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Fr. Velimir subsequently earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Divinity from [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]], Brookline, Massachusetts. He also completed courses and examinations for a doctorate at the Chicago Theological Seminary.
In 1954, Fr. Velimir was appointed priest at St. Sava Church in Pittsburgh. There, his daughter Valerie and son Velimer were born. In 1962, Fr. Velimir and his family moved to Chicago where he became the priest at St. Archangel Michael Church. In 1960, he received the award of the red sash, and on Christmas Day in 1964, Bishop [[Fermilian (Ocokoljich) of Midwestern America|Firmilian ]] elevated him to the rank of [[Archpriest|Protopresbyter]]. In 1970, Fr. Velimir was widowed when Milka passed away at the early age of 40.
Elevated to the episcopate in 1978 by the Assembly of Bishops of the [[Church of Serbia]] in Belgrade and [[tonsure]]d with the [[monasticism|monastic]] name Christopher, he became the first American-born bishop to serve a diocese of the Serbian Church in North America. As Bishop of Eastern America and Canada, he developed a diocesan-wide program in religious education. Active in ecumenism, he has served on the joint commission of Orthodox and [[Roman Catholic]] bishops and on the Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue, and represented his Church at high levels in both the National and World Councils of Churches.
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Chicago]]
[[Category:Holy Cross Seminary Graduates]]
