List of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church

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).

Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch

Archbishopric

Eastern Orthodox

Incumbent:
Porfirije
since 19 February 2021

Style

His Holiness

Location

Residence

Building of the Patriarchate, Belgrade

Information

First holder

Sava (Archbishop)
Joanikije II (Patriarch)

Established

1219 (Archbishopric)
1346 and 1920 (Patriarchate)

Website

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

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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

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

Archbishops, 1219–1346

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Serbian Archbishopric (1219–1346)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
1	Sava Сава Sabbas		1219–1233	First 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		1233–1263	Sava's disciple. Moved the seat to Peć amid Hungarian invasion.^[10] Born in Syrmia.
3	Sava II Сава II Sabbas II		1263–1271	Sava's nephew. Born at Ras as Predislav Nemanjić / Предислав Немањић.
4	Danilo I Данило I Daniel I		1271–1272	Replaced due to unknown reason.^[11]
5	Joanikije I Јоаникије I Joannicius I		1272–1276	Disciple of Sava II. Buried at Sopoćani.
Seat vacant 1276–1279
6	Jevstatije I Јевстатије I Eustathius I		1279 – 4 January 1286	Moved the seat to Žiča in 1285.^[10] Relics buried at Patriarchate of Peć. Born in Budimlje.
7	Jakov Јаков Jacob		1286–1292	Moved the seat to Peć in 1291 amid foreign invasion,^[10] likely final transfer.^[12]
8	Jevstatije II Јевстатије II Eustathius II		1292–1309	Established seven new eparchies.
9	Sava III Сава III Sabbas III		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		3 January 1338 – 6 April 1346	Elevated to Patriarch. Born in Prizren.

Patriarchs, 1346–1766

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First Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1346–1463)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
1	Joanikije II Јоаникије II Joannicius II		6 April 1346 – 3 September 1354	First 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		1354–1375
3	Jefrem I Јефрем I Ephraem I		3 October 1375 – 1380	First tenure.
4	Spiridon I Спиридон I Spyridon I		1380 – 11 August 1389
(3)	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		1396–1406
7	Danilo IV Данило IV Daniel IV		1406
8	Kirilo I Кирило I Cyril I		1407–1419
9	Nikon I Никон I Nicon I		1420–1435
10	Teofan I Теофан I Theophanes I		1435–1446
11	Nikodim II Никодим II Nicodemus II		1446–1455
12	Arsenije II Арсеније II Arsenius II		1457–1463
First Ottoman abolishment (1463–1557)^[A]
See vacant due to Ottoman abolition and transfer of jurisdiction to Archbishopric of Ohrid
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
	Pavle I Павле I Paul I		1526–1541	Styled "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.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
13	Makarije I Макарије I Macarius I		1557–1571	Seated 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		1571–1575	Surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
15	Gerasim I Герасим I Gerasimus I		1575–1586	Surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
16	Savatije I Саватије I Sabbatios I		1586	Born in Prijepolje, surnamed Sokolović (Соколовић).
17	Nikanor I Никанор I Nicanor I		1588	Records lacking
18	Jerotej I Јеротеј I Hieroteos I		1589–1590
19	Filip I Филип I Philip I		1591–1592
20	Jovan II Јован II John II		1592–1613	Surnamed Kantul (Кантул).
21	Pajsije I Пајсије I Paisius I		1614–1647	Born in Janjevo.
22	Gavrilo I Гаврило I Gabriel I		1648–1655	Born in Štitkovo, surnamed Rajić (Рајић).
23	Maksim I Максим I Maxim I		1655–1674	Born in Skopje.
24	Arsenije III Арсеније III Arsenius III		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		1691–1710	Ethnic 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		1711–1712
27	Mojsije I Мојсије I Moses I		1712–1725	Surnamed Rajović (Рајовић).
28	Arsenije IV Арсеније IV Arsenius IV		1725–1737	Leader of the Second Serbian Migration into the Habsburg monarchy. Born in Peć, surnamed Jovanović Šakabenta (Јовановић Шакабента).
29	Joanikije III Јоаникије III Joannicius III		1739–1746	Ethnic Greek. Afterwards reigned as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1761 to 1763. Surnamed Karadža (Караџа).
30	Atanasije II Атанасије II Athanasius II		1746–1752	Born in Skopje, surnamed Gavrilović (Гавриловић).
31	Gavrilo II Гаврило II Gabriel II		1752	Born in Sarajevo, surnamed Mihajlović (Михајловић).
32	Gavrilo III Гаврило III Gabriel III		1752–1758	Bynamed Nikolin (Николин).
33	Vikentije I Викентије I Vicentius I		1758	Surnamed Stefanović (Стефановић).
34	Pajsije II Пајсије II Paisius II		1758	Ethnic Greek.
35	Gavrilo IV Гаврило IV Gabriel IV		1758	Ethnic Greek.
36	Kirilo II Кирило II Cyril II		1758–1763
37	Vasilije Василије Basil		1763–1765	Surnamed Jovanović-Brkić (Јовановић-Бркић).
38	Kalinik II Калиник II Callinicus II		1765–1766	Ethnic 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

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Serbian Patriarchate of Belgrade (Peć) (1920–present)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign			Notes
39	Dimitrije Димитрије Demetrius		12 September 1920	6 April 1930^[13]	9 years, 6 months and 25 days	First 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		12 May 1930	23 July 1937	7 years, 2 months and 11 days	Died under unclear circumstances (possible poisoning). Born on 11 September 1880 in Pljevlja as Petar Rosić / Петар Росић.
41	Gavrilo V Гaврилo V Gabriel V		21 February 1938	7 May 1950^[14]	12 years, 2 months and 16 days	Commonly known as Gavrilo. Born on 17 May 1881 in Vrujci as Gavrilo Dožić / Гaврилo Дoжић.
42	Vikentije II Викентије II Vicentius II		1 July 1950^[15]	5 July 1958	8 years and 4 days	Died 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		14 September 1958	30 November 1990	32 years and 16 days	Longest 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		1 December 1990	15 November 2009^[16]	18 years, 11 months and 14 days	Born on 11 September 1914 in Kućanci as Gojko Stojčević / Гојко Стојчевић.
45	Irinej Иринеј Irenaeus		23 January 2010^[17]^[18]	20 November 2020^[19]	10 years, 9 months and 28 days	Born on 28 August 1930 in Vidova as Miroslav Gavrilović / Мирослав Гавриловић.
46	Porfirije Порфирије Porphyrios		19 February 2021^[3]^[4]	Incumbent	3 years, 9 months and 15 days (as of 4 December 2024)	Born on 22 July 1961 in Bečej as Prvoslav Perić / Првослав Перић.

Timeline

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Annotations

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^A The Ottomans did not recognize the official title of "Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch". However, church records still record these three men as Patriarchs even though they did not serve in full title. They were still known as the guardians or protectors of the "throne of Saint Sava".
^B The patriarchs hold the title of Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch and are considered the successors to the Patriarchal throne of Peć. However, the Patriarchy is based in Belgrade, Serbia.