Sermon of His Grace, Bishop Partenij of Antania, delivered during the Vespers Service at the Church of the Holy Theotokos in the village of Rostusha, at the “Opening of the Doors” before its consecration, on July 16/29, 2023
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
Venerable Archimandrite Father Dositej,
Beloved brothers in Christ, monks, and sisters in Christ, nuns,
Dear Christians,
Let us offer thanks to the Lord God and to our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos, for granting us the privilege of gathering here, on this elevated place in the renowned Mijak region, above the site of the once-glorious monastic complex known as Dvoranik, to witness the renewal of this sacred and venerable temple, dedicated to the Mother of God, now restored to its full splendor. Undoubtedly, many generations have awaited this sacred moment, for the history of this sanctuary stretches deep into the centuries, tied to significant moments in the spiritual life of the Orthodox faithful in this region, as well as to many trials and tribulations.
We have records of the Church of the Theotokos in Rostusha dating back to the first half of the 15th century. It is known that Ivan Kastrioti—a pious Christian and the father of the legendary George Kastrioti, called Skanderbeg, the great defender of the Christian faith—desired to donate part of his estate to the Holy Mountain of Athos, specifically to the Monastery of Hilandar. In his donation charter to the Hilandar Monastery, he stated that he was gifting the Church of the Holy Theotokos in Rostusha, which had existed even before his time, along with the villages of Radostusha (“Joy of the Soul”) and Trebishta. Almost six centuries have passed since that time, and by divine providence, we are now witnessing the consecration of a new temple dedicated to the Queen and Mother of all, continuing the unbroken line of Church history and heritage in this region.
The original church dedicated to the Theotokos stood at the site of Dvoranik, in the heart of the village, where the playground is now located. During the Ottoman occupation and the accompanying process of Islamization, that church was converted into a mosque. Besides oral tradition, this transformation is confirmed by written testimonies, including those of the iconographer Apostol Hristov Frchkovski, Archimandrite Kiril of Rila, and the teacher Risto Lonoski. In the memoirs of Archimandrite Kiril—who was born in the village of Bitushe and served as abbot of the Rila Monastery—there are numerous accounts and traditions concerning this region, including the church at Dvoranik. As administrator of the Diocese of Debar, which had been left without a bishop during World War I, Archimandrite Kiril responded to the needs of the local Christian population, who lacked a proper place of worship. On August 30, 1918, he reestablished the building, previously converted into a mosque, as a church. The devout Christians of Rostusha adorned the church with icons and the necessary liturgical furnishings, and the building once again began to function as a Christian sanctuary.
During the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, around 1922, the faithful gave the church a magnificent architectural form in the Byzantine style. This structure stood until World War II, when, sadly, in 1943, it was demolished with explosives.
Even under the harsh conditions of communism, when religious practice was despised and the construction of new churches was nearly impossible, the devout people of Rostusha, with unwavering faith in Christ, managed to build a modest church here using stones from the old structure. They also preserved the bells from the former church and installed them here. It was this humble clay-built church that we found upon arriving at this place. We cherished it dearly, and each year we gathered here with the faithful locals to celebrate Theophany, renewing the tradition of the blessing of the waters of the River Radika with the casting of the Holy Cross.
Twelve years ago, in 2011, once again in collaboration with the people of this village, we began the reconstruction of the old Church of the Queen and Mother, with the intention of restoring the architecture and appearance of the original church that once stood in Dvoranik. The Most Holy Theotokos blessed our efforts, generously offering Her help throughout all these years. And behold, this evening, we gather here to pray and consecrate this work of divine mercy, which God, in His good will, has accepted from our hands, bestowing His blessing and joy upon us. Truly, it is a great thing to build a temple of God—to be deemed worthy to offer and dedicate a house of worship to the Lord.
From the Old Testament, we know how the great and holy prophet and king David, that divine writer of the marvelous Psalms, longed to build a temple for his God. As he exclaimed: “I will not enter my house, nor will I lie upon my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the God of Jacob” (Psalm 131:3-5). Yet, because of his sin, or perhaps in accordance with divine providence, it was not David but his son, a more skilled builder, who was chosen to complete the temple. Even though David had conceived the idea, drawn up the plans by divine inspiration, and gathered most of the necessary materials—along with the finest craftsmen and large quantities of gold for the construction—God did not allow him to build it. As the king himself confesses: “It was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and a footstool for the feet of our God, and I made preparations for building. But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood’” (1 Chronicles 28:2-4). Thus, the renowned and majestic temple on Mount Moriah in the Holy City of Jerusalem was not built by the prophet David but by his son, King Solomon.
How grateful, then, must we be to God, who has deemed our generation worthy to offer this sacred temple in His glory, after all these centuries!
This evening, during the service, we sang the beautiful hymns traditionally chanted at the consecration of a church. These hymns are associated with the Feast of the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, celebrated each year on September 13/26. This feast commemorates the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection, completed in 335 by the Holy Emperor Constantine the Great and his mother, the Holy Empress Helena, Equals-to-the-Apostles. This is the temple that houses the Most Holy Sepulcher of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian church, therefore, symbolically represents the empty Tomb of the Lord. In the sacred altar of each church stands the holy table, usually made of marble or other precious materials, into which the relics of saints are placed. This altar, symbolically, represents the empty Tomb of Christ, from which He, in His mercy, saved and enlightened the world.
In every church, the holy table becomes the place where the greatest mystery of our faith is performed—the bloodless sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Tomorrow, before the Divine Eucharist, the holy table of this new temple will be consecrated, making it the holiest place within it.
This evening, we brought out the sacred relics that will be placed into the altar tomorrow, so that we may venerate them before the icon of Christ the Savior. The significance of the relics in the consecration of a temple is profound. The first Christian churches in the Roman Empire were built on sites where martyrs had suffered for Christ, often directly upon their graves. An example of this can be seen in the basilicas of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, constructed over their tombs. In those early days, when Christians celebrated the Divine Liturgy, they did so over the relics of martyrs, believing firmly that in Christ no one dies but all live eternally. “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), says the Lord.
Inspired by the well-known mosaic of the Savior in the Chora Church of Constantinople, built in Byzantine times, we wished to have a similar depiction here. Thus, above the western entrance of this temple, we placed an image of our Lord Jesus Christ, called the “Place of the Living.” This image faces the Orthodox village cemetery, where many of the forebears who built the old church—now reconstructed—are buried.
I pray, and I feel with all my heart, that our merciful God will allow their souls to be with us today and tomorrow, rejoicing in the completion of this shared work of faith. I am deeply moved as I remember the Christians I encountered, who recounted the hardships and difficulties they faced in building the previous modest church. Their graves are here, and now I rejoice and give thanks to God, knowing that their souls, too, are rejoicing in the “Place of the Living.”
And what else could we do on this radiant night of consecration, other than rejoice and give thanks to God and to our Most Holy Theotokos? Let us rejoice and give thanks, but let us also not forget that we Christians are the “uncreated” Church, and that every baptized Christian is a true temple of God, one especially dear to the Lord. This is the very reason why we build earthly temples, for we are all one body in Christ. We gather in these sacred spaces to unite with His life-giving and salvific Body, becoming brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, we must not allow our churches to remain empty, for they are the foundation of our faith, the core of our spiritual identity, and our sacred heritage—they represent the deepest roots of our people.
The history of this particular temple stretches all the way back to the 11th century. As we mentioned earlier, Archimandrite Kiril noted that the church dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos in Rostusha likely existed during the time of the founder of the Bigorski Monastery, the Holy Archbishop of Ohrid, John of Debar. It is believed that he discovered the wonder-working icon of St. John the Forerunner, possibly during a time of solitary prayer on Mount Bistra, either as a monk or as the abbot of the monastery. Later, as Archbishop, he founded the Bigorski Monastery in 1020.
Thus, with great joy and profound gratitude, we give thanks to the Queen and Mother, as well as to the many pious benefactors, for helping us achieve the goal of restoring this church to resemble a little paradise. These days, we have had a brother from Turkey staying with us at the monastery, a recently baptized Orthodox Christian, who has been assisting the brethren with the final preparations for the consecration. One afternoon, I came here to check on the progress, and upon seeing him, I asked what he thought of the church—whether he liked it. Filled with enthusiasm, he responded, “It looks like a little paradise!” May God grant us many years to rejoice in this little paradise, both now and for generations to come. May there be many baptisms and weddings celebrated within these walls, and may this temple become a foundation for many souls to come to Christ, to walk the path of truth, love, peace, and joy. As Christ Himself says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is the absolute truth, and there is no other way apart from Him.
May you all be blessed, and may the Most Holy Theotokos keep us all within Her maternal embrace, sending us Her blessings and abundant grace. May only joy and gladness reign throughout this Mijak region! May Christianity never fade from this land, and may there always be someone to light the lamps in our churches, even to the end of the world.
Amen!
