Fr. Sasha Petrovic was born in 1978 in Valjevo, central Serbia of Milan and Mirka Petrovic. He finished his elementary school and high school in Ljig, Shumadija, the Diocese of Zicha. This part of Serbia preserves the essence of Orhtodox faith where the missionary work of St. Nicholai of Zicha still remains very visible. The people are very pious and devout in preserving all the traditions they inherited from our holy ancestors .

This region is also known to be the very epicenter of Serbian uprisings and resistance against all enemies and invaders. In 1804 legendary Karadjordje Petrovich -Black George led Serbs and ended almost 500 years long Turkish occupation. The Second Serbian uprising took place in Takovo in 1813. In WW I vojevoda Zivojin Misic inflicted a crushing defeat upon Austro-Hungarian army in the mountains of Suvobor in the legendary battle of Kolubara.

Finally, the first guerilla against Nazis in WWII was organized on Ravna Gora mountain by Gen. Draza Mihailovich. This brave man and his troops saved over 700 American pilots who were shot down by German air defense above Italy, Romania and Hungaria. Many Serbs perished from Germans during these actions both in combatt and during retaliatory measures taken by the Nazis. General Mihailovich was awarded by Legion of Merit by the late President Harry Truman.

Growing in this environment, Sasa was naturally religious and patriotic and by the blessing of late Bishop Stefan of Zicha, he was enrolled to St. Peter’s of Cetinje Seminary in Montenegro, which was re-opened for the first time since WWII when it was closed by the totalitarian Communist regime. Serbian Orthodox Church and Seminarians in Cetinje went through terrible persecution from local communist hooligans who on one occasion demolished Seminary building and beaten several students. Unfortunately Communism left very deep roots in Montenegro ,especially in Cetinje, and our Church did not have any protection from the authorities there.

Sasa Petrovic was very courageous in defending his fellow brothers and his Orthodox Faith. He organized removing of Communist monuments from monastery grounds, which caused great riots of locals. Because of his safety he was transferred to St. Cyril and Metodius Serbian Orthodox Seminary in Kosovo and Metohia (southern Serbia), from which he graduated as the best in class and at the recommendation of the Seminary Dean Proto Milutin Timotijevich he was admitted to St. Sava Serbian Orthodox School of Theology in Libertyville, Illinois. After two years of studies, he left the school when he met a beautiful Serbian girl Marija Brkovic who just got enrolled to St. Sava School.

Thier love was more important than anything and only after two weeks of dating, the young couple got engaged and they got married the following month at New Gracanica Monastery in Grayslake, Illinois. Bishop Longin of New Gracanica ordained Sasa Petrovic in the office of Deacon on October 15th 2000 at St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Cudahy, Wisconsin and he was appointed to serve as Cathedral deacon at New Gracanica monastery. One month later he Bishop Longin ordained him into the Holy Priesthood on St. King Milutin’s day, November 12th 2000 at St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, Arizona and appointed him to serve as parish priest at the same Church.

Father Sasa was very successful in establishing the canonical order in this formerly schismatic Parish in Phoenix. The Church flourished rapidly and a new era of prosperity and spiritual revival began for this Parish under the guidance of Fr. Sasa . Two of his children, Jovana and Pavle were born in Phoenix. After almost two years spent in Phoenix, due to his father’s illness in Serbia and immigration problems, Fr. Sasa moved to Serbia in order to live by his parent’s side during the illness. In June, 2003 His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher appointed him on a mission parish in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Popadija Marija and Father got their third child in Sioux Falls - a daughter Andjelija.

Father Sasa demonstrated extraordinary self-sacrifice in establishing the Parish in Sioux Falls and especially during remodeling of the old prairie church which congregation bought in a rural area. It is very important to mention that this Church, parish home and 1,7 acres of land was purchased through more than generous gesture of St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church of Omaha which bought the entire property for cash and gave it to the people of Sioux Falls Parish to pay it off under the best possible conditions. No Bank wanted to loan money to this small congregation and their brothers from Omaha helped in an extraordinary way that serves as a bright example of stewardship and brotherly love. The Church was consecrated on September 25, 2004. Metropolitan Christopher rewarded Fr. Sasa for his work and ministry and appointed him to St. Nicholas Church in Omaha, Nebraska on December 1st 2005 .

Father Sasa and Popadija Marija have been blessed by four children: Jovana, Pavle, Andjelija and Petar, who was born in Omaha.. Two of them were born in Phoenix, one in Sioux Falls and one in Omaha. They are very dedicated parents and their family serves as an example of love, faith and devotion. Popadija Marija has a beautiful voice and she sings responses during Divine Liturgies on week days. She also teaches Sunday School. Fr. Sasa has a younger brother who is also a priest of St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Denver , Colorado.

Music is a great passion of Fr. Sasa and being an excellent singer himself, he likes to sing all kinds of music. His hobbies are poetry, history, wood carving of icons, fishing and spreading the truth about Serbian people and their righteous struggle to preserve their Holy Land - Kosovo and Metohia. He is an author of a large article published on March 18th in Omaha World Herald. He regularly writes articles in our Church’s Newsletter and Bulletin. Father completed Dale Carnegie’s Course and was honored by becoming a member of a select group of award winners. He delivers inspiring sermons every Liturgy and they are of great educational and spiritual value to our parishioners.

He is fluent in English and fairly good in Russian language. This enables him to communicate with our Russian parishioners during the Holy Sacrament of Confession. Our Church is the only one in Omaha where Gospel is read in three languages: English, Serbian and Russian. That’s why the demographic picture of our congregation is very diverse, but united in love and dedication to our Holy Orthodox Faith. Father Sasa decided to complete his theological studies at St. Sava Faculty in Libertyville and he graduated in May of 2009 , again as one of the best students.