American Serb History 101

I was thrilled to find an article written in 1911 called

"SERVIANS CELEBRATE

DAY OF PATRON SAINT"

in what is listed as the San Francisco call.  

National songs sung and Patriots Honored at Banquet, Oakland, California

January 29, 1911

"In honor of Sveti Sava, the Servian saint, the Servian colonists celebrate their national holiday for the first time in Oakland yesterday, the exercises being held in  California Hall, in Clay Street between Tenth and Eleventh.  About 200 men and women from Oakland, San Francisco  and other Bay cities were present.

"A feature of the evening was a banquet in which St. Sava humns and other national songs were sung.  Toasts were offered in honor of other Servian leaders and patriots and President Taft and other Americans.  Speeches were made in favor of San Francisco as the site for the Panama Exposition.

"St. Sava is the honored saint of the Servians because of the great things he accomplaished for the education of his people, both high and low, and by advancing his country by the eample he set."

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However, I was even more surprised to find an even earlier newspaper clipping date from

January 27, 1898

p. 9, Image 9 from the San Francisco call!

They observed St. Sava's Day: Local Servians Celebrate Their National Holiday:

Religious Services at the Slavonian Church & Banquet in the Evening:

Ladies and Gentlemen Make Merry in Honor of their Country's Saint

The celebration of St. Sava’s day, the Servian national holiday, in commemoration of their patron saint, was brought to a fitting conclusion by a banquet given by the Servian-Montenegrin Literary and Benevolent Society at Lodge Hall, on Polk street, last evening. 

Covers were laid for 175 guests, every seat being occupied by the members and their ladies when at 8:30 o'clock Rev. Father Sebastian Dabovich, a native of San Francisco, who was seated at the right of the president, arose to perform the beautiful ceremony of blessing the bread. (Just for those who don't know, Fr. Sebastian is now ST. Sebastian Dabovich!)

Addressing the assemblage in the Slavonic language, the priest first gave a brief outline of the life and work of St. Sava, after which he pronounced blessing upon the bread and wine before him. Then, as he passed it to the older persons to partake of, he accompanied the offering with this benediction: "As ye drink of this wine and eat of this bread, the full of the earth, so I would bless you and have you live in the true faith, In virtue, charity and unity." 

At the conclusion of this ceremony a vigorous attack was made on the delicacies with which the three long tables were heaped. The banquet hall had been artistically decorated for the occasion, while rarely has a company been invited to a more tempting repast. 

President Glavinovich presided, and when the assemblage had done full justice to the edibles, delivered a brief address. This was followed by. a program of exercises in entire harmony with the occasion, and the national and historical events of the people. 

St. Sava was born in the twelfth century. He was the youngest son of Stefan Nemanja, who united the Servians in their first kingdom. Leaving his home secretly, he secluded himself at the age of 17 years, in the holy Mount Athos. Finally, on being discovered, yielding to the tears of their son, his parents allowed him to remain there in prayer and study. 

It was after the death of his father, when the wise  Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople, heard of the holy life of this hermit, 'and on examining him as to his ability' and consulting with the episcopate of his patriarchate, announced that he desired to consecrate Sava archbishop for the Servians. But Sava, in his humility, declined the dignity and said he was willing to go to his people as a worker, but for an archbishop a better and more qualified man should be sought. 

However, being prevailed upon by his brothers, the people and the patriarch, Sava consented, and he became the first archbishop of the Servian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which ever since has been in full communion with the Eastern Apostolic Church. 

(Story continued in right hand column above.)

Early St. Sava's Day Celebrations

Already the Serbs in the Bay area were promoting this Panama-Pacific Exposition event in 1911 at their St. Sava's Day festivities! 

Below is a postcard of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition

The "Servians" celebrated with the rest of the world too!

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They Observed St. Sava's Day Continued from lower left hand column...

How LUCKY we are to have this recorded history!

St. Sava's greatest work was the opening of schools, which multiplied throughout the country. He educated a new choir of faithful clergy in place of the few (Jre.k missionaries left in the country. 

It was in 1222 when the apostle of the Servians crowned his brother Dushan Emperor of the Serbs and Slaveni, his dominion having spread from the Adriatic to the Black Sea and "from the Danube to the Southern Archipelago. 

The great and good Archbishop fixed a firm foundation for the Orthodox Christian church in the Balkan country by creating twelve dioceses and consecrating for them twelve Servian Bishops. 

In praise of their first teacher the Slavonians in San Francisco sung their odes in their music and language, or which the great Sehaffarik in his Slavische Spracheund Literature says the following*

"Servian songs resemble the tune of the violin; old Slavonian that of the organ^ Polish that of a guitar. The old Slavonian in its psalms is like the loud rush of the mountain stream: the Polish like the bubbling and sparkling of a fountain, and the Servian like the quiet murmuring of a streamlet in the valley." 

The Servian holiday began Tuesday evening by a nocturnal service in their church on Powell Street.  Yesterday morning the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was offered by Father Sebastian. 

The officers of the society under whose auspices the banquet were given are as follows: President, J. Glavinovich; vice-president. IC Tasovac; treasurer. S. Jovovlch; recording secretary, S. Vucosavlievich; financial secretary, G. A. Dabovich.

The society has 140 members and is in a flourishing condition. Servians Give a Banquet. There was a largely attended banquet and tuitfitnlnmit. given by the Srpsko Jedinstvo Society at Pythian Castle last night.

The entertainment was in honor of the second anniversary of the society, and the following program was presented: Piano solo, fantasia, "Trovatore" (Verdi), Mrs. R. Trkovioh; recitation. "SlovInkinjasam Mala," by Miss Minnie Kleciak; bass solo from opera "La Sonnambn!a" (Bellini),S. Crnogorac; piano solo, "Servian Potpourri," Miss Mabel Mltrovich; s.'liratin solo, cavatina, "Barber of Seville" (Rossini), Mrs. <;. Crnogorac; tenor solo, from opera "("rcsplno c la Comare" (Rlrcl). A. V. Sptletak; Spanish cachuca. Miss Olga de Curtoni; piano solo. "IIBoj," from opera "Zrini" (Zaic). Miss Minnie Kleciak; duet, "La Danza." (Panizza), Mr. and Mrs. Crnogorac.

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To learn more about St. Sava, look here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sava