Difference between revisions of "Maxim (Vasilijević) of Western America"

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On July 30, 2006, in the Cathedral Church in Alhambra, (Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.) His Grace, Bishop Longin of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate, during the Holy Liturgy, enthroned His Grace Maxim, previously the Bishop of Hum, Vicar in the Metropolitanate of Dabro-Bosna, and professor at the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade, into the Throne of the Bishops of the Western American Diocese. Bishop Maxim was elected to the Western American Diocese at the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, held in May of this year. Serving at the Holy Liturgy were twelve priests, which was attended by the Orthodox faithful in the temple of St. Steven the First-Crowned in Alhambra, which was filled beyond capacity. According to the ancient ecclesiastical tradition, a new Bishop is installed at the Divine Eucharist. Leading the new Bishop to the Throne, Bishop Longin, the previous Administrator of the Western American Diocese, read the decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops regarding the election of Bishop Maxim. He then congratulated the faithful of the Diocese on the arrival of their new Bishop, and called upon them to listen to their new Archpastor, to pray to God for him, and the whole-heartedly support him. He then greeted Bishop Maxim, wishing him God's assistance, and much success in his pastoral work in the regions of Western America.  
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[[Image:Maksim.gif|right|frame|Bp. Maxim of Western America]]
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Bishop '''Maxim (Vasilijevic)''', also '''Maksim Vasiljevic''', is the [[bishop]] of the Diocese of Western America under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Serbia|Serbian Orthodox Church]]. Previously, he was the Bishop of Hum, [[auxiliary bishop|Vicar bishop]] in the Metropolitanate of Dabro-Bosna, in the Republic of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.  
  
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Bishop Maxim, who was elected to this Diocese by the Holy Assembly of Bishops thanks to the archpastoral care and love of Bishop Longin, upon taking the Throne, addressed all present with an appropriate sermon. He thanked the Lord for the grace of the enthronement, as well as the Holy Assembly of Bishops for their decision to entrust him with the care of God's Church in the far away world. He also expressed his gratitude to all of the previous honorable Hierarchs: Gregory, of blessed memory; Hrizostom, and Jovan, as well as Bishop Longin. (You can read the sermon in its entirety, in English.) Bishop Maxim emphasized that today, only Orthodoxy lives the faith what breathes the ethos and spirit of self-sacrifice for others, the source of this being in the Holy Liturgy and the ascetical way of life. The Orthodox Church accepts all people, but especially the sinners who emulate Christ, "of a gentle and humble heart", who, as the Good Samaritan, "pours forth oil and wine" upon man's wounds and weaknesses. The newly-enthroned Bishop pointed out that it is crucial today to keep and protect the most dear gift of peace, unity, and catholicity (universality) of the Church, which the devil begrudges, and which man's sins and weaknesses destroy. This unity concerns not just the relationship with the Mother Church in Serbia, but with all of the Churches on this continent. In a world that must face the ethos and culture of the West, Orthodoxy will not be able to offer a witness true to the faith if it should be disunited, but only if it speaks "with one mouth and one heart". The Churches are called to overcome their isolation within their nationalistic boundaries, and to work and show themselves as one Church, unto the glory of God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In ending, as a remembrance of his enthronement, gave each of the faithful in attendance a Prayer Book in English, illustrated with icons by the iconographer Fr. Stamatis Skliris. [http://westsrbdio.org Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in USA and Canada]
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==Life==
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Bishop Maxim graduated from the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1993. He continued his education at the University of Athens where he received a Masters of Theology in 1996. Three years later, in 1999 he defended his doctorate at the University of Athens in the field of dogmatics and [[patristics]]. He worked for one year on his post‐doctorate degree in Paris and then from 2003 to 2004 at Sorbonne in the field of Byzantine history and [[hagiography]]. During this time, he also delved into the theory and practical application of painting at the French Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. Bishop Maxim is docent of the Divinity School at the Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, and previously taught Christian anthropology and sociology at the University of East Sarajevo. Bp. Maxim speaks Greek, French, Russian, and English.
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Bp. Maxim was elected Bishop of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America at the regular assembly of the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2006. On [[July 30]], 2006, he was [[enthronement|enthroned]] by Bp. [[Longin (Krco) of America and Canada|Longin]] of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate, in the [[Cathedral]] [[Church]] of St. [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|Steven the First-Crowned]] in Alhambra, California.
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In addition to his Archpastoral duties in the Western American Diocese, Bishop Maxim is a Professor of [[patrology]] at the [[St. Sava's Serbian Orthodox Seminary (Libertyville, Illinois)|St. Sava School of Theology]] in Libertyville, Illinois. He is the editor of ''Theology'', the journal of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Belgrade. He also leads the Diocesan [[iconography|iconographical]] school, which is inspired by Byzantine and Serbian medieval fresco painting and Fr. Stamatis, a famous [[iconographer]] from Athens, Greece.
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Bishop Maxim's scholarly studies and articles include essays on the holy [[Church Fathers|Fathers]] and [[saint]]s; he has also written on hagiographical and iconographical themes. 
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==Writings==
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*"An existential interpretation of dogmatics: Theological language and dogma in the face of the culture of pluralism," ''St. Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly'' 51 (2007), pp. 395‐422. 
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*"La conception de la sainteté dans l'oeuvre hagiographique de Syméon le Métaphraste," ''Revue des Études Byzantines'' 66 (2008), pp. 191‐207. 
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*"Holy Icons and the ultimate state of being," ''Annual 2007 of the Western American Diocese'', Los Angeles (2007), pp. 37‐39. 
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*"The Orthodox Marriage and Family," a lecture given at the KSS Annual Retreat in Jackson, 2007 (to be published).
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*"[http://www.westsrbdio.org/latest_news/Visits_Fall2007/PanOrth_Liturgyi.html St. John the Chrysostom, Commemoration of the 1600th Anniversary of the Repose of St. John Chrysostom]," St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, November 13‐14, 2007.
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*"Ecclesiological provincialism compared to the Church's concrete unity," ''The Path of Orthodoxy'', May 2007. 
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{{start box}}
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{{succession|
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before= none|
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title=Vicar Bishop of Hum|
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years=2004-2006|
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after=?}}
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{{succession|
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before=[[Jovan (Mladenovic) of Sumadia|Jovan]]|
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title=Bishop of Western America<br>([[Church of Serbia|Serbian]])|
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years=2006-present|
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after=&mdash;}}
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{{end box}}
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==Sources==
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*[http://www.serborth.org/bishopwest.html His Grace Bishop Maxim]
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*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/info/showarticle.php?article=ustolicenje In Los Angeles, the new bishop of the Western American Diocese, Bishop Dr. Maxim (Vasilijevic), is Entrhoned]
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==External link==
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*[http://www.westsrbdio.org Official website of the Serbian Diocese of Western America]
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[[Category:Bishops]]
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[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
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[[Category:Bishops of Hum]]
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[[Category: University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]

Latest revision as of 09:58, February 7, 2013

Bp. Maxim of Western America

Bishop Maxim (Vasilijevic), also Maksim Vasiljevic, is the bishop of the Diocese of Western America under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Previously, he was the Bishop of Hum, Vicar bishop in the Metropolitanate of Dabro-Bosna, in the Republic of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Life

Bishop Maxim graduated from the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1993. He continued his education at the University of Athens where he received a Masters of Theology in 1996. Three years later, in 1999 he defended his doctorate at the University of Athens in the field of dogmatics and patristics. He worked for one year on his post‐doctorate degree in Paris and then from 2003 to 2004 at Sorbonne in the field of Byzantine history and hagiography. During this time, he also delved into the theory and practical application of painting at the French Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. Bishop Maxim is docent of the Divinity School at the Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, and previously taught Christian anthropology and sociology at the University of East Sarajevo. Bp. Maxim speaks Greek, French, Russian, and English.

Bp. Maxim was elected Bishop of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America at the regular assembly of the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2006. On July 30, 2006, he was enthroned by Bp. Longin of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate, in the Cathedral Church of St. Steven the First-Crowned in Alhambra, California.

In addition to his Archpastoral duties in the Western American Diocese, Bishop Maxim is a Professor of patrology at the St. Sava School of Theology in Libertyville, Illinois. He is the editor of Theology, the journal of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Belgrade. He also leads the Diocesan iconographical school, which is inspired by Byzantine and Serbian medieval fresco painting and Fr. Stamatis, a famous iconographer from Athens, Greece.

Bishop Maxim's scholarly studies and articles include essays on the holy Fathers and saints; he has also written on hagiographical and iconographical themes.

Writings

  • "An existential interpretation of dogmatics: Theological language and dogma in the face of the culture of pluralism," St. Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly 51 (2007), pp. 395‐422.
  • "La conception de la sainteté dans l'oeuvre hagiographique de Syméon le Métaphraste," Revue des Études Byzantines 66 (2008), pp. 191‐207.
  • "Holy Icons and the ultimate state of being," Annual 2007 of the Western American Diocese, Los Angeles (2007), pp. 37‐39.
  • "The Orthodox Marriage and Family," a lecture given at the KSS Annual Retreat in Jackson, 2007 (to be published).
  • "St. John the Chrysostom, Commemoration of the 1600th Anniversary of the Repose of St. John Chrysostom," St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, November 13‐14, 2007.
  • "Ecclesiological provincialism compared to the Church's concrete unity," The Path of Orthodoxy, May 2007.
Succession box:
Maxim (Vasilijević) of Western America
Preceded by:
none 		Vicar Bishop of Hum
2004-2006 		Succeeded by:
?
Preceded by:
Jovan 		Bishop of Western America
(Serbian)
2006-present 		Succeeded by:
—
Help with box



Sources

External link

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