Serbian Orthodox parish in Hamburg
The Serbian Orthodox parish in Hamburg has existed since 1958.
Organized Orthodox Church life in Hamburg began in 1951 when Father Mateja Matejić organized services for refugees and former prisoners of war from Yugoslavia . Without a formal parish or official congregation, Father Mateja was authorized by the English army to hold church services as a priest in Hamburg and other larger cities in West Germany for 5 years.
On the initiative of the priest Toma Lilić from Hanover and some believers, the first official Serbian Orthodox parish in Hamburg was dedicated to the apostle and evangelist Lukas , registered with the competent court in 1958. The areas of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein belonged to the parish. Toma Lilić became the first priest and chairman of the board. From Hanover he regularly visited the believers in this congregation to hold church services
Because of Lilić's illness, the church community in Hamburg stopped its work from November 13, 1964 to January 30, 1971. After the arrival of Pastor Dušan Vavić in Hamburg, the parish was renewed and dedicated to the Archangel Michael .
Services were held in various churches in Hamburg, as the newly founded parish had no church or offices. In August 1976 a permanent parish was opened in a former Protestant chapel at Stiftstrasse 17 in Hamburg. This chapel was set up by an ecumenical youth group with the help of the Protestant churches. This chapel was decorated in the tradition of the Orthodox churches through donations and work by the Orthodox believers and was consecrated by Bishop G. Lavrenti in August 1976. In the same building next to the church there was the apartment for the priest, offices, rooms for the gathering of believers after the service, as well as for religious education and other activities.
By decision of Bishop G. Lavrenti, Pastor Dušan Velicković took over the parish on December 1st, 1982 and stayed until June 30th, 1992. In 1983 the chapel was renovated and decorated with icons of Archangel Michael , St. Sava of Serbia and the Lord's Supper, which the Belgrade clergyman Marko Ilić had created.
In March 1993, Pastor Dragan Jovanović took over the parish. In June 1994 Pastor Borisav Simić joined them, so that the parish has two priests.