Photo By Maj. Judith Marlowe | Father Sava Janjic, the Abbott of the Visoki Dečani Monastery in Dečani, Kosovo...... read more read more
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CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - The 700 year-old monastery in Dečani, Kosovo, was filled Jan. 6 with traditional Serbian Orthodox hymns, the soft glow of dozens of candles and the sweet smell of incense as it does every Serbian Orthodox Christmas Eve.
In attendance at the customary Christmas Eve service were local residents as well as soldiers with Multinational Battle Group-East.
"Tonight we had the vigil in which we prayed and sang hymns in honor of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who became human and was born in Bethlehem in order to save us," said Father Sava Janjic, Abbott of the Dečani Monastery.
Father Janjic has lived and served in the monastery since 1992. With him are 24 monks who live at the monastery full-time.
"The service was so calm and peaceful," said Staff Sgt. Stephanie Arroyo-Reyes, property book officer team chief for MNBG-E. "It gave me insight on their relationship and dedication to God."
Following the vigil, observance of the Badnjak tradition took place. The Badnjak, which is a type of log, is cut Christmas Eve morning and then placed on a fire following the Christmas Eve vigil.
"By burning the wood we get the warmth and the light of the new God, Lord Jesus Christ, so by burning the old we celebrate the new God, who is our savior," explained Janjic. "We also [sing] our hymns because it is through Adam and Eve taking the forbidden fruit that they lost the blessing of the Lord, but actually through the tree, which the Lord suffered, we received salvation, so the tree is very blessed."
"When the tree burns, it produces light and warmth and that is our Christian faith," added Janjic.
The night ended with multi-colored fireworks lighting up sky and a blessing by Janjic.
"It's not totally unusual [to shoot fireworks on Christmas Eve] because, actually, the Bethlehem cave was lit by the light of the star, which showed the way to the Magi that was coming from afar, so this was also symbolical," said Janjic.
Offering a blessing upon the conclusion of the night, Janjic specifically addressed the soldiers of MNBG-E by wishing them a prosperous new year.
"Today, according to the new calendar, it was the epiphany day and January is the time of lots of celebration, so I wish you to have a nice and peaceful and blessed year and, of course, be rejoined with your families soon," said Janjic as he shook the soldiers' hands.
Surrounded by mountains and forests, the Dečani Monastery is the largest and best preserved monastery in Kosovo. Its cathedral is the biggest medieval church in the Balkan region and contains the largest preserved monument of Byzantine-era fresco-painting. It lies in the western half of Kosovo and was built between 1327 and 1335 by the medieval Serbian king St. Stephen of Dečani.
Members of the Serbian Orthodox church celebrate Christmas Day according to the Julian calendar, which falls on Jan. 7.
| Date Taken: | 01.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.07.2015 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 151465 |
| Location: | DEčANI, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 162 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Soldiers celebrate Serbian Christmas Eve, by MAJ Judith Marlowe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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