СВЕТА ЛИТУРГИЈА У ПРВОЈ ЛОСАНЂЕЛЕСКОЈ ЦРКВИ

У суботу, 24. фебруара 2007, на дан Светог Великомученика Теодора Тирона, служена је Света Литургија у гробљанској цркви Светога Саве у источном Лос Анђелесу.
Литургија је почела у 10 часова а служио је Епископ Западноамерички Максим са свештеницима Петром Јовановићем, Николом Чеком, Блашком Параклисом и јеромонахом Јованом Бабићем.
Црква Светога Саве на српском гробљу у источном Лос Анђелесу је најстарија српска црква у овом граду.

А ево укратко и историје ове најстарије цркве у нашем богомочуваном Граду.

Saint Sava Church in Los Angeles
It has been said that church edifices and temples are indicators of the spiritual value and the cultural greatness of a nation. This is especially true of the United States of America where churches and religious edifices fill every city and countryside. The church has long been recognized also as a vehicle to help develop the complete man in his quest for spiritual fulfillment. The founders of the St. Sava Church in Los Angeles were aware of this, as were the old pioneers in Jackson, Cali­fornia, who in 1894 built the first Serbian Orthodox Church in California.
The early history of the St. Sava Church can be traced back to the settlers who immigrated to the United States primarily from Montenegro and Hercegovina and came to live in Los Angeles County in the early 1900's. Being strong willed individuals with deep convictions in their faith, they realized the need for a church of the Serbian Eastern Orthodox Faith.
On one day, three of these early settlers tragically drowned while working on a narrow in the San Pedro harbor. They were buried in the cemetery on Evergreen and First Streets where, at the time, all dead were buried chronologically, regardless of race or creed. After the funeral, the early settlers started a conversation and an idea, to purchase a parcel of land which would be conse­crated as a Serbian cemetery. The Serbian Benev­olent Society, "Jedinstvo," which earlier had been organized, purchased land for the cemetery, and in
1908,   Father Sevastian Dabovich of San Francisco,
officiated at its consecration. At this occasion one
of the members watching the proceedings joyfully
made the statement, "Blessed is the one who will
be the first to be buried in this cemetery." Within
a short time he became ill and died, and was the
"first one" to be buried in the cemetery in the year

Following the consecration of the cemetery the early pioneers discussed the need for building a Church where they could worship God and where marriage ceremonies, christenings, and funerals would be conducted. A committee was elected in 1909 to collect donations from the people to build a church. The members of this committee were: Gligo Dabovich of Trebinje, Dusan Cerovina of Ljubinje, Milivoje Pekich of Drobnjak, Jovo Ukro-pina of Trebinje, Lazar Simovich of Niksic, Stanko Kilibarda of Banjani, Petar Janicich of Banjani, Danilo Dakovich of Grahovo, Sako Zarubica of Drobnjak, Krsto Kisich of Bileca and Mihailo of Ljubinje.
The committee did not raise sufficient funds for both the building of a church and the purchase of land, so they asked the lodge "Jedinstvo" for their help. The lodge gave a piece of land located on 2nd and Humphreys Streets in Los Angeles, for the building of the St. Sava Church, for as long as the church remains on the property. The gift was qualified by the condition that if the church no longer exists on said land, the land is to revert back to the lodge. The St. Sava Church was started in 1910 and was consecrated by Father Sevastijan Dabovich of San Francisco. The ikon-ostas in the church was made by Krsto Djuricich and the contractor on the church project was Acim Samardzich.

When the St. Sava Church was first built, in the hearts of all those present, there was the desire to uphold the highest ideals of Christianity and good will among men. At that time the founders of the Church had small means, but their enthusi­asm, sacrifice and spirit made possible the building of the Church. This colony should indeed be proud of the founders of the St. Sava Church as well as all those who have continued to uphold it so magnificently during the past sixty years.
During the past six decades the St. Sava Church has continued to grow and has become a greater, better and a more welcoming and inviting meeting place than ever before. It has unceasingly promulgated the ideals of Christianity; it has pro­vided spiritual fulfillment to its members and parishioners; and it has played a tremendous role in preserving our Serbian heritage, the highest tra­ditions of our ancestors, and the ideals of our great country, the United States of America.
The St. Sava Church has been and continues to be a center where its youth may have the oppor­tunity to learn the history, language, songs and dances of our ancestors. The Church is a meeting place where our younger people can gather and also meet with those older members who have had the advantage of our great cultural traditions; and its members, parishioners and friends remember well the many times they have looked forward to attending the functions and celebrations hosted by the St. Sava Church.

During the period in which Iguman Dimitrie D.D. Balach was the priest at the St. Sava Church,
the Church acquired a parcel of land through a generous deed of one of its members, Mr. Chetko S. Barzut. Mr. Barzut had stated he wanted to do something dear to his heart for the St. Sava Church and its people, so he sold his property in San Gabriel, California, consisting of a lovely home and an adjoining vacant lot, to the Church for one-fourth of its market value. The present St. Sava Hall is now located on that lot deeded by Mr. Barzut.
At the present time we are very fortunate to have Rev. Marko Malovrazich as the priest of the St. Sava Church. He has served, with all his heart, the Church and its members for the past ten years to help the Church grow and prosper. During this past decade, the Church commenced its greatest building project to date, the building of the St. Sava Hall in San Gabriel, California. By 1963, it was completed and in May of 1963, it was dedicated and consecrated. The Hall not only is a fully equipped recreation, social and banquet center, but it has a Chapel and Sunday School rooms. The members of the St. Sava Church did not rest with the building of the beautiful St. Sava Hall. They also acquired three more parcels of adjoining land providing a rectory for our priest, additional park­ing facilities for the Hall, a patio and picnic ground, and a playground for the children. The additional properties also provide the St. Sava Church with fourteen income producing units. These additional properties were purchased to provide sufficient land for future expansion and for the future con­struction of a Church adjacent to the Hall. Great progress has also been made since 1963 to help reduce the debt incurred in the construction of the St. Sava Hall. The members of the Executive Board have expressed their confidence that by next year, all sums owing on the Hall will be paid for in full.