List of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Last updated

Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch
Archbishopric
Eastern Orthodox
Patr.Porfirije (crop).jpg
Incumbent:
Porfirije
since 19 February 2021
Style His Holiness
Location
Residence Building of the Patriarchate, Belgrade
Information
First holder Sava (Archbishop)
Joanikije II (Patriarch)
Established1219 (Archbishopric)
1346 and 1920 (Patriarchate)
Website
spc.rs

This article lists the heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Serbian Orthodox Church under the Serbian Archbishopric and Serbian Patriarchate of Peć. Today, the church is unified under a patriarch who is officially styled as Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch (Serbian : Архиепископ пећки, митрополит београдско-карловачки, и патријарх српски, romanized: Arhiepiskop pećki, mitropolit beogradsko-karlovački, i patrijarh srpski).

Contents

According to the current constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the patriarch is elected by a special convocation of the Bishops' Council, [1] and serves as the chairman of the Holy Synod. [2]

The current patriarch is Porfirije, elected on 18 February 2021. [3] He acceded to this position the next day, following his enthronement in the St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade. [4] Porfirije was formally enthroned to the ancient throne of the Serbian patriarchs in the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć on 14 October 2022. [5]

The autocephalous Serbian Archbishopric was founded in 1219 by Sava, under the authority of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. In 1346, when Stefan Dušan proclaimed himself emperor, he also elevated the archiepiscopal see of Peć to the rank of a patriarchate, creating the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć. This was only recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1375.

After the Ottoman conquest of the Serbian Despotate in 1459, the patriarchate gradually lost its importance. At times the church was forced by the Ottoman government to install Greeks in the office. From 1766 to 1920 the patriarchate was abolished and all ecclesiastical jurisdiction was given to the patriarch of Constantinople. A metropolitan see was maintained in Belgrade from 1766 afterwards. There were also independent Serbian Orthodox sees based in Karlovci and in Montenegro.

In 1920, the church was reunified and the patriarchy was reestablished with the see moving to Belgrade, but retaining the lineage of the throne of Saint Sava in Peć. The patriarch holds ecclesiastical authority over the Orthodox Church in the territory of the former Yugoslavia (with the exception of Macedonia), and also over the Serbian Orthodox diaspora in Western Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

Styles

Currently, the style of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church is "Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch" (архиепископ пећки, митрополит београдско-карловачки и патријарх српски). The short title is "Serbian Patriarch" (патријарх српски). Historically, various styles have been used.

Archbishop Sava (s. 1219–33) was styled "Archbishop of Serb Lands" and "Archbishop of Serb Lands and the Littoral" in the Vranjina charter, [6] while Domentijan (fl. 1253) used the style "Archbishop of all the Serbian and coastal lands" when speaking of Sava. [7] The fresco of Sava at Mileševa calls him "the first Archbishop of All Serb and Diocletian Lands". [8] Archbishop Sava III (s. 1309–16) was styled "Archbishop of All Serb and Littoral Lands". [9]

Legend

    Venerated to sainthood     Also served as Metropolitan of Karlovci
    Also served as Metropolitan of Belgrade      Current Serbian Patriarch

Archbishops, 1219–1346

Serbian Archbishopric (1219–1346)
No.PrimatePortraitReignNotes
1 Sava
Сава
Sabbas
Saint Sava, fresco from Mileseva.jpg 1219–1233First Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church.
Seated at Žiča.
Styled "Archbishop of Serb Lands and the Littoral".
Born at Ras as Rastko Nemanjić / Растко Немањић.
2 Arsenije I
Арсеније I
Arsenius I
Saint Arsenije I Sremac.jpeg 1233–1263Sava's disciple.
Moved the seat to Peć amid Hungarian invasion. [10]
Born in Syrmia.
3 Sava II
Сава II
Sabbas II
Loza Nemanjica Decani e 5.jpg 1263–1271Sava's nephew.
Born at Ras as Predislav Nemanjić / Предислав Немањић.
4 Danilo I
Данило I
Daniel I
No image.png 1271–1272Replaced due to unknown reason. [11]
5 Joanikije I
Јоаникије I
Joannicius I
No image.png 1272–1276Disciple of Sava II. Buried at Sopoćani.
Seat vacant 1276–1279
6 Jevstatije I
Јевстатије I
Eustathius I
Svjetlopis zhivopisa Svetog Jevstatija prevlakog i nadvladike srbskog u kapeli u porti khrama Sv. Jovana Vladimira u Baru.jpg 1279 – 4 January 1286Moved the seat to Žiča in 1285. [10]
Relics buried at Patriarchate of Peć.
Born in Budimlje.
7 Jakov
Јаков
Jacob
No image.png 1286–1292Moved the seat to Peć in 1291 amid foreign invasion, [10] likely final transfer. [12]
8 Jevstatije II
Јевстатије II
Eustathius II
No image.png 1292–1309Established seven new eparchies.
9 Sava III
Сава III
Sabbas III
No image.png 1309–1316Styled "Archbishop of All Serb and Maritime Lands".
10 Nikodim I
Никодим I
Nicodemus I
Stefan Decanski Coronation.jpg 1316–1324Co-founder of the Vratna monastery.
11 Danilo II
Данило II
Daniel II
DaniloII.jpg 1324–1337Hagiographer.
12 Joanikije II
Јоаникије II
Joannicius II
Joanikije II.jpg 3 January 1338 – 6 April 1346Elevated to Patriarch.
Born in Prizren.

Patriarchs, 1346–1766

First Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1346–1463)
No.PrimatePortraitReignNotes
1 Joanikije II
Јоаникије II
Joannicius II
Joanikije II.jpg 6 April 1346 – 3 September 1354First Patriarch of the Serbian Church.
Elevated during the coronation of Emperor Dušan.
Seated at Peć.
Styled "Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of all Serb Lands and the Maritime".
Born in Prizren.
2 Sava IV
Сава IV
Sabbas IV
No image.png 1354–1375
3 Jefrem I
Јефрем I
Ephraem I
Serbian Patriarch Jefrem.jpg 3 October 1375 – 1380First tenure.
4 Spiridon I
Спиридон I
Spyridon I
Serbian Patriarch Spiridon.jpg 1380 – 11 August 1389
(3) Jefrem I
Јефрем I
Ephraem I
Serbian Patriarch Jefrem.jpg 1389–1390Second tenure.
5 Danilo III
Данило III
Daniel III
Serbian Patriarch Danilo III.jpg 1390–1396
6 Sava V
Сава V
Sabbas V
No image.png 1396–1406
7 Danilo IV
Данило IV
Daniel IV
No image.png 1406
8 Kirilo I
Кирило I
Cyril I
No image.png 1407–1419
9 Nikon I
Никон I
Nicon I
No image.png 1420–1435
10 Teofan I
Теофан I
Theophanes I
No image.png 1435–1446
11 Nikodim II
Никодим II
Nicodemus II
No image.png 1446–1455
12 Arsenije II
Арсеније II
Arsenius II
No image.png 1457–1463
First Ottoman abolishment (1463–1557) [A]
See vacant due to Ottoman abolition and transfer of jurisdiction to Archbishopric of Ohrid
No.PrimatePortraitReignNotes
Pavle I
Павле I
Paul I
No image.png 1526–1541Styled "Metropolitan of Smederevo".
Attempted to restore Serbian Patriarchate on few occasions between 1526 and 1541, succeeding briefly.
Second Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1557–1766)
No.PrimatePortraitReignNotes
13 Makarije I
Макарије I
Macarius I
Makarije Sokolovic.jpg 1557–1571Seated at Peć.
Full style "Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs and Bulgarians"
Basic style "Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch".
Born in Višegrad, surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
14 Antonije I
Антоније I
Anthony I
No image.png 1571–1575Surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
15 Gerasim I
Герасим I
Gerasimus I
No image.png 1575–1586Surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
16 Savatije I
Саватије I
Sabbatios I
Savatije Sokolovic.jpg 1586Born in Prijepolje, surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
17 Nikanor I
Никанор I
Nicanor I
No image.png 1588Records lacking
18 Jerotej I
Јеротеј I
Hieroteos I
No image.png 1589–1590
19 Filip I
Филип I
Philip I
No image.png 1591–1592
20 Jovan II
Јован II
John II
Jovan Kantul, by Georgije Mitrofanovic.jpg 1592–1613Surnamed Kantul (Кантул).
21 Pajsije I
Пајсије I
Paisius I
PatrijarhPajsije.jpg 1614–1647Born in Janjevo.
22 Gavrilo I
Гаврило I
Gabriel I
No image.png 1648–1655Born in Štitkovo, surnamed Rajić (Рајић).
23 Maksim I
Максим I
Maxim I
No image.png 1655–1674Born in Skopje.
24 Arsenije III
Арсеније III
Arsenius III
Arsenije III.jpg 1674–1690 (1706)Leader of the First Serbian Migration into the Habsburg monarchy. After 1690, reorganized and headed the branch of the Serbian Church in the Habsburg Monarchy.
Born in Cetinje, surnamed Crnojević (Црнојевић).
25 Kalinik I
Калиник I
Callinicus I
No image.png 1691–1710Ethnic Greek.
Maintained the Serbian Patriarchate in turbulent times after the First Serbian Migration from the Ottoman Empire.
Born in Skopje.
26 Atanasije I
Атанасије I
Athanasius I
No image.png 1711–1712
27 Mojsije I
Мојсије I
Moses I
No image.png 1712–1725Surnamed Rajović (Рајовић).
28 Arsenije IV
Арсеније IV
Arsenius IV
Arsenije IV Jovanovic Sakabenta.jpg 1725–1737Leader of the Second Serbian Migration into the Habsburg monarchy.
Born in Peć, surnamed Jovanović Šakabenta (Јовановић Шакабента).
29 Joanikije III
Јоаникије III
Joannicius III
No image.png 1739–1746Ethnic Greek.
Afterwards reigned as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1761 to 1763.
Surnamed Karadža (Караџа).
30 Atanasije II
Атанасије II
Athanasius II
No image.png 1746–1752Born in Skopje, surnamed Gavrilović (Гавриловић).
31 Gavrilo II
Гаврило II
Gabriel II
No image.png 1752Born in Sarajevo, surnamed Mihajlović (Михајловић).
32 Gavrilo III
Гаврило III
Gabriel III
No image.png 1752–1758Bynamed Nikolin (Николин).
33 Vikentije I
Викентије I
Vicentius I
No image.png 1758Surnamed Stefanović (Стефановић).
34 Pajsije II
Пајсије II
Paisius II
No image.png 1758Ethnic Greek.
35 Gavrilo IV
Гаврило IV
Gabriel IV
No image.png 1758Ethnic Greek.
36 Kirilo II
Кирило II
Cyril II
No image.png 1758–1763
37 Vasilije
Василије
Basil
No image.png 1763–1765Surnamed Jovanović-Brkić (Јовановић-Бркић).
38 Kalinik II
Калиник II
Callinicus II
No image.png 1765–1766Ethnic Greek.
Resigned as Patriarch, effectively abolishing the post and relegating it to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Second Ottoman abolishment (1766–1920)
After the Ottoman Empire abolished the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć for the second and final time in 1766, the Serbian Orthodox population within the Ottoman Empire was subject to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1920. Due to the Great Turkish War between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League, a large number of Serbs migrated to the Habsburg monarchy in 1690. This caused the establishment of a metropolitanate in Karlovci in 1708. This see was elevated to a patriarchate in 1848, as a reward to Serbs who supported the Habsburgs during the 1848–49 revolutions. After the founding of the Principality of Serbia, the autonomous Metropolitanate of Belgrade was created in 1831, under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It gained full autocephaly in 1879 and merged in 1920 with the Patriarchate of Karlovci and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro to form the unified Serbian Orthodox Church.

Patriarchs, 1920–present

Serbian Patriarchate of Belgrade (Peć) (1920–present)
No.PrimatePortraitReignNotes
39 Dimitrije
Димитрије
Demetrius
Dimitrije (Pavlovitsh).jpg 12 September 19206 April 1930 [13] 9 years, 6 months and 25 daysFirst Patriarch of the reunified Serbian Church.
Seated at Belgrade.
Styled "Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch" [B]
Born on 28 October 1846 in Požarevac as Dimitrije Pavlović / Димитрије Павловић.
40 Varnava
Варнава
Barnabas
Patriarkh Varnava.jpg 12 May 193023 July 19377 years, 2 months and 11 daysDied under unclear circumstances (possible poisoning).
Born on 11 September 1880 in Pljevlja as Petar Rosić / Петар Росић.
41 Gavrilo V
Гaврилo V
Gabriel V
Patrijarkh Gavrilo (Dozhitsh).jpg 21 February 19387 May 1950 [14] 12 years, 2 months and 16 daysCommonly known as Gavrilo.
Born on 17 May 1881 in Vrujci as Gavrilo Dožić / Гaврилo Дoжић.
42 Vikentije II
Викентије II
Vicentius II
Vikentije Prodanov.jpg 1 July 1950 [15] 5 July 19588 years and 4 daysDied under unclear circumstances (possible poisoning).
Commonly known as Vikentije.
Born on 23 August 1890 in Bačko Petrovo Selo as Vitomir Prodanov / Витомир Проданов.
43 German
Герман
Herman
Patrijarh Srpski German by Stevan Kragujevic (cropped).JPG 14 September 195830 November 199032 years and 16 daysLongest reigning Patriarch.
The only retired Patriarch during his life; died on 27 August 1991.
Born on 19 August 1899 in Jošanička Banja as Hranislav Đorić / Хранислав Ђорић.
44 Pavle
Павле
Paul
Patrijarh Pavle.jpg 1 December 199015 November 2009 [16] 18 years, 11 months and 14 daysBorn on 11 September 1914 in Kućanci as Gojko Stojčević / Гојко Стојчевић.
45 Irinej
Иринеј
Irenaeus
Patriarkh Serbskii Irinei 2019.jpg 23 January 2010 [17] [18] 20 November 2020 [19] 10 years, 9 months and 28 daysBorn on 28 August 1930 in Vidova as Miroslav Gavrilović / Мирослав Гавриловић.
46 Porfirije
Порфирије
Porphyrios
Patr.Porfirije (crop).jpg 19 February 2021 [3] [4] Incumbent3 years, 8 months and 24 days
(as of 12 November 2024)
Born on 22 July 1961 in Bečej as Prvoslav Perić / Првослав Перић.

Timeline

Porfirije, Serbian PatriarchIrinej, Serbian PatriarchPavle, Serbian PatriarchGerman, Serbian PatriarchVikentije II, Serbian PatriarchGavrilo V, Serbian PatriarchVarnava, Serbian PatriarchDimitrije, Serbian PatriarchList of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church

See also

Annotations

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References

  1. Article 43 of the Constitution of 1957.
  2. Article 58 of the Constitution of 1957.
  3. 1 2 "Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana elected for a new Patriarch of Serbia". spc.rs. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 "His Holiness Porfirije, Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch enthroned". spc.rs. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  5. "Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije enthroned in the Patriarchate of Peć". spc.rs. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  6. Miklosich 1858, pp. 18–19.
  7. Radovan Samardžić; Milan Duškov (1993). Serbs in European civilization. Nova. p. 27. ISBN   978-86-7583-015-3.
  8. Svetislav Mandić (1986). Velika gospoda sve srpske zemlje i drugi prosopografski prilozi. Srpska književna zadruga. p. 69. ISBN   9788637900122.
  9. Miklosich 1858, pp. 76–77, 82–83.
  10. 1 2 3 Marjanović 2001, p. 73.
  11. Slijepčević 2002.
  12. Bogdanović 1972, p. 29.
  13. "DR. PAVLOVITCH DIES; SERBIAN PATRIARCH; Head of National Church of Yugoslavia Stricken at the Age of 84 Years". The New York Times. 7 April 1930. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  14. "PATRIARCH GAVRILO OF SERBIAN CHURCH; Wartime Foe of Axis, Prisoner at Dachau Dies--Urged Clergy to Support Tito". The New York Times. Reuters. 8 May 1950. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  15. "CHURCH IN YUGOSLAVIA PICKS NEW PATRIARCH". The New York Times. AP. 2 July 1950. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  16. "Patriarch Pavle, Serbian Church Leader, Dies at 95". The New York Times. AP. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  17. "Bishop of Nis Irinej elected for a new Patriarch of Serbia". spc.rs. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  18. "Enthronement of Patriarch Irinej of Serbia". spc.rs. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  19. "Serbian Patriarch Irinej reposed in the Lord". spc.rs. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.

Sources