List of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church facts for kids

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Established	1219 (Archbishopric) 1346 and 1920 (Patriarchate)

This article shares a list of the most important leaders of the Serbian Orthodox Church. These leaders are called archbishops and patriarchs. They have guided the church from its start as an independent (autocephalous) archbishopric in 1219, all the way to today's patriarchate.

Today, the church is led by a patriarch. His full title is Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch. The patriarch is chosen by a special meeting of church leaders called the Bishops' Council. He also leads the Holy Synod, which is like the church's main governing body.

The current patriarch is Porfirije. He was chosen on February 18, 2021. He officially started his role the next day, after a special ceremony called an enthronement in St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade. Patriarch Porfirije was later formally enthroned at the ancient Patriarchal Monastery of Peć on October 14, 2022.

The Serbian Archbishopric became independent in 1219. This was thanks to Sava, and it was approved by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Later, in 1346, when Stefan Dušan became emperor, he made the church in Peć a patriarchate. This new Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was officially recognized by Constantinople in 1375.

After the Ottomans took over the Serbian Despotate in 1459, the patriarchate became less powerful. Sometimes, the Ottoman government even made Greeks lead the church. From 1766 to 1920, the patriarchate was stopped completely. All church matters were then handled by the patriarch of Constantinople. However, a church leader (metropolitan) stayed in Belgrade from 1766. There were also independent Serbian Orthodox church areas in Karlovci and Montenegro.

In 1920, the church came back together. The patriarchate was started again, with its main office moving to Belgrade. However, it still kept its connection to the original throne of Saint Sava in Peć. The patriarch now leads the Orthodox Church in the area of the former Yugoslavia (except for Macedonia). He also leads Serbian Orthodox communities living in Western Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

Church Leader Titles
Understanding the Table
Archbishops (1219–1346)
Patriarchs (1346–1766)
Patriarchs (1920–Present)
- Timeline of Recent Patriarchs
See also

Church Leader Titles

The full title for the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church today is "Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch". A shorter way to say it is "Serbian Patriarch". Over time, different titles have been used.

For example, Archbishop Sava (who served from 1219–1233) was called "Archbishop of Serb Lands". He was also known as "Archbishop of Serb Lands and the Littoral" (meaning coastal areas). Later, Archbishop Sava III (who served from 1309–1316) was called "Archbishop of All Serb and Littoral Lands".

Understanding the Table

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

Archbishops (1219–1346)

Serbian Archbishopric (1219–1346)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
1	Sava Сава Sabbas		1219–1233	The first Archbishop of the independent Serbian Church. His main church was at Žiča. He was born as Rastko Nemanjić.
2	Arsenije I Арсеније I Arsenius I		1233–1263	He was a student of Saint Sava. He moved the church's main office to Peć because of a Hungarian invasion.
3	Sava II Сава II Sabbas II		1263–1271	He was Saint Sava's nephew. He was born as Predislav Nemanjić.
4	Danilo I Данило I Daniel I		1271–1272	He was replaced for reasons that are not known.
5	Joanikije I Јоаникије I Joannicius I		1272–1276	He was a student of Sava II. He is buried at Sopoćani.
No Archbishop from 1276–1279
6	Jevstatije I Јевстатије I Eustathius I		1279 – January 4, 1286	He moved the church's main office back to Žiča in 1285. His holy remains are buried at Patriarchate of Peć.
7	Jakov Јаков Jacob		1286–1292	He moved the church's main office to Peć in 1291 due to an invasion. This was likely the final move.
8	Jevstatije II Јевстатије II Eustathius II		1292–1309	He created seven new church areas (eparchies).
9	Sava III Сава III Sabbas III		1309–1316	He was called "Archbishop of All Serb and Maritime Lands".
10	Nikodim I Никодим I Nicodemus I		1316–1324	He helped found the Vratna monastery.
11	Danilo II Данило II Daniel II		1324–1337	He was a writer of saints' lives (hagiographer).
12	Joanikije II Јоаникије II Joannicius II		January 3, 1338 – April 6, 1346	He later became the first Patriarch.

Patriarchs (1346–1766)

First Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1346–1463)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
1	Joanikije II Јоаникије II Joannicius II		April 6, 1346 – September 3, 1354	He was the first Patriarch of the Serbian Church. He became Patriarch when Emperor Dušan was crowned. His main church was at Peć.
2	Sava IV Сава IV Sabbas IV		1354–1375
3	Jefrem I Јефрем I Ephraem I		October 3, 1375 – 1380	This was his first time as Patriarch.
4	Spiridon I Спиридон I Spyridon I		1380 – August 11, 1389
(3)	Jefrem I Јефрем I Ephraem I		1389–1390	This was his second time as Patriarch.
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 Time the Ottomans Ended the Patriarchate (1463–1557)
The Patriarchate was empty because the Ottoman Empire ended it. Church leadership was given to the Archbishopric of Ohrid.
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
	Pavle I Павле I Paul I		1526–1541	He tried to bring back the Serbian Patriarchate several times. He succeeded for a short period.
Second Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1557–1766)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign	Notes
13	Makarije I Макарије I Macarius I		1557–1571	His main church was at Peć. His full title was "Archbishop of Peć and Patriarch of Serbs and Bulgarians". He was from Višegrad.
14	Antonije I Антоније I Anthony I		1571–1575	His last name was Sokolović.
15	Gerasim I Герасим I Gerasimus I		1575–1586	His last name was Sokolović.
16	Savatije I Саватије I Sabbatios I		1586	He was from Prijepolje.
17	Nikanor I Никанор I Nicanor I		1588	There are not many records about him.
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	His last name was Kantul.
21	Pajsije I Пајсије I Paisius I		1614–1647	He was from Janjevo.
22	Gavrilo I Гаврило I Gabriel I		1648–1655	He was from Štitkovo.
23	Maksim I Максим I Maxim I		1655–1674	He was from Skopje.
24	Arsenije III Арсеније III Arsenius III		1674–1690 (1706)	He led the First Serbian Migration into the Habsburg monarchy. After 1690, he organized and led the Serbian Church in the Habsburg Monarchy.
25	Kalinik I Калиник I Callinicus I		1691–1710	He was Greek. He kept the Serbian Patriarchate going during difficult times after the First Serbian Migration.
26	Atanasije I Атанасије I Athanasius I		1711–1712
27	Mojsije I Мојсије I Moses I		1712–1725	His last name was Rajović.
28	Arsenije IV Арсеније IV Arsenius IV		1725–1737	He led the Second Serbian Migration into the Habsburg monarchy. He was from Peć.
29	Joanikije III Јоаникије III Joannicius III		1739–1746	He was Greek. He later became the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
30	Atanasije II Атанасије II Athanasius II		1746–1752	He was from Skopje.
31	Gavrilo II Гаврило II Gabriel II		1752	He was from Sarajevo.
32	Gavrilo III Гаврило III Gabriel III		1752–1758
33	Vikentije I Викентије I Vicentius I		1758	His last name was Stefanović.
34	Pajsije II Пајсије II Paisius II		1758	He was Greek.
35	Gavrilo IV Гаврило IV Gabriel IV		1758	He was Greek.
36	Kirilo II Кирило II Cyril II		1758–1763
37	Vasilije Василије Basil		1763–1765
38	Kalinik II Калиник II Callinicus II		1765–1766	He was Greek. He stepped down as Patriarch, which effectively ended the position.
Second Time the Ottomans Ended the Patriarchate (1766–1920)
After the Ottoman Empire ended the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć for the second and last time in 1766, Serbian Orthodox people in the Ottoman Empire were under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1920. Because of the Great Turkish War, many Serbs moved to the Habsburg monarchy in 1690. This led to the creation of a church area (metropolitanate) in Karlovci in 1708. This area became a patriarchate in 1848. This was a reward to Serbs who supported the Habsburgs during the 1848–49 revolutions. After the Principality of Serbia was founded, the independent Metropolitanate of Belgrade was created in 1831. It was under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It became fully independent in 1879. In 1920, it joined with the Patriarchate of Karlovci and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro to form the united Serbian Orthodox Church.

Patriarchs (1920–Present)

Serbian Patriarchate of Belgrade (Peć) (1920–present)
No.	Primate	Portrait	Reign			Notes
39	Dimitrije Димитрије Demetrius		September 12, 1920	April 6, 1930	9 years, 6 months and 25 days	He was the first Patriarch of the reunited Serbian Church. His main church was in Belgrade. He was born as Dimitrije Pavlović.
40	Varnava Варнава Barnabas		May 12, 1930	July 23, 1937	7 years, 2 months and 11 days	He died under unclear circumstances. He was born as Petar Rosić.
41	Gavrilo V Гaврилo V Gabriel V		February 21, 1938	May 7, 1950	12 years, 2 months and 16 days	He was commonly known as Gavrilo. He was born as Gavrilo Dožić.
42	Vikentije II Викентије II Vicentius II		July 1, 1950	July 5, 1958	8 years and 4 days	He died under unclear circumstances. He was commonly known as Vikentije. He was born as Vitomir Prodanov.
43	German Герман Herman		September 14, 1958	November 30, 1990	32 years and 16 days	He was the longest-serving Patriarch. He was the only Patriarch to retire during his lifetime. He was born as Hranislav Đorić.
44	Pavle Павле Paul		December 1, 1990	November 15, 2009	18 years, 11 months and 14 days	He was born as Gojko Stojčević.
45	Irinej Иринеј Irenaeus		January 23, 2010	November 20, 2020	10 years, 9 months and 28 days	He was born as Miroslav Gavrilović.
46	Porfirije Порфирије Porphyrios		February 19, 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 4 months and 22 days (as of July 11, 2025)	He was born as Prvoslav Perić.