Cruising through acres of sprawling farmland in central Virginia, winding through the small town of Louisa, a blue and white roadside sign nods to the presence of the center of Serbian Orthodox life in Virginia: the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Serbian Orthodox Church.
The church was founded in 2011 by a far-flung group of Serbian families seeking to have a physical space to celebrate their culture and Orthodox religious practices. A majority of the roughly 100 or so families who make up its parishioners arrived in the United States following the breakup of Yugoslavia, during a period of unrest in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Serbian Orthodox Church in Louisa serves the populations of both Charlottesville and Richmond.
The local Serbian community rallied around the creation and blossoming success of this church—the first of its kind in Virginia—and their efforts were acknowledged when they received a priest from the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, under Bishop Irinej, in 2021.
Father Đorđe Tomić and his wife, Gorica Malešević (who can be referred to by her role’s traditional name, “Popadija”), are central to the inner workings of the church and this thriving community. They are from Bosnia and Herzegovina, studied and met in the United States, and accepted the mission opportunity to serve in Louisa — without previously visiting Virginia. Today, their work is fostering a cultural community that welcomes everyone.
The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos Serbian Orthodox Church property includes a main house with fellowship hall and a small chapel in the yard. The church hall area consists of a kitchen and then a long room, at the end of which is a cultivated collection of Serbian traditional craft items on loan from the parishioners.
To enter the fellowship hall you must pass through the kitchen — an arrangement that underscores the importance of food in Serbian culture. The “Serbian Sisterhood,”a group of church ladies who volunteer to make Serbian food, prepare meals in this space. Food serves as a point of connection in the church between families, to back home, and out into the community. The church began hosting an annual Serb Fest in 2023, which serves as a community gathering space, particularly for the appreciation of Serbian food. Cabbage rolls, smoked sausage, potatoes, and baklava galore draw people to the church’s table, side by side.
Traditional dinner cooked by women in the congregation included cabbage rolls, smoked sausage, mashed potatoes and Russian salad. Traditional dinner cooked by women in the congregation included cabbage rolls, smoked sausage, mashed potatoes and Russian salad. Father Đorđe Tomić and his wife Gorica Malešević toast with rakija during dinner.
Vladamir Gavrilovic, a dedicated parishioner, professional architect, and reader in the Church spoke to the atmosphere of Serb Fest, saying, “There’s food, music, live music, dancing. There was a wine tasting of Serbian wines. There’s the selling and display of traditional handicrafts and things like that. And probably the highlight, though, is the food. I mean, that’s why so many people come, because it’s unique, very popular, and a great variety of different dishes.” Save the date for next year’s Serb Fest: Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Beyond food, all sorts of community-building activities are emphasized at the Church through religious services, from weekly Divine Liturgy to annual church holidays like Slava, a grand feast for the church’s patron saint, Theotokos (the Virgin Mary). Standing services occur in the chapel, which is a small white shed on the outside that opens up into an intricately decorated space with a sprawling thick red rug and rich icon imagery in shining golden frames placed upon the walls.
Although this small space is beautiful, the community ultimately wants to build a bigger, more permanent chapel space so their parishioners can all comfortably fit together at worship.
When discussing the Church’s goals and central missions, Father and Popadija emphasized the importance of following tradition in Orthodoxy, but simultaneously working towards adapting to the community’s needs. This sentiment is especially true when it comes to making sure children’s needs are catered to and welcomed in this environment. Popadija noted how she organizes kid-centered programs, such as Sunday school. Her activities for children range from learning prayers and practicing Serbian to playing soccer, baking, dancing, and arts and crafts activities.
Ultimately, talking to Father, Popadija, and Vlad, so much love and openness was conveyed, as well as a shared passion to grow the church further, both figuratively and literally.
“We just want to tell everyone that we are very open and we are always ready to help [and] if anyone needs anything, they can always contact us,” Popadija said. “We love all people, no matter their religion or their views, and we are always ready here for everyone. You don’t have to be Orthodox to come here. You don’t have to be Serbian to come here. You don’t have to speak Serbian to come here. We welcome everyone.”
To follow along with the Serbian Orthodox Church’s vast opportunities for community-building and cultural celebration, follow their Facebook and check out their website.
Charlotte Walden was a Summer 2024 Virginia Folklife Program intern and is currently a junior at UVA, double majoring in history and anthropology. Charlotte is also a student docent at the Fralin Museum of Art and has reported on the arts for The Cavalier Daily.
