New Marcha Monastery Celebrates St. Petka and Breaks Ground for Pavilion

RICHFIELD, OH — The Serbian Orthodox Monastery of New Marcha in Ohio celebrated its patronal feast of St. Petka on October 27, 2026, with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy presided over by Bp. Irinej of Washington-New York and Eastern America, followed by a groundbreaking ceremony for a new monastery pavilion.

The liturgical celebration brought together clergy and faithful from several Orthodox jurisdictions, including representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). Monastery singers were joined by vocalists from churches in the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Deaneries, under the direction of Professor Dr. Nikola Resanovich. Bp. Irinej delivered a homily in Serbian and English, reflecting on the ascetic life of St. Petka, a particularly beloved saint among Orthodox Christians and the patroness of Serbian women.

Following the traditional celebration of the monastery's patronal feast, attendees processed to the site of the proposed pavilion, which was designed by architect Lazar Noel Cupkovic, a longtime benefactor of the monastery. After blessing the grounds and dedicating the planned building to St. Petka, Bp. Irinej presented Abbess Paraskeva with a carved wooden cross from the brotherhood of St. Sava Monastery in Elaine, Australia.

The bishop, abbess, architect, clergy, and faithful then participated in turning the first shovels of earth. The celebration concluded with a communal meal prepared by the St. Petka Circle of Serbian Sisters from Akron, Ohio.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a Montana parish marked a construction milestone.