A CENTURY OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN KAKANJ

His Eminence Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosna will serve the Holy Archieratical Liturgy on November 9 to mark the 100th anniversary of the consecration and completion of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kakanj.

PHOTO: SPC Kakanj

The parish priest of Dobrinja, Protojerej Dragiša Cvjetković, told SRNA that the church has been completely restored, the parish house expanded and renovated, and a new auxiliary building constructed this year.

The liturgy will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by a church-people’s gathering in the courtyard of the temple.

Cvjetković announced that on November 10, at 5:00 p.m., a spiritual academy will be held at the Kakanj Cultural Center. During the event, Protojerej-Stavrofor Ranko Bilinac will present the history of the church, and the Serbian Singing Society "Sloga" from Sarajevo, conducted by Stefan Mojsilović, will perform.

“We expect Metropolitan Hrizostom to address the attendees. After the official program, a social gathering will take place in the foyer of the Cultural Center, accompanied by an exhibition of old photographs,” Cvjetković emphasized.

He added that work is underway on a monograph about the church, scheduled to be published next year.

Speaking about the small number of Orthodox Serbs remaining in the area, Cvjetković said that 56 Serbian Orthodox families currently live in Kakanj, while the parish once counted around 1,200 households.

“That is truly a minimum, but those who remain live with dignity and without problems. We also have several children attending Orthodox religious education – three in elementary and two in high school,” the priest noted.

He also pointed out that, in cooperation with institutions at all levels of government, numerous projects have been successfully implemented.

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kakanj was built in 1925 through the efforts and sacrifices of local Orthodox believers. For a century, it has served as a spiritual pillar for Serbs in the Kakanj area.

The idea of building the church dates back to the second half of the 19th century, when Priest Gliša Mitrović served in the area. Later, in 1884, Priest Dimitrije Malešević sent a request to Metropolitan Sava Kosanović for the construction of a church and parish home.

The foundations were consecrated in 1924, and the construction was completed the following year. The church was consecrated by Metropolitan Petar Zimonjić on October 11, 1925, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the spiritual life of Serbs in Kakanj.