St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Church

St Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church

St. Basil Of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church
Important Updates on COVID-19

March 21, 2020

Dear Faithful of Saint Basil of Ostrog Church:

“As a result of the state’s Shelter-in-Place order, it has been decided, in the interest of functioning on the side of caution, to suspend all services to the public starting immediately. Father Djuro will still perform the services, as reported earlier, and they will all be streamed live on Facebook.”

We want to assure each of you who come to St. Basil Church seeking the Lord’s grace that your health is of the utmost importance and is a top priority. In light of the ongoing developments with COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we understand the need to stay home and shelter in. As a result, the Sunday Divine Liturgy and the Wednesday and Friday Pre-Sanctified liturgies during Great Lent will be available on our Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/StBasilOfOstrog/) and the church website(http://stbasilchurch.org). Lists with the names of those you would like to be mentioned in the prayers of the holy proposal, both for health and for rest of souls. (Fr. Djuro/847-477-1531 or frkrosnjar@gmail.com). Know and be comforted that you are all in our prayers.

In addition, we are taking the following steps immediately in order to maintain as healthy an environment as possible and to help slow the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus):

DIVINE LITURGY / PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY
All services will be available to you via Facebook Live. We will continue to liturgy, mentioning for health and salvation all of you and your homes, at the same time begging the Lord to end this plague that has come to us, so that we can return to regular services and normal functioning of our parish as soon as possible. Divine Liturgy on Sundays will continue as scheduled at 10 AM. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Wednesdays at 10AM and Fridays at 6PM will continue as scheduled. All services will be streamed on Facebook Live.

SAFE HEALTH PRACTICES
Follow the updated “Shelter-in-Place” guidelines established by the State of Illinois. There is reliable research that makes this recommendation viable and necessary. Social distancing works.

Wash your hands frequently and refrain from hugging, kissing, handshaking and other close contacts with people. This helps slow, lessen, and contain the spread of the virus. Social distancing works.

St. Basil Church will utilize Facebook (under the name of Saint Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church), the Church website (http://stbasilchurch.org), and the weekly Church email to update all of our faithful regarding the impact during these extraordinary times.

We appreciate your understanding, your concern, and your patience as we try to make the best decisions for the faithful of Saint Basil of Ostrog Church, with our truest faith in God and Orthodoxy, and prayers for our continued health, safety, and well-being.

Calmly accept the newly created situation, with confidence and awareness that you are still encompassed by liturgical prayers. We ask everyone to increase their regular prayers in your Home Churches in front of your family icons and/or at your icon corner. Please keep us in your prayers, along with your families and loved ones. Keep your home candilos safely glowing as a constant reminder of God’s light and love at all times.

God Bless!

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Djuro Krosnjar, Parish Priest
Michael Kosanovich, Trusteeship President
Elena Potkonja-Clymer, KSS President

St. Basil Of Ostrog

Basil was born in Popovo Selo in Herzegovina, of simple and devout parents. From his youth he was filled with love for the Church of God, and when he grew up he went to the monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God at Trebinje, and became a monk. As such, he quickly became known for his serious and rare ascetic life, for he loaded himself with ascetic practices, each harder than the last. He was later chosen and consecrated as Bishop of Zahum and Skenderia, much against his will. As a bishop, he first lived in the monastery at Tvrdos, whence, as a good pastor, he confirmed his flock in the Orthodox faith, keeping it from the cruelty of the Turks and the guile of the Latins. But when he was too pressed-upon by his enemies, and when Tvrdos* was destroyed by the Turks, Basil moved to Ostrog, where he lived in strict asceticism, protecting his flock by his unceasing and loving prayers.

He went peacefully to the Lord in the 16th century, leaving his whole and healing body, uncorrupt and wonderworking, to the present day. The miracles at the grave of St Basil are without number. Both Christians and Moslems hasten to his relics and find healing of the gravest sicknesses and sufferings. A great national gathering takes place there every year at Pentecost. Taken from the Prologue from Ochrid by Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovich

St Basil Of Ostrog
Manastir Ostrog
Mанастир Острог
Родом из Попова Села у Херцеговини, од родитеља простих но благочестивих. Од малена беше испуњен љубављу према Цркви Божјој, а када поодрасте оде у Требињски манастир Успенија Богородице и прими монашки чин. Као монах убрзо се прочу због свог озбиљног и ретког подвижничког живота. Јер налагаше на себе подвиг за подвигом, све тежи од тежега. Доцније би изабран и посвећен за епископа Захумског и Скендеријског, мимо своје воље. Као архијереј најпре становаше у манастиру Тврдошу, и одатле као пастир добри утврђиваше стадо своје у вери православној чувајући га од свирепства турског и лукавства латинског. А када би и сувише притешњен непријатељима, и када Тврдош* би разорен од Турака, пресели се Василије у Острог, где се тврдо подвизаваше ограђујући стадо своје безпрестаним и топлим молитвама својим. Престави се мирно Господу, у XVI веку, оставивши своје целе и целебне мошти, неиструлеле и чудотворне до дана данашњега. Чудеса на гробу св. Василија су безбројна. К његовим моштима притичу и хришћани и муслимани, и налазе исцелења у најтежим болестима и мукама својим. Велики народни сабор у Острогу бива сваке године о Тројицама.
St Basil Of Ostrog
Mosti Sv. Vasilija Ostroskog

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