Dimitrije (Pavlovic) of Serbia
His Holiness Dimitrije (Pavlović) (in Serbian: Његова светост Димитрије патријарх српски, also Demetrius) was the first patriarch of the restored Patriarchate of Serbia since it had fallen into disuse after 1766.
Early life
In 1846, Dimitrije was born in Požarevac into the family of Stojan and Milosava Pavlović. He attended primary and high school in Belgrade and graduated from the Old Seminary in Belgrade in 1868. He was married and worked as a teacher until 1870, when he was ordained a priest and appointed a chaplain in Lapovo.
After the death of his wife in 1873, he continued his education at Belgrade University (then called the Grand School), graduating with a degree in philology. Fr. Dimitrije then taught at the Belgrade Seminary from 1878 to 1884.
On November 8, 1884, Fr. Dimitrije was elected Bishop of Niš as part of the so-called uncanonical hierarchy, after which he was tonsured a monk. He remained in this see until 1898, when Metropolitan Mihilo returned to Serbia. Then all the bishops from the uncanonical hierarchy retired their sees. At this time, Bp. Dimitrije left for France, where he continued his studies.
Bp. Dimitrije returned to Serbia in 1899, becoming a state advisor and later Bishop of Šabac. On August 19, 1905, he was elected Metropolitan of Belgrade and the Kingdom of Serbia. In 1915, he was forced to leave Serbia together with the king, government, and Serbian army when the country was overpowered by the joint forces of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. He returned to Serbia in 1918 with the victorious forces of Field Marshall Petar Bojović and the Prince Regent Aleksandar.
Patriarch
After the Serbian church was reunified, Metr. Dimitrije was elected Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch. His enthronement took place on October 31, 1920. During his tenure three new dioceses were created (Czeh and Moravia, Bihać and Petrovac, and American-Canadian). In addition, he re-established the old Braničevska diocese. While patriarch he consecrated sixteen bishops.
He established a patriarchal printing house in the Rakovica Monastery with the help of Archimandrite Platon (a future hieromartyr). In 1927, Patr. Dimitrije wrote a Service to "Saint Stefan the Despot," whom he canonized.
He was also a translator from Church Slavonic and was the author of one of the best translations of the Hilandar Typikon. He established Bogoslovlje, the magazine of Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade.
Patr. Dimitrije established a foundation for the support of orphans of priests and the Churches of St. Demetrius in Ratkovići (where he was a teacher) and the Holy Mother of God in Belgrade.
Patr. Dimitrije died on April 6, 1930, in Belgrade. He was buried in Rakovica Monastery, according to his wishes.
| Dimitrije (Pavlovic) of Serbia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Viktor |
Bishop of Niš 1884-1889 |
Succeeded by: Jeronim |
| Preceded by: Samuilo |
Bishop of Šabac 1898-1905 |
Succeeded by: Sergije |
| Preceded by: Inokentije |
Metropolitan of Belgrade and Kingdom of Serbija 1905-1930 |
Succeeded by: himself as Patriarch |
| Preceded by: none |
Patriarch of Serbia 1920-1930 |
Succeeded by: Varnava |