The Serbian Chrysostom

Abstract

One of the greatest preachers and teachers of the Scripture is widely regarded to be St. John Chrysostom who lived and died over 1,600 years ago. We in America especially honor the memory of a man who lived and walked among us who has been called “The New Chrysostom” or “The Serbian Chrysostom” for his gift of preaching and teaching. St. Nicholai Velimirovich was born in 1880 in the small Serbian village of Lelich to pious Serbian Orthodox parents. He grew up in a home imbued with the life of the Orthodox Faith. His parents often interrupted their farm work for daily prayer and observed and celebrated all of the fasts and feastdays of the Church. His mother was often seen taking her little Nikola by the hand and walking three miles to the Chelije Monastery for prayer, Confession and Holy Communion. Later in life, St. Nicholai remembered these walks with his mother as being some of the most influential experiences of his life.