According to the established practice of Orthodox liturgical tradition, following each major feast of the Lord or the Theotokos, a commemoration is made for the saints who directly or indirectly participated in the salvific events connected with the feast. Similarly, following ancient monastic tradition, after the main feast day of a monastery, a remembrance is held for the first founder and all subsequent benefactors, builders, abbots, monks, and ascetics who labored and struggled within the monastery throughout the centuries.
Thus, this year as well, in the Holy Monastery of Bigorski, the festive atmosphere for the commemoration of the glorious Forerunner and Baptist of our Lord, Saint John, who is ever-present for all who traverse the stormy sea of life, was completed yesterday afternoon with the solemn Founders’ Vespers. Immediately following the service, the Elder of the Monastery, Bishop Parthenius of Antania, led a memorial prayer, during which, with humility and gratitude, we prayed for the repose of the souls of all the blessedly reposed founders, builders, adorners, and monks of Bigorski, who dedicated their lives to this sacred thousand-year-old Monastery.
The festive prayerful gathering continued today with the celebration of the Divine Eucharist, with a memorial commemoration for all those who contributed their lives and deeds to the foundation of Bigorski Monastery. With gratitude, we remember all our predecessors in the monastic habit, who, through their labors, sweat, and prayers, contributed to the splendor of the Forerunner’s abode, especially Saint John of Debar, Archbishop of Ohrid and the first founder of our Holy Monastery, upon whose prayerful support we humbly rely today.
The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was presided over by our Elder, Bishop Parthenius of Antania, who offered the bloodless sacrifice to our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ, in prayerful concelebration with the brothers of Bigorski and the priests from the Orthodox Church of Albania: Fr. Irine Gjega from the Stavropegial Monastery of St. John Vladimir in Shijon, Elbasan, and Fr. Spiro Pipa and Fr. Nikola Davidi from the Metropolis of Apollonia and Fier.
Through the prayers of Saint John of Debar and all the holy fathers and ascetics of Bigorski, may the Lord God preserve and strengthen our Holy Monastery, its Elder, the monastic brotherhood, and the sisterhoods, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
