Parishioners in Prnjavor celebrate the reopening of their church (10/17/99)

Parishioners in Prnjavor celebrate the reopening of their church

by Yurij Holowinsky

PRNJAVOR, Bosnia - Over 300 faithful attended services at the rebuilt Church of the Transfiguration here on August 19. Ukrainians from throughout Bosnia and Croatia, including a busload from Serbia, joined their brethren in celebrating the reopening of the church which had been destroyed by a powerful blast on August 2, 1992.

Four children in traditional Ukrainian dress, speaking in flawless Ukrainian, extended the welcome of bread and salt to Bishop Slavomir Miklosh of Zagreb, eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in the former Yugoslavia. They also welcomed Ukraine's ambassador to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Anatolii Shostak.

In addition to the feast day liturgy, the faithful also witnessed the ordination of a new priest, the Rev. Viktor Pavych.

Following the services the parish hosted over 200 guests at a feast held under a tent on the church grounds. A Ukranian band from Banja Luka provided the entertainment, playing Ukrainian songs.

The parish of the Church of the Transfiguration was founded in 1900, and 1990 marked the 100th anniversary of the settlement of Ukrainians in Bosnia.

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