Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, December 23, 2024
Photo: iglesiaortodoxaserbiasca.org
The Serbian Orthodox hierarch of South and Central America visited an Orthodox Church in the Dominican Republic earlier this month and celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the local Orthodox faithful. He also consecrated the church’s new bell tower.
His Grace Bishop Kirilo of South Buenos Aires and Central America celebrated the Liturgy at the 
Caribbean’s first Serbian Orthodox church under construction in Dominican RepublicThe church is modeled after the Hercegovačka Gračanica Monastery in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a crypt dedicated to Holy Prince Lazar and St. Alexander Nevsky.
“>Holy Transfiguration Church in Punta Cana, on Sunday, December 8. The church is similar in architecture to the ancient Gračanica Monastery in Kosovo and therefore is considered the “Caribbean Gračanica.” It is the first Serbian Orthodox Church in the entire Caribbean, the Diocese of Buenos Aires, South and Central America reports.
After the Liturgy, Bp. Kirilo consecrated the bell tower built next to the church. The bells were donated by families from Podgorica, Montenegro and Skopje, North Macedonia.
Before the service, Bp. Kirilo celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism for the child Dimitry, and during the Liturgy, he celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation for Barbara Konatar from Venezuela.
After the service, the faithful enjoyed a special lunch.
It’s hoped that the construction of the church will be completely finished by this coming Pascha, says parish rector Archimandrite Evstatije (Azdejkovic). The church unites all Orthodox peoples living in these areas: Serbs, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians, Greeks, Bulgarians. It also has a crypt dedicated to Holy Prince Lazar and Alexander Nevsky, as protectors of the Slavic peoples.
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