RESOLUTION IN TRIBUTE TO FATHER VALENTIN NOTZKOV ON THE 50 ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ORDINATION AND TO ST. JOHN OF RILA ON ITS 14 ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, Devoted friends of Father Valentin Notzkov and faithful members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St. John of Rila, are gathering Saturday, February 9, 2013 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of his ordination as a priest and the 14th Anniversary of St. John of Rila located in the great 38th Ward; and
WHEREAS, In 1962 after spending five years in the Cherepish seminary, Father Valentin was elevated to the Bulgarian priesthood. 1982 was certainly a hallmark year for Chicago and the grateful Portage Park community residents when Father Valentin and his wife Elena arrived, and he began ministering to the spiritual needs of Chicago's growing Bulgarian community; and
WHEREAS, Father Valentin is the senior spiritual leader among Chicago's Bulgarian community and was the recipient ofthe Community Service Award that was presented to him; and
WHEREAS, St. John of Rila in Chicago, referred to in Bulgarian as Tsurkva Sveti Ivan Rilski' is a historic church of the Orthodox Church of America located in Chicago, Illinois. It is considered to be one of the most aesthetically noteworthy churches in the Portage Park area of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Today, St John of Rila is the spiritual home for over 2,000 children and adults. The church proved to be an extremely important center for the Bulgarians in Chicago because of the specificity of the national churches in America to function not only as a religious place, but also as an important social center devoted to maintaining social awareness, language, and tradition through Sunday schools and social gatherings; and
WHEREAS, Father Valentin Notzkov has made an enormous difference at St. John of Rila, and the leaders of this great City are cognizant of the great debt owed such an outstanding spiritual leader, now, therefore,
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this 17th day of January 2013, do hereby express our gratitude and our heartiest congratulations to Father Valentin Notzkov in recognition of the Fiftieth Anniversary of his ordination, and do hereby extend our heartfelt congratulations to St. John of Rila as it begins the celebration of its 14th year at its location in the 38th Ward.
Be It Further Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Father Valentin Notzkov.
TIMOTHY M. CULLERTON Alderman - 38th Ward