Serb in Australia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Serbs are a southern Slavic people who received strong cultural influence from the Ottoman Turks. They came from the coast of the Black Sea to the Balkans and north of the Danube River between Dniepar and the northeast Carpathian Mountains. Though their language is Slavic based, the 500 years they were controlled by the Turkish based Ottoman Empire gave their language a Turkish flavor. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was formed in 1918 and its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.

The unraveling of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s resulted in the formation of the Independent Republics of Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia in 1991. Bosnia-Hercegovina was formed in 1992, while Serbia and Montenegro remained as the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Its leader, Slobodan Milosevic, tried to unite the neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia," meaning other ethnic groups would be dominated by the Serbs. His effort failed, and Milosevic was ousted by his own people in October 2000. The two latter republics formed a loose union in 2002, called Serbia and Montenegro. Many Montenegrins regard themselves as Serbs, but others insist that Montenegrin is a separate ethnic identity.

Though most Serbs live in Serbia, there is a significant Serbian diaspora, especially in other European countries and in North America.

Others have migrated to Australia. There have been three waves of Serbian migration to Australia, all in the 20th century. Some came after the devastation of WWII. Others came because of the poor economy in their home country (Yugoslavia) in the 1960s. Finally, there were war refugees who left in the 1990s.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The best known Australians of Serbian descent are either models or athletes. Today most Serbs in Australia speak Serbian at home. They have their own cultural associations.

Serbs speak loudly when they are passionate about something. They believe that being soft spoken implies insecurity. Serbs tend to be blunt in their communication style and add dark humor to the conversation. Good eye contact is important if you want a Serb to trust you. They tend to stand close to those they know.

The Serbs are a highly family-oriented society. They have an elaborate vocabulary for family relationships, even up to the 15th level of the genealogical tree.

Serbian weddings include a circle dance called kolo, where dancers hold each other by the hands or around the waist, dancing in a circle. The Serbs believe this dance symbolizes the sun. At weddings and other celebrations, Serbs drink rakia, an alcoholic beverage made from fruit.

Serbs have unique customs regarding Christmas. They celebrate Christmas by enjoying special foods and rituals. They eat sweet cakes made of wheat, called koljivo. Cesnica, a special kind of bread, contains a coin, and the one who finds the coin when the bread is broken believes he or she will have an especially happy year. A traditional Serb Christmas custom is to cover the floors of homes and churches with hay, reminding the family of the stable where Jesus was born. Christmas day is celebrated with a feast, featuring a roasted piglet as the main meal. Serbs give gifts to family and friends on Saint Nicholas Day.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Serbs are either non-religious or they identity with the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Serbs converted from traditional Slavic beliefs in several waves between the seventh and ninth centuries. Some folkloric and traditional beliefs persist to this day, such as belief in fairies, witches and vampires. They offer food and drink to the dead on certain feast days.

Of all Slavic and Orthodox Christians, only Serbs have the custom of Slava. This is a celebration of the family patron saint, whom they believe protects them. A Slava is inherited from father to son, and each household may only have one. The Slava celebration involves bringing the family together for three days of celebration, ritual dishes, folk oratory and singing.


What Are Their Needs?

Serbians have their own Orthodox church, but most of them are disillusioned with religion. They need the chance to learn about the person, Jesus Christ, who is above religion.


Prayer Points

Pray that Serbs would seek a relationship with their savior, Jesus Christ.

Ask the Lord to help Serbian Christians and church planters to use holidays like Christmas to share the story of Jesus and his love for all nations.

Pray for a Holy Spirit empowered revival among Serbs all over the world.


Scripture Prayers for the Serb in Australia.


References

World Prayer Center / GAAPNet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbian_Australians#:~:text=Serbs%20reside%20mainly%20in%20state,in%20Sydney's%20south%2Deastern%20suburbs.

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/serbian-c


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Serb
People Name in Country Serb
Alternate Names Serbian; Srbianac
Population this Country 56,000
Population all Countries 8,333,000
Total Countries 39
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 3
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 14864
ROP3 Code 108856
ROP25 Code 307393
ROP25 Name Serb
Country Australia
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Australia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Australia
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Australia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.30 %)
80.90 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
2.00 %
Non-Religious
16.80 %
Other / Small
0.30 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Serbian (56,000 speakers)
Language Code srp   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Serbian (56,000 speakers)
Language Code srp   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Serbian

Primary Language:  Serbian

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1564-1992)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1563-1997)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1804-2015)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Serbian Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Serbian YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Serbian YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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