Date

Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th August 2019

Holy Places Visited

  • Serbisch-Orthodoxe Kirche zum Heiliger Basilius von Ostrog [“Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Basil of Ostrog”], Hafenviertel, Linz

Distance Travelled

Stayed in Linz

Route

On Saturday evening I visited the local church, a Serbian-Orthodox Church dedicated to the 17th Century Serbian Saint, Basil of Ostrog.

I arrived just as the evening service was ending, and got talking to Zdravko and Slobodan, who kindly welcomed me, answering the many questions I had and inviting me into the neighbouring community hall for coffee and biscuits.

Zdravko invited me to the morning service the next day, so on Sunday morning we met up and I partook in my first-ever full-length Orthodox service. Afterwards I was welcome to take pictures of the interior of the church and was gifted some anointing oil. I was also given some prayer requests in an envelope, as is the custom to give to people on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which I am to give to an Orthodox priest when I arrive.

My thanks to Zdravko and Slobodan for welcoming me during my visits to the beautiful church.