Bishop Longin (Krco)
Bishop Longin (Krčo) (1955-____)
Longin may be spelt Longinus.
Krčo may be spelt Krco, Kercho.
Gračanica may be spelt Gracanica.
Early life of Momir Krčo
On 29 September, 1955, Momir Krčo was born in the town of Kruscanje Olovo in Bosnia-Herzegovina. His parents were Stanoje Krčo and Andja Jovanovic.
Momir was raised in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
He attended the primary school in Olovske Luke in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1962 to 1970.
Theological studies
Momir entered the Three Hierarchs Seminary in the Krka Monastery in 1970, and he graduated in 1975.
Monastic tonsure, 1975
During this time, Momir was tonsured to be a monk and he received the small schema as a fifth year student. The tonsuring was done by Bishop Stefan (Boca) of Dalmatia on the eve of the school Slava of the Three Holy Hierarchs in the Krka Monastery, Serbia, on 11 February, 1975, and Momir was given the name Longin.
Diaconal ordination, 1975
At the Divine Liturgy on 12 February, 1975, the Monk Longin (Krčo) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Stefan.
Presbyteral ordination, 1975
On 13 February, 1975, Hierodeacon Longin (Krčo) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.
Further studies
In 1975, Hieromonk Longin entered the Moscow Theological Academy, from which he graduated in 1979.
From October, 1980, to April, 1981, he served in the Diocese of Zvornik-Tuzla as secretary of the executive board. He was also administrator of 2 parishes.
In 1983, at the decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops of Serbia, he was assigned to be a lecturer in the Three Holy Hierarchs Seminary for 2 years.
In May, 1985, at the Bishops’ "Sabor" (Holy Synod meeting), Hieromonk Longin (Krčo) was elected to become the Bishop of Moravaç and Vicar-Bishop to the patriarch.
Episcopal ordination, 1985
On 20 October, 1985, Archimandrite Longin (Krčo) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Patriarch German II (Ðorić) of Serbia, together with Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Rostov and Novocherkassk (who had been dean of the Moscow Theological Academy while Bishop Longin was a student), Bishop Nikolaj (Mrđa) of Dalmatia (who had been dean at the Seminary in Krka Monastery where he had begun his theological education as a youth), and Bishop Vasilije (Kačavenda) of Zvornik-Tuzla. Present at the services were the following bishops of the Serbian Church : Metropolitan Vladislav (Mitrović) of Dabro-Bosna, Metropolitan Jovan (Pavlović) of Zagreb and Ljubljbana, Bishop Chrysostom (Vojinović) of Branicevo, Bishop Pavle (Stojčević) of Ras and Prizren, Bishop Stefan (Boca) of Zica and Bishop Jefrem (Milutinović) of Banja Luka. Present as guests were the Archimandrite Platon (professor of the Moscow Theological Academy), and Canon Dr. Colin Hickling (professor of Holy Scriptures at the University of London, where Archimandrite Longin had done post-graduate studies).
Episcopal service
In May, 1986, Bishop Longin (Krčo) was elected to be the Bishop of Australia and New Zealand, where he then spent 6½ years. Besides serving the territory of Australia he also built churches and was involved in work with the youth. Bishop Longin was known especially as a strong advocate for the unity of the Serbian Church.
In 1992, at the Bishops’ "Sabor", at the request of Patriarch Pavle (Stojčević) and his brother hierarchs, Bishop Longin accepted the duty of being the Bishop of Dalmatia. He was not able to enter his residence in Šibenik (because of political turmoil at the time), but he had to reside in the Krka monastery, where he lectured at the seminary. With the blessing of Patriarch Pavle, he journeyed to Canada and Australia where he collected donations for the suffering Serbian people. After the painful events of “Operation Storm” in August of 1995, Bishop Longin and the entire seminary from the Krka Monastery stayed at Divcibare near Valjevo. At the same time, Vladyka Longin helped Bishop Lavrentije of Saba-Valjevo with diocesan matters. Along with Bishop Nikanor (Bogunović) of Gornji Karlovac, he worked with refugees, he visited the camps, and he delivered help which had been sent mainly by the Serbian people of the “Diaspora”.
On 31 July, 1997, by the decision of Patriarch Pavle, Vladyka Longin (Krčo) was assigned to be the Vicar-Bishop in the administration of the Diocese of the USA and Canada (New Gračanica Metropolitanate). This decision was associated with the healing of the schism in 1991.
Service in North America, 1998
On 23 May, 1998, Bishop Longin (Krčo) was appointed as Administrator of the Diocese of America and Canada (New Gračanica Metropolitanate).
On 5 May, 1999, he was elected at the Holy Assembly ("Sabor") of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church to be the Bishop of the Diocese of America and Canada, New Gračanica Metropolitanate. This fulfilled the request of the Diocesan Council and the Ecclesiastical Court, as well as the desire of the clergy and delegates of the 7th Church National "Sabor" (assembly), which met on 23-24 April, 1999.
On 14 October, 1999, on behalf of Patriarch Pavle and the Holy Synod, Vladyka Longin (Krčo) was enthroned in New Gračanica by Metropolitan Amphilohije (Radović) of Montenegro and the Coastlands.
The clergy of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, wrote that they had the honour to convey to the Faithful of their God-protected community that the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church at its meeting held at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade between 16th and 27th of May 2011, rendered inter alia the following decision :
As a result of redistricting on the American continent, the Diocese of New Gračanica- Midwestern America is constituted while the Metropolitanate of Libertyville-Chicago ceased to exist. Furthermore, by decision of the Assembly, the Monastery of St. Sava in Libertyville, near Chicago, has received the status of Stavropegic Monastery, or a monastery under the direct control of the Serbian Patriarch.
The cathedral clergy announced with joy that, pursuant to this decision of the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the cathedral community had become a contiguous part of the Diocese of New Gračanica-Midwestern America, and that their new hierarch was His Grace, Bishop Longin.
In 2016, Bishop Longin (Krčo) became the ruling hierarch of the Diocese of New Gračanica and Midwestern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.
On 11 December, 2020, Bishop Longin (Krčo) of New Gračanica and Midwestern America celebrated the Great Vespers service in the Monastery of Saint Sava in Libertyville on the Eve of the Feast-day of Saint Mardarije (Uskoković) of Libertyville. The bishop was assisted by Hieromonk Serafim (Milojković) and Priest Nikolaj Kostur, while students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Saint Sava sang responses.
On the feast-day, 12 December, 2020, Bishop Longin (Krčo) presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. He was assisted by Archimandrite Toma (Kazić), Priests Aleksandar Petrovi, Nikolaj Kostur and Milos Zivković, as well as by Deacon Jovan Aničić.
New Gračanica Monastery Saint Sava Temple
— Bishop of Moravaç and Vicar-Bishop to Patriarch German (Đorić) 1985-1986. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.
— Bishop of Australia and New Zealand 1986-1992. Preceded by : Bishop Vasilije (Vadić). Succeeded by : Bishop Luka (Kovačević).
— Bishop of Dalmatia 1992-1997. Preceded by : Bishop Nikolaj (Mrdja). Succeeded by : ___.
— Vicar-Bishop of the Diocese of the USA and Canada (New Gračanica Metropolitanate) 1997-1999.
— Administrator of the Diocese of the USA and Canada (New Gračanica Metropolitanate) 1998-1999.
— Bishop of Midwestern America (New Gračanica Metropolitanate) 1999-____. Preceded by : Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević). Succeeded by : ___.
References
Serbian Orthodox Church biography of Bishop Longin
Saint Sava Monastery biography
Additional information :
Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.
New Gračanica Metropolitanate web-site
Serbian Orthodox Church web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Serbian Orthodox Church
Wikipedia article about the Church of Serbia
Patriarch Pavle II (Stojčević)
Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America web-site
Orthodoxwiki article about the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
Wikipedia article about the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gračanica and Midwestern America
Holy Resurrection Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois, web-site
Monastery of Saint Sava, Libertyville, Illinois
New Gračanica Serbian Monastery, Third Lake, Illinois
New Gračanica Serbian Monastery, Third Lake, Illinois (2)
Restructuring of the Dioceses of Canada and the USA (21 May, 2009)
Christmas message of Bishop Longin of New Gračanica-Midwestern America
Saint Sava Serbian School of Theology
Video : Interview with Bishop Longin (Krco) (30 August, 2019) (in Serbian)
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