Daniel II of Pec

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Our father among the saints Danilo II of Pec (also Daniel,in Serbian: Свети Данило аргиепископ српски) was a Serbian Archbishop from 1324 to 1327. His feast is December 20,(January 2 in Gregorian Calendar). He was a nobleman and was in court of St. King Milutin of Serbia (1282-1321). He left court for the Monastery of St. Nikolas in Končul. We don't know his baptismal name.


As monk

Archbishop St. Jevstavije took the young monk Danilo as his syncellos. Soon Danilo left for Mount Athos, where he was elected igumen of Hilandar. During his tenure as igumen, Mount Athos was attacked several times by Ctaluanian pirates. Danilo was forced to take to sword and defend the holy monastery from the pirates. Danilo retired in 1311 to the ascetic cell of St. Sava.


Bishop

Danilo received a call from Serbia to return and become [[Bishop] of Banjska. He accepted and served as the bishop of Banjska until 1315. In 1314, he was present during the last moments of St. Queen Jelena, Mother of King Milutin. He described her last moments in his Lives of Kings and Archbishops of Serbia. Danilo retired again and returned to his beloved Mount Athos.

When Abp. St. Sava III died on July 26, the king proposed Danilo as the new archbishop. Danilo instead proposed his disciple, St. Nikodim, for the position. St. Nikodim was elected, but the King insisting that Danilo should also be in Serbia. To accommodate the king he accepted the position of Bishop of Zahumlje. Danilo was at King Milutin's death bed and buried him in Banjska Monastery.

Danilo again returned for Hilandar Monastery in 1322 and Stefan Pepkalo succeeded him as Bishop of Zahumlje. When St. Nikodim died in 1324, Danilo was elected the 11th Archbishop of Serbia onSeptember 14, 1324.

Archbishop

Abp. Danilo helped the new King St. Stefan Uroš III in building the magnificent Dečani Monastery. He also built the Church of Theotokos Hodegetria in the Peć Monastery for Greek monks. He also built the small church of St. Nicholas. He finished rebuilding the Žiča Monastery. He also initiated the construction of the Church of St. George in Maglič and the Churches of St. Michael in Jelšika and St. Sava in Liznica. He followed in the steps St. Sava, his great predccessor.

Abp. Danilo was also one of the greatest Serbian medieval writers. His most importnant work is the Lives of Kings and Archbishops of Serbia.

St. Danilo entred in Kingdom of Heaven December 19 1337.


Succession box:
Daniel II of Pec
Preceded by:
none
Bishop of Banjska
1311-1315
Succeeded by:
?
Preceded by:
?
Bishop of Zahumlje
1317-1322
Succeeded by:
Stefan Pepkalo
Preceded by:
St. Nikodim
Archbishop of Serbia
1324-1337
Succeeded by:
St. Joanikije
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