed in the Apple Hall of Fame, and then again in 1989, with a unit on Women’s History, that also garnered a First Place State Award from the Pennsylvania Commission for Women’s “Women’s History Month Contest.”
She and her students traveled to Harrisburg to receive their N.E.E.D. (National Energy Education Day Award for the state-level contest.
Mrs. Bizic led her school to a national bin the FIRST “National Computer Learning Month” contest in 1988.
Her students also won a First-Place Regional and Third-Place State Award in the U.S.Bicentennial Map Contest in 1991.
On Saturday, October 13, 1984, Mim was honored by the American Legion Post # 4 at the Charles “Bud” Merriman dinner, receiving the Legion’s FIRST “Special Award of Merit “ for “her diligent work with the students on the elementary level in teaching democracy and patriotism.”
Mim was named “Woman of the Year” in 1987 by the Sewickley HERALD, recognized for her many achievements on behalf of the children of the Valley.
In May,1988, she won the Judge’s Choice Award sponsored by the Boston Apple Fest, and traveled to Boston to accept the great honor on behalf of her hard-working students.
She also earned an “Excellence in Teaching” Award from the PA Assoc. of Gifted Education in 1989.
In August of 1990, she was a Grand Prize Co-Winner with Dr. Merle Marsh of Delaware, for the FIRST “Johnny Appleseed National Awards Contest, sponsored by the Computer Users for Social Responsibility and the Macintosh Users Group (MUG) News Service.
Mrs. Bizic was named the National Honoree for the Smithsonian’s ASTC Award (Association of Science and Technology Centers) for National Technology Week in 1989.
She was named a First Place Honoree for the FIRST “Thanks to Teachers” contest sponsored by Group W Broadcasting (KDKA), Westinghouse, Pitt, NFIE and NAB in June, 1990, the first year of the Award.
Bizic was appointed a panel member to U.S. Congressman Rick Santorum’s “18th Congressional District’s Schools of Excellence Recognition Program” in 1991-1992.
She served as a panelist in Washington, DC for a conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 1992 after winning an appointment for the Elementary Teacher Research Internship (ETRI) in 1991.
Mim earned a scholarship award on Fossil Energy at LaRoche College (1992) and a Science Funding Proposal Grant from the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) and the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) 1992.
She was listed in the “Who’s Who in American Teaching” of 1992, nominated for the award in the first year of the award by senior high school student, Melissa Barrick.
During the 1992-93 school year, Mim was a “Piloteer” on the INTERNET for the PA Department of Education, where she successfully had Sewickley teachers and students conducting scientific experiments, sharing poems and plays with students throughout the USA and the rest of the world community.
Her Internet travels led to her being named as an Educational Ambassador for the state of Pennsylvania to the city of Omija, Japan, in 1993.
Mim was named to Marquis’ “Who’s Who of American Women,” in January, 1995.
In June of `95, Mim was selected as one of twenty recipients of a five week National Endowment for the Humanities Grant entitled “Japanese Culture Through Literature.”
June ’96 found Mim accepting a CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR LEADERSHIP from the PA School Librarians Association for her roll in helping to bring the World Wide Web to the Sewickley community.
In 1997, she and fellow innovators, Dr. Robert Fusco and Dr. Joseph Marrone, along with the SNET Board of Directors, accepted a “CITIZEN OF THE YEAR” award from the Sewickley HERALD for SewickleyNET, the community’s first official presence on the WWW.
Mim has spoken to various groups and clubs across the nation on Molas (folk art of the Kuna Indians of San Blas Islands, Panama), Love Tokens from the Victorian Era, and Hobo Nickels. She has had mola displays in museums in PA, OH, and WV.
She led a group of PA residents to Iptingen, Germany, birthplace of Fr. Rapp from the Old Economy Museum Site in Ambridge, PA, when she served on the Board of the Harmonie Associates.
Bizic has traveled extensively in other countries throughout Europe (England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, all of the old Yugoslavia, Finland), Mexico, Russia in 1999, and Greece, Egypt, Israel and Turkey in 2000, Ireland and China in 2004 and a tour of Serbian Monasteries in 2006, including her 3rd trip to Kosovo, and again (4) to Kosovo in 2008 with the Kosovo Men’s Choir of Eastern Ohio. In 2007, sister Rose treated her two sisters to a trip to Viet Nam, where Rose worked as Director of the Red Cross in 1966-67 and again in 1969-70. Brunei, Sanya China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Phillipines were also a part of the 2007 journey. Italy, Spain, France were highlighted once again in 2011. Many other International trips followed, so that much of Europe and Canada as well as the USA were covered. A favorite travel was being on Prajani Field in Serbia September 15, 2019 for the 75th Anniversary of the rescue of the 500 U.S. Airmen by General Draza Mihailovich and his Serbian Chetniks, the 5th U.S. Army Air Force and the Tuskegee Airmen who flew cover of the mission.
Bizic has written numerous articles on the above and on Serbian history for national newspapers and magazines. In July, 2001 she was the Curator/Author of the Serb National Federation’s Centennial Historic Photo Exhibit that was held in Pittsburgh. The gala SNF “Century of Serbdom” event was televised in Yugoslavia, parts of Australia, England, and several other countries throughout Europe. She is also listed in “Who’s Who in the Serbian Diaspora.”
Bizic was enthusiastic over a PowerPoint project she implemented in the school library entitled “Literary Leader Reader” for her 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students that gave her students an opportunity to use technology in a creative way while proving they knew requested library skills. Bizic created CyberHunt-Webquests on The Lewis & Clark Expedition 1803-1804, General Alexander Hays and the Civil War, and especially made for Edgeworth’s Centennial—webquests about Edgeworth Borough and the Edgeworth Female Seminary, and the English/Irish author the school was named after, Maria Edgeworth.
Above: Children get ready to salute Edgeworth Boro’s Centennial. The Boro and School were named after the famous English woman from Ireland, Maria Edgeworth.
Below: The Edgeworth Library featured the beautiful LIBERTY tree (lanterns from the Revolutionary War classic JOHNNY TREMAIN), huge cardboard dinosaurs, a flying Dumbo, the famous monkey Curious George on his bike, THE WILD THINGS, one of the 5 Chinese Brothers on the ceiling, the wooden U.S. soldiers from all branches of the Armed Forces saluting the readers, and so much more!
Mim brought intellectual excitement to many ground-breaking projects, guiding her students to understand, analyze, and connect knowledge and skills across subject areas, where they were expected to think critically, creatively, and apply their knowledge in new ways, all the while having fun doing it.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette
Edgeworth Elementary School librarian Milana Bizic, center, introduces old friend and Apple Computer Co. co-founder Steve Wozniak, right, to the school’s pupils during his visit May 18. Bizic and Wozniak became acquainted in the early ’80s, when Bizic received awards for her implementation of computers in elementary education. The pupils gave a presentation on how they use Apple computers at the school. Edgeworth Elementary is in the Quaker Valley School District.
I said ‘Steve, you always said you wanted to come to Edgeworth. Well, I’m retiring this year, so you’d better do it fast.’ And here he is,” said Bizic.
And just how did the 62-year-old woman, dedicated to education for 41 years, come to be on a first-name basis with the California mogul who designed the first personal computer?
“[I met Wozniak] at an awards presentation in 1985 [hosted by Apple Computer Clubs International], and I had this huge display up of these word processing, database and spreadsheet projects that the students did on the Apple II’s,” said Bizic. “He was impressed, and told me he always wanted to inspire kids like that, and that he wanted to send his son Jesse to Edgeworth,” which is part of the Quaker Valley School District.
The unlikely friendship progressed from there. Bizic and her family took Wozniak on a whirlwind tour of Pittsburgh during a visit in ’88, and Wozniak gave Bizic one of the first 20 Apple GS’s to roll off the assembly line. And though his son never ended up at Edgeworth, Jesse Wozniak graduated from Carnegie Mellon University on May 16.
Though Quaker Valley communications coordinator John Hanna credited the visit to Bizic’s personal relationship with Wozniak, Quaker Valley also was honored recently with the 2004 President’s Technology Award from the American Association of School Administrators for its use of technology in advancing teaching, learning and achievement.
A 2001 technology grant from the state was used to create a digital school district: Beginning in fourth grade, all Quaker Valley pupils get laptop computers to use during the school year. All are Apple products.
“When I ask how many of [the students] use Apple computers, all of their hands go up,” said Bizic. “So it’s just great that the inventor can come here and speak to them.”
The “inventor” tag dates to 1975, when Wozniak teamed up with Steve Jobs, a friend from his job at calculator-maker Hewlett Packard and a member of his computer hobbyist group. The two came up with a preassembled computer with several key improvements over computer kits of the time, and launched the Apple I in 1976.
The Apple I launched the personal computer revolution, and Apple Computer Co. made Wozniak a multimillionaire. He turned his attention to philanthropy and personal projects two decades ago.
At Edgeworth on May 18, Wozniak was greeted warmly by a library filled with pupils. He was shown a PowerPoint presentation charting his early life through the Crayola renderings of one third-grade class. Second-graders sang a song about world peace and first-graders offered a slightly altered version of ‘This Land is Your Land,’ substituting computer terms in one of the verses.
An Einstein cardboard cutout even donned a sweat sshirt bearing the words ‘Welcome Woz!”
Wozniak then took the floor, telling the story of the birth of the Apple computer, from his persistence in designing and redesigning the machines on paper to the first model he and Jobs built and sold.
He also encouraged the children to pursue their passions.
“Know what direction you want to go. Others may try to direct you, but you’ve got to know inside what you want to do in life,” Wozniak said. “That’s why it’s important to be educated, so you can be a master … in control of your life.”
Fourth-grader Nathan Pawlik, designer of a PowerPoint presentation shown during the welcoming ceremony, called the event “cool” and “really awesome.”
“I use my computer a lot, and after my football career, I want to go into artistic engineering, and a computer will help me with that. So it’s great that I got to meet the inventor,” he said.
This sentiment was echoed among other pupils, including fellow fourth-grader Emily Kuzma.
“I was happy because we got to know [Wozniak’s] opinion of Apple and how he made computers,” she said. “I think I’m going to write about this in my diary.”
As parent volunteer Donna Kosanovich said, the success of the day was thanks to the passion of Bizic, who “jazzed” up the children and made sure they knew the importance of their visitor.
“Mim is just a wonderful lady, so full of enthusiasm. She not only motivates the students, she motivates me,” added volunteer Lori Kuny.
“Mrs. Bizic took us into the age of computers long before the rest of Western Pennsylvania thought about it, and she was instrumental in getting our kids and the teachers acquainted with the computers. She will absolutely be missed,” said fourth-grade teacher Sandy Wilson, who will also retire at the end of the year.
“This presentation was just fabulous … a beautiful way for me to retire,” Bizic said. “The children all came through, and got to learn about the magic Woz made possible.
“And that’s just what it is: Magic.”
A Letter from Pennsylvania Governor, the Honorable Ed Rendell @ the SERBS and the www.babamim.com website!
On Sept. 7, 2011, Moon Township Commissioners formally presented me with a copy of the Proclamation given to the people of Serbia via Jugoslav Cosic at the Township Building. (See right hand column ——->) Thank you, EVERYONE!
Also present was Carl Walpusk, one of the 500+ U.S. airmen rescued by General Draza Mihailovich and his Chetniks and Serbian villagers during WWII.
I was able to show the Moon Township Commissioners and all Moon residents watching via live coverage of the proceedings, a book from 1946, where Carl and his Sergeant Mato were diligently trying to save the life of General Draza Mihailovich, who was shot by a firing squad in Yugoslavia by the Communists.
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New surprise from Allegheny West Magazine edited and published by Pat Jennette in the November, 2011 issue. See p.13.
Click lower right hand corner to enlarge photo.)
Thanks, Pat! I’m sure the American SERBS and those Serbs found around the world are grateful to you for this. I sure am!
Sorry to report that Virginia Walpusk, faithful wife of 68 years and mother to 3 wonderful children, was buried on Thursday, January 16, 2014. Memory Eternal, “Vjecnaja Pamjat.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
August 5, 2012
Mim Bizic honored as “Beloved Kuma”
of St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church
in Aliquippa, PA, 15001.
Grandniece Amelia Bizic, granddaughter Jocelyn Bizic, St. Elijah Kuma-Mim Bizic
niece Colleen and nephew Peter Bizic, son Nick Bizic
followed by cousins Joe and Darlene Bobik,
Kathy and Paul Belosh.
Photos: Rose Gantner, Dana Bizic & Mira Tomich
It always rains on St. Elijah’s Day, and these few spinkles came at the end of our procession.
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Proud to be on the
Board of Directors of the
Serbian Institute
in Washington, DC
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thank you to all of you who have come here to learn more about our American Serbian people.
When I started this website almost a decade ago, my youngest sister chided, “What kind of a name is that? ‘Babamim.com’ No one will ever look that up!”
How happy I am to report that just this evening over 506 visitors have been to this site, just today!
Thank you everyone!
Mim Bizic 3/13/17
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mim is also on Facebook under the name of
Mim Bizic,
and she also maintains the Facebbok page of the St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church in Aliquippa.
She is still creating Human Interest stories for the American SRBOBRAN,
and is always trying to add more to this babamim.com website.
A poem Mim wrote was recently featured in the July, 2000 issue of the Village Voice publication.
Last Night
by Milana Karlo Bizic (6/18/15)
Wonderful dreams allowed me to frolic
With relatives so long gone.
A soothing, Heavenly balm
From those who have had to move on,
But definitely have not been forgotten
As we share an inseparable bond.
I was part of this colorful family mural
Watching the joyous action all around
Laughter, and Love abounded you see
Richocheting from Uncles, Aunts,
So very dear to me.
Happy banter reflected Harmony, Refuge
From world headlines and turbulent times.
Iconic windows to Heaven they be
Those precious relatives, so special to me.
Parents, Grandparents, Kumovi
True Junaci, singing loud and strong
“Marshilala, Marshilala” marching along,
Happy. Close. Clear
So far, and yet so near.
Delighting in our Mamula family song!
Like old Back Joe, “I’m coming!”
“I’m coming,” But not yet for awhile.
There’s still too much left to do.
So until then, I’ll sit and smile
Recalling dreams so vivid, true.
Just so you know, it’s so hard to awake,
When you want to steadfastly further partake
With dreams of such colorful Hue!
Mim directed huge Veteran Day Ceremonies each year at her Edgeworth Elementary School in Sewickley, PA.
Mim’s Honors:
Tesla Award: “Preserving Serbian culture and heritage, 200 Years of Serbs in America, June 28, 2014.” Philadelphia, PA, Arch St. Meeting House.
200 Years of Serbs in America, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA. Nikola Rackov, Serbian pianist who accompanied Primadonna Jadranka Jovanovich, and Mim with Benjamin Franklin, Friday, June 27, 2014.
You can read more about the event here:
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Who’s Who of American Women-1995
National Endownment for the Humanities Awardee-1995
Pennsylvanian Educational Cultural Ambassador to Japan-1993
Who’s Who in American Teaching: 1992
Citizen of the Year with Drs. Fusco and Marrone for SewickleyNET: 1997
National Science Awardee from the Smithsonian- ASCT: 1990
Thanks to Teachers Award (Pitt/Westinghouse/KDKA): 1990
“On behalf of all Pennsylvanians,” this proclamation came from the Governor Casey’s office.
Woman of the Year-Sewickley, PA 1987
National Awards from Apple Computer 1985-86; 1986-87; 1987-88; 1989-90.
Judge’s Choice Award at Boston Fest: 1988
++++++++++++++++++
SNF President Peter Borkovich presents Mim with the Award Friday, July 18, 2008
Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth (State) of Pennsylvania:
“The Power of Three” iPad App
The POWER OF THREE!
Apple iPad Educational App
Finally here!
September, 2012!
Working as an virtual international team, my two wonderful colleagues,
Dilip Kumar
and
Ayesha Deane
of Bangalore, India,
and I have worked electronically in tamden to create what we hope will be named an award-winning app, aptly called
“The Power of Three.”
The Power of Three iPad app was created for:
children, parents, teachers, librarians, learners of all ages
Who desire to encourageHigher Order Thinking Skills
- Encourages the creative thinking skills of
1.Fluency
2.Flexibility
3.Divergent thinking
4.Mental Imaging
5.Problem solving
- Designed to be interactive
- Promotes sharing of ideas and strategies
- Offers a fresh approach to traditional library classes, helping teachers teach skills necessary for todays Innovation needs in fun-managed, activity based classrooms
- Meets state standards for enrichment, strong thinking and organizational skills
(Brainstorming, organizing, planning, seeing patterns and relationships and categorizing ideas)
- Fosters achievement benefits across all content areas
- Helpful to all children, even those with learning disabilities
(Retention skills—helps recall information)
- Aids Transfer Thinking Skills, great for Schema theory:
(Linking existing knowledge to novel situations and content)
- Encourages children to value the love of learning
Parents, Administrators, Teachers and Librarians on the lookout to teach novel ways of looking at the world, while concurrently teaching empathy skills for children who just dont fit the average mold, will truly find this app exciting and way more than satisfying.
Overview:
Well-known economist, Richard Florida, wrote: the engine that drives our economy is Creativity.
This app is our effort to change present-day young Consumers of knowledge into Producers of knowledge and future leaders for our world.
Johnny, the lazy Reluctant Learner, transforms into a Change Leader and Classroom Champion, providing vision and new direction to his fellow table teammates and finally the whole class. Destructive behavior changes into constructive, productive behavior.
This app exposes FluencyandFlexibility
skill training to ALL participants quickly and easily, most of whom will delight in this stimulating activity that aims to expand on their abilities, and develop their potential.
Creative thinking varies by levels and degree, but individual knowledge bases can be enhanced, and this book is a primer for readers to get fired-up in finding the magic of discovering, developing and utilizing their own many talents.
Because of the worlds complexity, change and competition, the ability to generate new ideas and bring them to the table is a critical life skill, essential for successful business.
Creative thinking skills are useful in any discipline.Linus Pauling, the physicist wrote, The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. This book seeks to promote ideation and to enhance each childs ability to go On beyond Z.
It’s here!
Although I wrote the Story and narrate it, I give much credit to my incredible illustrator Ayesha, and my app developer, Dilip and his team.
More about Dilip:
Entrepreneur & Co-founder of GreatMinds-Media Solutions developing multi-solutions and products for the Media and Publishing Industry; Experienced Consumer Electronics and Media industry professional; wide range of experience in technical and managerial roles in development of integration of various Consumer electronics, Telecommunications and Digital embedded products to customers in Asia, Americas and Europe.
More about Ayesha:
Artist and illustrator for more than 20 books, mainly Children’s books. Ayesha says: “I love this particular line of work as I feel it is a great challenge to my creativity. I see each page as a work of art and fresh ideas are always required. It is my intention to create art that speaks.”
And she does!
What a great joy it has been to work with such talented people who shared a common purpose and goal of developing a unique learning experience for the end user(s)!
Aliquippa's Kuma Mim Bizic, August 2012
From the American SRBOBRAN, Wednesday, August 1, 2012, pp. 30, 31.
St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church Kuma:
Milana (Mim) Karlo Bizic –“Nek Vidi Dusman”
A beautiful spiritual connection to St. Elijah parish occurred when as a young bride twenty-one years old, Mim (nee Karlo) walked with her wonderful husband, +Gus Bizic, son of Peter and Dragica (Dorothy) Kljaich Bizic, around the new Little Altar table three times, in the St. Elijah Church, following in the footsteps of Christ, led then, by V. Rev. Proto Vlastimir Tomich. The St. Elijah Choir sang “Slava Tebe Hriste Boze!” (Thank you, dear God!).
The first steps the couple took together as husband and wife were symbolic in many ways, as the small altar table was made as a gift by brothers Pete and Joe Bizic, to honor (now Saint) Bishop Nicholai and Proto Tomich’s son who died in WWII. Inside the door where the crowns are kept was written in pencil, the date of 6/9/63. The altar table was not brought into the church until 30 minutes before the wedding to insure that Gus and Mim would be the first to walk around it! Dad Milan Karlo, ever the Serb documentarian and photographer, was so proud of the fact, that the first formal photo he took after the ceremony afterwards was of the table with the happy couple and Proto Tomich for history!
Ever since then, countless other memories were made in St. Elijah’s, as Mim and Gus served as Baptismal Kumovi for Melissa and Milan Markovich, then witnessed the Baptism of their own dear son, Nicholas Gustav Bizic, in August of 1970, at St. Elijah’s, by V. Rev. Fr. Srboljub Bulich. Fortunately, after many other happy occasions, St. Elijah and V. Rev. Fr. Stevan Stepanov served as an anchor and Rock of Hope when one by one, Bizic and Klaich relatives were sent to their Heavenly rewards, including beloved husband Gus, who was a wonderful son, husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, Kum and friend to all.
We know for certain three generations of Bizics (Pete and Dorothy Klaich Bizic-May, 1930, Gus and Milana Karlo Bizic June 9, 1963, Nick and Dana Hickey Bizic-Oct. 5, 2002) have been married in St. Elijah’s, but perhaps there were four, when Kojo (Gustav) Bizic and Anna Manojlovich Bizic were married earlier at the turn of the 20th Century.
Mim remembers growing up on the South Side, where everyone was Serbian or else wanted to be. Her many friends of Lithuanian, German, and Irish backgrounds would learn her Declamaticas for St. Sava’s day as they walked to school at South High, on 10th and Carson Streets, reciting, “Otacbino milo moje, mesto moje draga…..” or “Davno je to bilo, kad ……..” and most of them learned to kolo dance at the American Serbian Club which was only around the corner from her home. Serbs are inclusionists, everyone is welcomed.
Mim’s family had the Karlo Confectionery store first on So. 27th Street, and a few years later after a brief stint to California, at 2508 E. Carson Street, where they sold books, magazines and comic books, cigarettes, and dairy products from their soda fountain. There was also a cleaning establishment in the back, and beyond that, Dad Milan Karlo’s photography studio. How exciting it was to have VINKA, the famous Svedalinka, come and pose in the studio! Many a night the whole family helped develop and dry the sharp black and white photographs Milan took documenting the history of the American Serbs all around the USA! (Even though totally deaf from the age of 17, Milan graduated from the prestigious Rochester Institute of Photography in New York!)
Mim is also proud of the fact that he was chosen to be the YOUTH DELEGATE SPEAKER at the First Youth Convention in Pittsburgh for the SNF’s 40th Anniversary in 1940. Most people today don’t realize how hard-working their parents were. Milan also worked as the English Section Editor of the American SRBOBRAN and besides running the store, Laura would work the 4-12 shift at the nearby Stylette Plastics Company, then come home and mop the floor, having the store ready to open spotlessly clean the next day! Throw in a few years of also owning a farm where they raised corn and chickens near present-day Monroeville, and you can better understand why they say the Serbs have a tremendous work-ethic.
Milan and Laura learned from their parents! Nikola Mamula was a Foreman at J&L Steel Mill, and Samojilo –Mosije-Karajlovich (“Carillo” on some pay checks!) was also a Union organizer, and although the bosses frowned on such union activities, readily hired sons as they knew what kind of hard workers they would be. Mim’s parents and grandparents worked hard to help insure Shadeland Camp came to be, and Mim loved being one of the original seven campers to Shadeland, along with her sister, Rose, and George Trbovich from Pittsburgh and four campers from Youngstown, OH, with Father Pete as Administrator, two of the four his own sons.
After many enjoyable years as a camper, Mim later served as a counselor at Shadeland, and was proud to see son Nick participate and then be a counselor himself. Of course she’s counting the days before young Jocelyn can experience the joys of being part of the Serbian community wherein friends made at Shadeland from all over the USA and Canada become life-long friends. Mim also enjoys “Paying it Forward,” helping out the St. Elijah Sunday School Camp, which just celebrated its 35th Anniversary under the very capable direction of V.Rev. Fr. Stepanov and Georgette Osman, Susan & Brian Hayden, Jovanka Cvjetkovic, and so many wonderful parishioners throughout the decades of service to the parish.
Mim Bizic holds both a B.S. and M.Ed. plus 60 credits beyond from the University of Pittsburgh, where she graduated as a Teacher, with additional Library and Gifted certifications, but she considers herself a Lifelong Learner and is constantly studying more about those things of value to her, including learning more about the Serbian people, Computers, Innovation, and traveling to distant countries to immerse herself in those cultures, with her lifelong companions, her sisters, Dr. Rose Karlo Gantner and Alexandra Karlo Nolan.
Kuma Mim worked as a teacher in Pittsburgh, Hopewell-Independence-Raccoon (thanks be to Dr. John Milanovich when she married Gus!), Ambridge and finally, Quaker Valley where she taught for 40+ years, earning many national awards and recognitions. She also taught on Saturdays at Penn State’s Beaver Campus for nine years, teaching graduate level courses to teachers on integrating computers into the curriculum.
Mim has served as an Educational Consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Apple Computer Co, Scholastic Magazine, and the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. A national presenter for the U.S. Patent Office, Mim shared her creative and inventive thinking skills expertise with teachers from Portland, OR to Toldeo, OH. She did similar work with the INVENT AMERICA! Foundation, reaching out to teachers in Chicago and Washington. Apple Computer Company asked Mim to use her creativity and computer technological know-how to write lesson plans in workshops held in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Maui, Hawaii.
She also helped write the educational resource handbook for the permanent Smithsonian exhibit, “Beyond the Lim- its, Flight Enters the Computer Age.” She wrote lesson plans on Clean Coal Technology for the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. She was a member of the National Advisory Board of Scholastic Inc.’s TEACHING AND COMPUTERS magazine wherein she also had a computer board game published.
Mim was named “Woman of the Year” in 1987 by the Sewickley community for all the awards and recognition she brought to the area from Apple Computers.
She also received “Citizen of the Year” in Award (1997) together with Dr. Bob Fusco and Dr. Joe Marrone for bringing SewickleyNET to the Valley, the 2nd community after Blacksburg, VA to have the whole village connected on-line to the World Wide Web. Mim credits Serb Dr. Bogdan Kosanovich, a Nuclear Medical Engineer studying at
Kuma Mim Bizic, 2012
V.Rev.Fr. Stevan Stepanov, Mim Bizic, and President of St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church, Milan (MIckey) Mrkal.
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Pitt, for making the WWW possible to her, and hence, others. The Smithsonian recognized Mim as their National Honoree for National Technology Week in 1989.
She was named First Place Honoree for the first “Thanks to Teachers” contest sponsored by KDKA, Westinghouse, Pitt, and others in 1990.
Mim has spoken to various groups and clubs across the nation on MOLAS (folk art of the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands of Panama), Love Tokens from the Victorian Era, and Hobo Nickels from the Depression Era.
Many newspapers and magazines carry her stories on the same. Many here today still remember when Mim was named an Educational Cultural Ambassador to Japan in 1993, and the visits between Mim and her Nagatsahara family hosts from Omiya, Japan were covered in the Beaver County Times over the years.
In 1995, Mim was presented an award from the Serbian Unity Congress, “for her deep-seated and boundless love for Serbia and America.” She was named Serb National Federation Person of the Year in 2008 for her long and distinguished service to the SNF.
Her most recent honors were being formally recognized by the Moon Township Commissioners for her work on preserving Serbian history, and marking 130 years of Diplomatic Relations between the Serbian people and the USA. She was part of a Documentary made by the U.S. State Department with host Jugoslav Cosic, host.
The late +Larry Maravich who M.C.’d many a St. Elijah Slava, wrote a letter to Mim in 2006, calling her …”the irrepressible, unflinching and dedicated High Priestess of Serbian Orthodoxy; Matriarch of Serbian Ethnicity and Duchess of Serbian Culture in all its dimensions.” Mim has also been called a “Serbian warrior,” fighting for truth and justice for the Serbian people.
She was very grateful to U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire for entering her name and American Serb History into the 110 Congress’ Congressional Record with the advent of her now world-famous website: http://www.babamim.com, which has hosted visitors from Australia, all over Europe, Asia, Africa and South America besides the USA, Mexico and Canada.
“I don’t feel these are just my awards or honors,” Mim was quoted as saying in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It’s a reflection of all the people who came before me, and of all of those who are coming after me.”
Stay tuned. Besides working feverishly on Facebook and Linked-In to promote the Serbian causes and St. Elijah’s church in Aliquippa, Mim is the author of a new Apple iPad app story called “THE POWER OF THREE,” which is soon to be released for sale. The iPad app teaches fluency and flexibility skills, along with divergent thinking. Although aimed at elementary school students, its message contains important skills for learners of all ages, especially our own INNOVATORS of tomorrow!
The famous St. Elijah Choir!
One of Mim’s FAVORITE activities is singing in the Tenor section of St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church Choir every Sunday, and traveling with the choir to other areas of the USA and Canada where friendships are renewed and cemented again and again in church choir lofts, concert halls, and especially late at night around the orchestra singing old-time Serbian favorite songs with the “best of the best!”
Mim says, “This is when the goose bumps come, realizing that here you are together, living/sharing the slogan ‘Samo Sloga Srbina Spasova!’ —ONLY UNITY SAVES THE SERBS, and how wonderful it is to be a part of that culture! Remember the t-shirt slogan: “Ja Sam Ko Sam, I Volim Sto Sam!” I am who I am, and I LOVE who I am!” I’m also grateful to our choir directors for sharing their wonderful talents with us each Sunday….so we can best present our answered angelic responses to our wonderful priest, Fr. Stepanov. Every Sunday is like attending the Lord’s Concert! You can’t help but feel uplifted when you exit. I love it!”
V.Rev.Fr. Stevan Stepanov
Teacher, Librarian, Consultant, Warrior, High Priestess, Matriarch, Duchess, Webmaster, Tenor, Author. Mim says: “The BEST name is still ‘Baba,’ my favorite title, thanks to my dear Nick, Dana and Jocey.
But ‘KUMA’ for St. Elijah’s 98th Slava is something I never even thought would EVER be possible. I am so grateful to all of you for this wonderful, incredible honor you have bestowed upon me. A most SINCERE, ‘Thank you!’ Mnogo, mnogo hvala od srca!