A Message to the Faithful of St. Sava Cathedral Cleveland

Good morning, my brothers and sisters.

Last night was beautiful. Our children's voices rose in prayer to the Holy Mother. Families stood together. The ancient hymns of our Church filled the air. We showed the world—and heaven—who we truly are.

But today, I want to talk to you about what comes next.

Because they haven't given up. They won't stop. They will keep circling. They will keep scheming. They will keep testing us, waiting for us to crack, hoping we'll get tired, betting that we'll eventually give in.

They are betting wrong.

We Are Not Tired

Oh, we're exhausted. Don't misunderstand me. We're weary in our bodies. Some of us are losing sleep standing watch. Some of us are worried about what comes next. Some of us wonder how long we can hold out.

But here's what they don't understand: we're not tired of doing what's right.

We could stand here for a months and not be tired of defending our priest. We could stand here for a year and not be tired of protecting our church. We could stand here for a decade and not be tired of fighting for justice.

Because this isn't about convenience. This isn't about comfort. This is about what kind of people we are. What kind of Church we are. What kind of legacy we leave our children.

We Are Not Alone

Look around you. Really look. See these faces? Multi-generational families. Grandparents who built this cathedral with their own hands. Parents teaching their children what it means to have a backbone. Young people who refuse to inherit a Church built on compromise and corruption.

This is the Church. Not the palace. Not the bureaucracy. Not the bishop who thinks he can ignore three certified letters and punish us for daring to speak up.

You. Us. WE are the Church.

And we are not alone. God is with us. Other parishes are watching—some silently cheering, some gathering their own courage. History is watching. And God is watching.

You think we're isolated? We're not. We're lighting a fire that's already spreading.

We Are Not Wrong

They want you to doubt. They want you to think: "Maybe we're being too stubborn. Maybe we should just accept whatever priest they send. Maybe we're causing unnecessary trouble."

Let me be crystal clear: We are not wrong.

Fr. Dragoslav submitted three vacation requests. All ignored. We sent three canonical letters to the bishop. All ignored. Fr. Dragoslav was removed with 48 hours' notice—a clear violation of church law. The timing? Ten days after our third letter's deadline. That's not coincidence. That's retaliation.

We didn't start this fight. We tried to follow proper channels. We tried to be respectful. We tried to trust the system.

The system failed us. The bishop failed us. So now we stand.

And standing for what's right is never wrong—even when it's difficult, even when it's costly, even when people call us troublemakers.

We Will Not Break

Listen to me carefully: They are counting on us to break. They're counting on exhaustion to do what their threats couldn't. They're counting on time to wear us down. They're counting on some of us to start thinking, "Is this really worth it?"

YES. IT IS WORTH IT.

Your grandparents didn't build this cathedral so it could become a bishop's puppet theater. You don't teach your children Serbian so they can learn how to bow to injustice in two languages. We don't pray the Akathist to the Holy Mother and then fold when the pressure increases.

We do not break. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

What We Do Now

So here's what happens today:

We stay united. If anyone tries to divide us—ignore them. If anyone starts spreading doubt—shut it down. If anyone suggests compromise—remind them what we're fighting for.

We stay strong. The vigil continues. The watch remains. The gates stay blocked. Day and night. Rain or shine. Cold or warm. Until justice is restored.

We stay faithful. We pray. We trust God. We believe that truth ultimately wins even when it takes longer than we'd like.

And we stay stubborn. Because our stubbornness is not a character flaw—it's a spiritual gift. It's the same stubbornness that kept our ancestors Orthodox through five centuries of Ottoman occupation. It's the same stubbornness that rebuilt Serbian churches after they were destroyed. It's the same stubbornness that brought our faith to America and kept it alive through wars and communism and persecution.

We come from a long line of people who don't break. And neither will we.

The Promise

I can't tell you when this will end. I can't promise it will be easy. I can't guarantee there won't be harder days ahead.

But I can promise you this:

If we stay united, we will win. If we stay strong, they cannot break us. If we stay faithful, God will not abandon us.

And when this is over—whether it's weeks or months from now—you will look your children in the eye and say: "When our church was threatened, when injustice came to our door, when we were tested—we stood. We did not break. We did not compromise. We did not surrender."

That's a legacy worth standing for. That's a fight worth fighting. That's a church worth defending.

One More Day

So today—just today—we stand.

Tomorrow we'll worry about tomorrow. But today, we hold the line. Today, we keep the watch. Today, we remain united, strong, and unbreakable.

They circled us in their car. We answered with prayer. They removed our priest. We answered by standing firm. They tried to intimidate us. We answered by watching over our church day and night.

What will they try next? I don't know.

But I know our answer will be the same: No. Not today. Not ever. This is our church, and we will not surrender it to corruption and injustice.

The Final Word

Cleveland, you are remarkable. You are courageous. You are faithful. And you are winning.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Every day we stand is a victory. Every night we watch is a testimony. Every prayer we lift is an act of defiance against those who think power trumps truth.

We are the Church. We are standing. We are not breaking.

Now let's go show them—one more time—that the faithful of St. Sava Cathedral Cleveland do not bow to bullies, do not surrender to threats, and do not abandon their priest.

Hold the line. Keep the faith. Stand firm.

God is with us. The Holy Mother protects us. Truth is on our side.

And we—do—not—break.

The watch continues. The faith endures. Cleveland stands.

For Fr. Dragoslav. For justice. For the Serbian Orthodox Church. Forever.