List of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church
| Patriarch of Peć and the Serbs | |
|---|---|
| Bishopric | |
| orthodox | |
| Incumbent: Patriarch Irinej Since 23 January 2010 |
|
| Style | His Holiness |
| First incumbent | Sava (Archbishop) Joanikije II (Patriarch) |
| Formation | 1219 (Archbishopric) 1346 (Patriarchy) |
| Website | spc |
This is a list of the Archbishops and Patriarchs of Peć and the Serbs from the creation of the church as an archdiocese in 1219 to today's Patriarchate. The list includes all the Archbishops and Patriarchs that led the Serbian Orthodox Church under the Patriarchate of Peć. Today, the church is unified under a Patriarch who is known officially as Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch. Patriarch Irinej acceded to this position on 23 January 2010.
The Archdiocese of Peć was founded in 1219 by Saint Sava, under the authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople. In 1346, when Stephen Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia proclaimed himself Emperor, he also elevated Peć to a patriarchate. This was only recognized by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1379.
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, and also over Serbian Orthodox Christians in Western Europe, Australia, North America, and South America.
Contents
Legend[edit]
| venerated to sainthood | also served as Metropolitan of Karlovci | ||
| also served as Metropolitan of Belgrade | Current Serbian Patriarch |
Archbishops, 1219–1346[edit]
| Archbishop, seated at Žiča (1219–1233) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Primate | Portrait | Reign | Notes | |
| 1 | Sava Сава Sabbas |
1219–1233 | First Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church. Styled "Archbishop of Serb Lands and the Littoral". Born at Ras as Rastko Nemanjić / Растко Немањић. |
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| Archbishops, seated at Peć (1233–1346) | |||||
| 2 | Arsenije I Арсеније I Arsenius I |
1233–1263 | First Archbishop of the See of Peć. Born in Syrmia |
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| 3 | Sava II Сава II Sabbas II |
1263–1271 | Nephew to Sava. Born at Ras as Predislav Nemanjić / Предислав Немањић. |
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| 4 | Danilo I Данило I Daniel I |
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1271–1272 | Replaced due to unknown reason. | |
| 5 | Joanikije I Јоаникије I Joannicius I |
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1272–1276 | Disciple of Sava II. Buried at Sopoćani. | |
| Seat vacant 1276–1279 | |||||
| 6 | Jevstatije I Јевстатије I Eustathius I |
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1279–4 January 1286 | Relics buried at Patriarchate of Peć. Born in Budimlje. |
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| 7 | Jakov I Јаков I Jacob I |
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1286–1292 | ||
| 8 | Jevstatije II Јевстатије II Eustathius II |
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1292–1309 | ||
| 9 | Sava III Сава III Sabbas III |
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1309–1316 | Styled "Archbishop of All Serb and Maritime Lands" | |
| 10 | Nikodim I Никодим I Nicodemus I |
1316–1324 | Co-founder of the Vratna monastery. | ||
| 11 | Danilo II Данило II Daniel II |
1324–1337 | Hagiographer. | ||
| 12 | Joanikije II Јоаникије II Joannicius II |
1338–1346 | Elevated to Patriarch. Born in Prizren. |
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Patriarchs, 1346–1766[edit]
| Patriarchs of the Holy Patriarchal See of Peć (1346–1766) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Patriarchate of Peć (1346–1463) | |||||||
| Regnal title: Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of all Serb Lands and the Maritime | |||||||
| No. | Primate | Portrait | Personal name | Reigned from | Reigned until | Place of birth | Notes |
| 1 | Joanikije II Јоаникије II Joannicius II |
1346 | 1354 | Prizren | First Serbian Patriarch installed during the coronation of Emperor Dušan | ||
| 2 | Sava IV Сава IV Sabbas IV |
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1354 | 1375 | |||
| 3 | Jefrem I Јефрем I Ephraem I |
1375 | 1380 | First tenure | |||
| 4 | Spiridon I Спиридон I Spyridon I |
1380 | 1389 | ||||
| -- | Jefrem I Јефрем I Ephraem I |
1389 | 1390 | Second tenure | |||
| 5 | Danilo III Данило III Daniel III |
1390 | 1396 | ||||
| 6 | Sava V Сава V Sabbas V |
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1396 | 1406 | |||
| 7 | Danilo IV Данило IV Daniel IV |
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1406 | ||||
| 8 | Kirilo I Кирило I Cyril I |
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1407 | 1419 | |||
| 9 | Nikon I Никон I Nicon I |
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1420 | 1435 | |||
| 10 | Teofan I Теофан I Theophanes I |
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1435 | 1446 | For unknown reasons not listed as an official Patriarch of the church | ||
| 11 | Nikodim II Никодим II Nicodemus II |
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1446 | 1455 | |||
| 12 | Arsenije II Арсеније II Arsenius II |
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1457 | 1463 | |||
| First Ottoman Intervention (1463–1557)[A] | |||||||
| vacant due to Ottoman Empire's abolition and transfer of jurisdiction to Archbishopric of Ohrid | |||||||
| No. | Primate | Portrait | Personal name | Reigned from | Reigned until | Place of birth | Notes |
| -- | Jovan I Јован I John I |
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1508 | Archbishop Jovan was mentioned as "Guardian of the Throne of Saint Sava" | |||
| -- | Marko Марко Mark |
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1524 | Title was Serbian Metropolitan | |||
| -- | Pavle (I) Павле I Paul I |
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1526 | 1541 | Metropolitan of Smederevo, attempted to restore Serbian Patriarchate on few occasions between 1526 and 1541, succeeding briefly | ||
| Second Patriarchate of Peć (1557–1766) | |||||||
| Full regnal title: Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs and Bulgarians Basic regnal title: Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch |
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| No. | Primate | Portrait | Personal name | Reigned from | Reigned until | Place of birth | Notes |
| 13 | Makarije I Макарије I Macarius I |
Sokolović Соколовић |
1557 | 1571 | Višegrad | ||
| 14 | Antonije I Антоније I Anthony I |
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Sokolović Соколовић |
1571 | 1575 | ||
| 15 | Gerasim I Герасим I Gerasimus I |
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Sokolović Соколовић |
1575 | 1586 | ||
| 16 | Savatije I Саватије I Sabbatios I |
Sokolović Соколовић |
1586 | Prijepolje | |||
| 17 | Nikanor I Никанор I Nicanor I |
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? | ||||
| 18 | Jerotej I Јеротеј I Hieroteos I |
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1589 | 1590 | |||
| 19 | Filip I Филип I Philip I |
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1591 | 1592 | |||
| 20 | Jovan II Јован II John II |
Kantul Кантул |
1592 | 1613 | |||
| 21 | Pajsije I Пајсије I Paisius I |
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1614 | 1647 | Janjevo | ||
| 22 | Gavrilo I Гаврило I Gabriel I |
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Rajić Рајић |
1648 | 1655 | Štitkovo | |
| 23 | Maksim I Максим I Maxim I |
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1655 | 1674 | Skopje | ||
| 24 | Arsenije III Арсеније III Arsenius III |
Crnojević Црнојевић |
1674 | 1690 (1706) | Cetinje, Montenegro | Patriarch that lead the Serbs to migration into the Habsburg Monarchy. After 1690, he reorganised and headed the branch of the Serbian church in the Habsburg Monarchy. | |
| 25 | Kalinik I Калиник I Callinicus I |
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1691 | 1710 | Skopje | Ethnic Greek. Maintained the Patriarchate of Peć in turbulent times after the mass exodous of Serbs from the Ottoman Empire. | |
| 26 | Atanasije I Атанасије I Athanasius I |
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1711 | 1712 | |||
| 27 | Mojsije I Мојсије I Moses I |
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Rajović Рајовић |
1712 | 1725 | ||
| 28 | Arsenije IV Арсеније IV Arsenius IV |
Jovanović Šakabenta Јовановић Шакабента |
1725 | 1737 | Peć | ||
| 29 | Joanikije III Јоаникије III Joannicius III |
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Karadža Караџа |
1739 | 1746 | Ethnic Greek. | |
| 30 | Atanasije II Атанасије II Athanasius II |
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Gavrilović Гавриловић |
1746 | 1752 | Skopje | |
| 31 | Gavrilo II Гаврило II Gabriel II |
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Mihajlović (Sarajevac) Михајловић (Сарајевац) |
1752 | Sarajevo | ||
| 32 | Gavrilo III Гаврило III Gabriel III |
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Nikolić Николић |
1752 | 1758 | ||
| 33 | Vikentije I Викентије И Vicentius I |
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Stefanović Стефановић |
1758 | |||
| 34 | Pajsije II Пајсије II Paisius II |
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1758 | Ethnic Greek. | |||
| 35 | Gavrilo IV Гаврило IV Gabriel IV |
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1758 | Ethnic Greek. | |||
| 36 | Kirilo II Кирило II Cyril II |
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1758 | 1763 | |||
| 37 | Vasilije I Василије I Basil I |
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Jovanović Brkić Јовановић Бркић |
1763 | 1765 | ||
| 38 | Kalinik II Калиник II Callinicus II |
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1765 | 1766 | Ethnic Greek. Resigned as Patriarch, effectively abolishing the post and relegating it to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople | ||
| Second Ottoman Intervention (1766–1920) | |||||||
| Ottoman Empire abolishes the Patriarchate of Peć for the final time. During the period of 1766 to 1920, the Serbian Orthodox Christians within the Ottoman Empire are subjected to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Due to the war between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League, a large number of Serbs migrated to Habsburg Monarchy in 1690. This caused the establishment of a Metropolitanate in Karlovci in 1708. Later on the see was elevated to a patriarchate in 1848 as a reward to Serbs who supported the Habsburgs during the 1848/1849 revolution.
After the founding of the Principality of Serbia, autonomous Metropolitanate of Belgrade was created in 1831, under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. It gained full autocephaly in 1879 and merged in 1920 with other Serbian ecclesiastical provinces to form united Serbian Orthodox Church.
There was also a see in Cetinje, Montenegro since the late 15th century. The Vladikas of Montenegro were Orthodox bishops that ran the tiny medieval Serb statlet of Montenegero. The Metropolitante of Montenegero was a part of three major dioceses that merged to form the reunited Serbian church in 1920 (the other were the Metropolitante of Belgrade and the Patriarchate of Karlovci). |
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Patriarchs, 1920–present[edit]
| Patriarchs of the Holy Patriarchal See of Belgrade (Peć) (1920–present) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regnal title: Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch[B] | |||||||
| No. | Primate | Portrait | Personal name | Reigned from | Reigned until | Place of birth | Notes |
| 39 | Dimitrije [I] Димитрије (I) Dimitrius (I) |
Dimitrije Pavlović Димитрије Павловић |
12 September 1920 | 6 April 1930 | Požarevac, Principality of Serbia | First Patriarch of the reunified Serbian church | |
| 40 | Varnava [I] Варнава (I) Barnabas (I) |
Petar Rosić Петар Росић |
12 May 1930 | 23 July 1937 | Pljevlja, Ottoman Empire | Some believe he may have been poisoned | |
| 41 | Gavrilo [V] Гaврилo (V) Gabriel (V) |
Gavrilo Dožić Гaврилo Дoжић |
21 February 1938 | 7 May 1950 | Vrujci, Principality of Montenegro | Known unofficially as Gavrilo V Dožić-Medenica | |
| 42 | Vikentije [II] Викентије (II) Vicentius (II) |
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Vitomir Prodanov Витомир Проданов |
1 July 1950 | 5 July 1958 | Bačko Petrovo Selo, Austria-Hungary | Not known as Vikentije II but entered just as Vikentije. Some believe he may have been second poisoned Patriarch |
| 43 | German [II] Герман (II) Herman (II) |
Hranislav Đorić Хранислав Ђорић |
14 September 1958 | 30 November 1990 | Jošanička Banja, Kingdom of Serbia | Longest reigning Patriarch and only retired Patriarch during his life | |
| 44 | Pavle [II] Павле (II) Paul (II) |
Gojko Stojčević Гојко Стојчевић |
1 December 1990 | 15 November 2009 | Kućanci, Austria-Hungary | Not known as Pavle II but entered just as Pavle | |
| 45 | Irinej [I] Иринеј (I) Irenaeus (I) |
Miroslav Gavrilović Мирослав Гавриловић |
23 January 2010 | Present | Vidova, Kingdom of Yugoslavia | ||
See also[edit]
- Serbian Orthodox Church
- Metropolitanate of Belgrade
- List of Metropolitans of Montenegro
- Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
- Metropolitanate of Karlovci
- Patriarchate of Karlovci
- Eparchy of Križevci
- Religion in Serbia
Notes[edit]
- A The Ottomans did not recognize the official title of "Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs". However still church records still record these three men as Patriarchs even though they did not serve in full title. They were still known as the exrach and protector of the throne
- B The patriarchs hold the title of Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Patriarch of all Serbs and are considered the successors to the Patriarchal throne of Peć. However, the Patriarchy is based in Belgrade, Serbia.
External links[edit]
- Serbian Orthodox Church, history at spc.rs
- Pages on most of the Serbian Patriarchs (in Serbian)
- Kosovo.com: another list of Serbian Patriarchs
- Hierarchical Succession of the Patriarchal See of Serbia from the Orthodox Research Institute
