Dositheus (Vasich) of Zagreb

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Our Father among SaintsConfessor Dositej (Vasić),(Свети Исповједник Доситеј Загребачки) Metropolitan of Zagreb

Life

Metropolitan Dositej was born in Belgrade on December 5, 1887. He completed both Grammar School and Seminary in his hometown, and Theological Academy with the title Magister of Theology in Kiev in 1904. Having studied theology and philosophy for two years at Berlin University, he studied experimental philosophy in Leipzig. He had taken the monastic vows and the rank of hierodeacon when he was a Seminary pupil. He was assigned to perform the job of assistant professor at the St. Sava Seminary in Belgrade in 1907, and two years later (1909) he continued with his studies at Sorbonne. At the end of 1910, he went to Geneva where he stayed till the declaration of the Balkan War.

As Bishop

The Holy Synod of Bishops elected him bishop in May 1913. That same year, on May 25, he was consecrated the Bishop of Niš. At the beginning of World War I, after many troubles, Bishop Dositej was interned. He returned to his Diocese in 1918. The situation having been normalised, Bishop Dositej was elected Vice-President of the Central Hierarchal Assembly and, having that position, he participated in the negotiations with the Constantinople Patriarchate. He spent three years engaged in missionary work in Czechoslovakia. In 1931 he was appointed the first hierarch of the newly established Zagreb Diocese. His staying in Zagreb was notable for many charitable deeds. He founded an Orthodox Monastery dedicated to St. Paraskeva in this town. For a certain period of time he administrated the Diocese of Gornji Karlovac-Banja Luka, and he also helped Rt. Rev. Miron, the Bishop of Pakrac, in performing different tasks in the Diocese. During the period of illness of Serbian Patriarch Varnava, he, as the oldest member of the Holy Synod of Bishops, managed the Serbian Church affairs. After Patriarch's death, namely until the new Patriarch was elected in 1938, Bishop Dositej administrated the Belgrade-Karlovci Archdiocese.

Torturing and Death

After the World War II broke out, Metropolitan Dositej was arrested and confined in a prison of Zagreb police in Petrinjska Street. As a seriously ill person, he was transferred into a hospital where he was tortured and molested by nuns. Having been tormented in such a way, he, in unconscious state, arrived in Belgrade, in the Monastery of the Entrance of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple, where the sisterhood of the Monastery attentively took care of him. Due to severe consequences of molesting he died on January 13, 1945 in the Monastery of the Entrance of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple, and was buried in the churchyard of this Monastery.

At the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the name of Metropolitan Dositej was, due to his martyr afflictions and confession of the Christian-Orthodox faith, entered into the List of Names of the Serbian Church as the Confessor.



Troparion

TROPARION TO CONFESSOR DOSITEJ (Eighth Tone)

O Teacher of Orthodoxy and Instructor of virtues and purity, O Luminary of the whole world, O God-Inspired Ornament of Hierarchs, O Most-wise Dositej, you have enlightened all by your teaching, O Spiritual Flute, entreat Christ the Lord to save our souls.


Succession box:
Dositheus (Vasich) of Zagreb
Preceded by:
Jernim (Jovanović)
Bishop of Niš
1913-1931
Succeeded by:
Dr. Jovan (Ilić)
Preceded by:
new creation
Metropolitan of Zagreb
1931-1945
Succeeded by:
Dr. Damaskin (Grdanički)
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