church library and treasury

At the initiative of the Saint Arsenije Sremac Church and School Congregation in Whitby, a church library was founded in December 2025. The library is located within the diaconicon (behind the icon of Saint Petka on the iconostasis). The initial library fund was created thanks to gifts and bequests and currently has about 500 books in Serbian and English. In the library are also the latest editions of the magazine Pravoslavlje (Orthodoxy) which regularly arrives from the Patriarchate in Belgrade, as well as local media publications in Serbian.

All parishioners of the Saint Arsenije Sremac Church can use the library free of charge. Books can be borrowed for a month. The library is open on Sundays after the Holy Liturgy when books can be borrowed or returned. A digital catalogue of the library's contents is also being created.

The church treasury will also operate as part of the library. This small museum was founded with the aim of collecting, preserving and presenting the spiritual and historical heritage of the Serbian Orthodox population in these areas. The treasury currently contains objects of significant historical value for the Saint Arsenije Sremac Church and School Congregation, which the church acquired by gift or purchase, such as paintings, photographs, icons, church calendars, candlesticks, folk costumes, and letters and certificates of recognition.

The Saint Arsenije Sremac Church and School Congregation thanks everyone for the books that have been donated to the church so far, with a reminder that new books are always welcome. Old church magazines and calendars are also welcome as it is certainly better for the words of the Gospel and images of the Saints to be found in a church library rather than a recycling bin. It is beautiful and blessed when one cultivates their approach towards the Church and towards church institutions.

For more information, please contact Djuradj Vujcic at the djuradj@starsenijesremac.com email address.