The Archbishop Jovan Fund
His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan on the cover of The Orthodox Word
St. John Chrysostom teaches us that “feeding the hungry is a greater work than raising the dead” and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus invites us to save our souls through alms-giving in this way:
“Let us visit Christ whenever we may, let us care for him, feed him, clothe him, welcome him, honor him, not only at a meal or by anointing him as Mary did, or by giving him gold, frankincense and myrrh, like the Magi.
The Lord of all asks for mercy, not sacrifice, and mercy is greater than myriads of fattened lambs. Let us then show Him mercy in the persons of the poor and those who today are lying on the ground, so that when we come to leave this world they may receive us into everlasting dwelling places.”
The following is an invitation and a humble plea from the Fathers of St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood (founders of St. Herman Press), in Platina, California, as published in The Orthodox Word, to fulfil the Lord's commandment of loving each other and help those who serve Him in their hour of need.
In the previous three numbers of The Orthodox Word, we have recounted the persecution and suffering endured over the last four years by His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan and the Autonomous Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid.
The Archdiocese of Ohrid is the only canonical Orthodox Church in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, recognized as such by the entire Orthodox world.
Although Archbishop Jovan has been released from prison, his Archdiocese continues to suffer persecution, deprivation and hardship. At this hour the Archdiocese is without financial resources, without proper residences, food and medical care. The churches and monasteries of the Archdiocese have been destroyed. The Archbishop and his flock currently have to conduct all their Divine services in apartments, homes and basements. The fifty monks and nuns of the Archdiocese have to live in private homes and have not been able to find employment because of official intimidation. Meanwhile, the Archdiocese is still being denied status as a legal religious institution, and attempts are continually being made to put Archbishop Jovan back in prison.
With the blessings of His Beatitude Jovan, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje, and of His Eminence metropolitan Isaiah, Presiding Hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver, a new fund, under the presidency of Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, has been set up to assist Archbishop Jovan and his Archdiocese. You can help support the Archdiocese of Ohrid by sending donations to the following address:
The Archbishop Jovan Fund
c/o the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood
P.O. Box 70
Platina, CA 96076 USAPlease make all checks and money orders payable to: The Archbishop Jovan Fund. The Fund is a non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to have a receipt for your donation, please indicate this. Thank you for your support!