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Serbian Diocese Announces Annual St. Mardarije Day Events in Illinois
The Midwestern Diocese's annual St. Mardarije celebration will combine worship, fellowship, seminary recognition, and updates on a major preservation project.
LIBERTYVILLE, IL — The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gracanica–Midwestern America has announced plans for its annual St. Mardarije Day Celebration, scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026, at New Gracanica Monastery and St. Sava Monastery in northern Illinois.
The annual observance will bring together clergy, faithful, families, and visitors to honor the legacy of St. Mardarije and the historic significance of St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville. Organizers have also planned special recognition for seminary graduates and presentations highlighting ongoing restoration efforts at the St. Mardarije Spiritual and Cultural Center.
The celebration will begin with a Holy Procession departing from New Gracanica Monastery in Third Lake, Illinois, at 6 a.m. Participants will proceed in prayer to St. Sava Monastery, where a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in the monastery pavilion.
Following the Divine Liturgy, attendees will gather for a fellowship program featuring food and refreshments. The event will also include the formal recognition of seminary graduates and an update on the preservation and renovation work underway at the St. Mardarije Spiritual and Cultural Center. Organizers say the presentation will provide supporters with an opportunity to learn more about ongoing efforts to preserve the historic site for future generations.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Serbian Orthodox faithful celebrated St. Mardarije of Libertyville at his birthplace.
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