Varnava Nastić

Varnava the New Confessor (Варнава Нови Исповедник; 31 January 1914 – 12 November 1964) was the titular bishop of Hvosno and a saint of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His feast is October 30 on the Julian calendar. He is one of the American Saints along with Alexis Toth, Alexander Hotovitzky, Herman of Alaska, and Peter the Aleut.

Life
He was born Vojislav Nastić in Gary, Indiana, on January 31, 1914, into a family of Serbian immigrants. His parents were Atanasije and Zorka Nastić, and the family attended the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, which is now located in Merrillville. Nastić was baptized there, later served as an altar boy, and was first recognized as a prodigy in reciting Serbian traditional epic poetry.

While Nastić was still a child, the family returned to their homeland. He attended high school in Sarajevo, graduating in 1933. He continued his education at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Orthodox Theology, graduating in 1937. After graduating, he taught as a catechist in two high schools in Sarajevo.

In 1940, Nastić took monastic vows in the Mileševa Monastery, receiving the monastic name Varnava (Barnabas). Varnava was ordained hierodeacon by Metropolitan Bishop Petar of Dabar-Bosna. Varnava remained in Sarajevo during World War II.

After the war, he was ordained hieromonk and raised to the rank of protosyncellus by Bishop Nektarije of Zvornik and Tuzla. In its first regular session, the Holy Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected Varnava the auxiliary bishop to the Serbian Patriarch with the title Bishop of Hvosno, with the responsibility of administering the Diocese of Dabar-Bosnia. On 28 August 1947, he received the episcopal consecration by Patriarch Gavrilo, bishop Nektarije, and bishop Vikentije of Zletovo and Strumica.