SAINT ANNA, MOTHER OF SAINT BASIL, CELEBRATED IN MRKONJIĆI

TREBINJE, MAY 13 /SRNA/ - His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, together with five bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, served the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy today in the newly built section of the monastery complex in Mrkonjići on the feast dedicated to Saint and Blessed Anna–Anastasija, mother of Saint Basil of Ostrog and Tvrdoš.

Metropolitan Joanikije said there is a legend indicating the holiness of Saint Anna and testifying that the people had respected her since ancient times. According to the legend, while preaching the Gospel in Herzegovina, Saint Sava met a young girl from whom he asked for water. "She poured him a glass of cold water, and he blessed her saying: `May God grant that you bear a child who will become renowned throughout the Serb people,`" Metropolitan Joanikije stated. Metropolitan Joanikije noted that through the relics of Saint Basil of Ostrog, God’s grace and mercy continuously pour out not only upon the Serb people but upon all who come to Him. Bishop Maksim of Western America said in his sermon that Saint Anna, through her prayers, reached heaven and thus led her being, her family, and little Stojan, born in this place, toward the Lord. "Today we live and witness a mystery, the mystery of the mother of Saint Basil, born in this region, through which much that is essential for our lives is revealed to us. It is that rare flower which sprouts from stone and grows for all eternity," Bishop Maksim said. His Eminence Metropolitan Dimitrije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina and the Littoral said that the prophecy of Bishop Atanasije that the mother of Saint Basil of Ostrog and Tvrdoš would be entered among the saints had been fulfilled. "The prophecy has been fulfilled. Three years ago, by the blessing of Atanasije, we found and uncovered her holy relics," Metropolitan Dimitrije stated, greeting the officials attending the liturgy. The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Monastery of Saint Basil of Ostrog and Tvrdoš in Mrkonjići, the birthplace of Saint Basil, was attended by numerous faithful, as well as SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, President of the Government of Vojvodina Maja Gojković, Trebinje Mayor Mirko Ćurić, General Director of Republike Srpske Power Industry Luka Petrović, and other public and political representatives from eastern Herzegovina. At the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church in May last year, Saint and Blessed Anna was canonized, bringing great joy and blessing to the Orthodox people of Herzegovina and the wider Orthodox world. May 13 was designated in the church calendar as the day of her feast. The relics of Saint and Blessed Anna were discovered near Trebinje, in Mrkonjići, three years ago. Orthodox believers received the blessing through the uncovering of the earthly remains of the saint’s mother Anna on May 8, 2023, just a few days before the celebration of the feast of Saint Basil.