History

Until the end of the 19th century, there were not that many Serbs in the Chicago Metro area. Our Chicago colony did not even have a church before the year 1905 as parishes were forced to practice their faith in the individual private homes. It was not until June 1905 that the first building was purchased residing on Foiler street number 8 and later called Schiller street. One of the largest rooms was converted to a chapel, a "ikonostast" was constructed and cross was placed on the roof of the house. This became the first church in Chicago.

July 4, 1905

The first priest to serve was named Sevastijan Dabovic. The purchase price for the church was $7500.00 with a $1000.00 down payment and rest financed. Making the monthly financing payments was difficult due to the fact that there was relatively a small number of parishners to contribute and thus the profits were very small. Nevertheless, our pioneering members persevered.

They somehow succeeded to make the payments and to continue to make improvements while the membership grew and grew. There were other churches in other parts of the country, in large and small communities. The first church was established in the USA was in Jacksonville California in 1894. Our church on Palmer Square has been the focal point of Serbian Orthodox life in America from it's very inception. The first Serbian "Sabor" was held here on November 5, 1913. This great gathering was responsible for creating some of the most important historical decisions: Separation from the Russian Orthodox Jurisdiction and Inclusion into the Belgrade Jurisdiction. Establishment of the name: Serbian Orthodox Church of the United States of America. The construction of the new church building was started during the Depression of the 1920's a very difficult time where the Serbian membership suffered with poverty and hunger yet proceeded to continue to build the new premises.

June 25, 1933

All of the historical writings of our church speak of hardship and the constant struggle to survive as a parish. The parish would have failed had it not been for the Serbian Circle of Sisters or "KOLO" as quoted by the then residing board president Simo Sakota. With this we seek to remind our current membership of the importance of the work performed by our current "Kolo Sestara" throughout our congregation. The church on Schiller has always been deeply buried in depth struggling to make the monthly payments and covering expenses. Thanks to our new membership, brothers and sisters migrating to the USA after the WWII (1953) who worked so hard on finally paying all of the churches debt. That was the beginning of the growth and boom of our parish. It was at that time when the parish decided to use the newly created savings and enormous contributions by the members to purchase new land and build a church which proudly represent all of Serbian Orthodoxy in the United States of America and Canada. Unfortunately, instead of brothers building a church together, the brothers saw differences of opinion and a split formed within the parish in 1963.

Our church members decided to side with the American-Canadian and became the center of much of the activity in the years to follow. After "the split" the members not wanting to be dictated by the church of the then Communist-controlled Yugoslavia and re-organized themselves as the "Old Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Church". In October of 1966 the newly organized church board under the presidency of Bozidar Vujovic purchased two properties located at 2410 N. Kedzie Ave, Chicago, Illinois. The property had two halls, one could accommodate 800 people and the other 400. It had a small hall, reception area, a few offices, kitchen, school rooms and two apartments, one for the priest and the other for the maintenance keeper. It was in 1968 that the board purchased an additional property known as the 3062 W. Palmer Square. This existing church building was in dire need of massive repair and thus it required an enormous efforts by all of its members. A new roof was constructed. The first holy liturgy took place on Easter in the year 1970. In 1975 the church board under the heading of then president Milan Sajic the building undertook a massive rehab of the interior of the church. New "ikonastost" was built, new icons, new carpet and floor were installed and the entire building was repainted including the hall in the basement as well as all of the rooms of the Sunday School.

"Kolo" or the Circle of Serbian Sisters donated the "Casna Trpeza" hand-carved in wood.The church board and members donated the beautiful stained glass windows. The church was blessed during the holy liturgy by his Eminence Dionisije with the presiding priest Mileta Simonovic on October 23, 1978 along with the numerous membership attendance. With this grand opening the then standing church board presented the Serbian community with it's gift of faith. After the rehab it was time to concentrate on the social development of community life. The development of the Sunday School was implemented and very successful along with growth of the "Kolo". Maintenance was an important undertaking especially when then president Branko Puhar brought the church grounds and complex to a impeccable state. The year 2002 was a big year for the re-construction of the roof and the board has recently purchased a single family house in which the current priest resides. 2003 was also a big year of maintenance investments in a new heating and cooling system. Thanks to many donations of its kind and generous members and the diligent work of the president Zoran Bankovic with his board, vice presidents Vlado Bjelopetrovic, Dr. Radomir Jovanovic, and Dragojlo Milovanovic.