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List of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church facts for kids

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Patr.Porfirije (crop).jpg
Location
Ecclesiastical province Belgrade and Karlovci
Information
Established 1219 (Archbishopric)
1346 and 1920 (Patriarchate)

The Serbian Orthodox Church is a very old Christian church. Its leader is called the Serbian Patriarch. This article lists all the important leaders of the church, from when it became independent in 1219 until today.

The church started as an Archbishopric (led by an Archbishop) and later became a Patriarchate (led by a Patriarch). The current leader is Patriarch Porfirije. He became Patriarch on February 19, 2021. His official 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 Serbian Church became independent in 1219. This happened thanks to Saint Sava, who was its first Archbishop. In 1346, when Stefan Dušan became Emperor, he made the church's leader a Patriarch. This created the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć. Other Orthodox churches recognized this in 1375.

After the Ottoman conquest in 1459, the church faced many challenges. The Patriarchate was even abolished for a long time, from 1766 to 1920. During this time, other church leaders in places like Karlovci and Montenegro led parts of the Serbian Orthodox community.

In 1920, the church was reunited. The Patriarchate was brought back, and its main seat moved to Belgrade. Today, the Patriarch leads the Orthodox Church in the areas of the former Yugoslavia (except Macedonia). He also leads Serbian Orthodox communities around the world, including in Western Europe, Australia, and the Americas.

Understanding the Titles of Church Leaders

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church has a long official title. It is "Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch." For short, people just say "Serbian Patriarch."

Over history, the title has changed a bit. For example, Archbishop Sava was sometimes called "Archbishop of Serb Lands." Later, other Archbishops used titles like "Archbishop of All Serb and Littoral Lands."

Key to the Tables

     Considered a saint      Also led the church in the Habsburg Monarchy
     Also led the church in Belgrade before 1920      The current Serbian Patriarch

Archbishops (1219–1346)

These leaders guided the Serbian Church when it was an Archbishopric.

Serbian Archbishopric (1219–1346)
No. Leader Picture Years in Office Important Facts
1 Sava I
Сава I
Saint Sava, fresco from Mileševa
Saint Sava, the first Archbishop
1219–1233 First Archbishop of the independent Serbian Church.
2 Arsenije I
Арсеније I
Saint Arsenije I Sremac
Saint Arsenije I Sremac
1233–1263 A student of Sava I. Moved the church's main seat to Peć.
3 Sava II
Сава II
Loza Nemanjica Decani e 5
Sava II
1263–1271 Nephew of Sava I.
4 Danilo I
Данило I
No image
No image available
1271–1272 Served for a short time.
5 Joanikije I
Јоаникије I
No image
No image available
1272–1276 A student of Sava II.
No Archbishop from 1276–1279
6 Jevstatije I
Јевстатије I
Свјетлопис живописа Светог Јевстатија превлаког и надвладике србског у капели у порти храма Св. Јована Владимира у Бару
Saint Jevstatije I
1279 – 1286 Moved the seat back to Žiča briefly, then to Peć.
7 Jakov
Јаков
No image
No image available
1286–1292 Moved the church's seat to Peć permanently.
8 Jevstatije II
Јевстатије II
No image
No image available
1292–1309 Helped create seven new church regions.
9 Sava III
Сава III
No image
No image available
1309–1316 Known as "Archbishop of All Serb and Maritime Lands."
10 Nikodim I
Никодим I
Stefan Decanski Coronation
Nikodim I
1316–1324 Helped found a monastery.
11 Danilo II
Данило II
DaniloII
Danilo II
1324–1337 A writer of church history.
12 Joanikije II
Јоаникије II
Joanikije II
Joanikije II
1338 – 1346 Became the first Patriarch.

Patriarchs (1346–1766)

These leaders held the title of Patriarch during the first and second periods of the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć.

First Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1346–1463)
No. Leader Picture Years in Office Important Facts
1 Joanikije II
Јоаникије II
Joanikije II
Joanikije II
1346 – 1354 First Patriarch of the Serbian Church. Elevated during Emperor Dušan's coronation.
2 Sava IV
Сава IV
No image
No image available
1354–1375
3 Jefrem I
Јефрем I
Serbian Patriarch Jefrem
Patriarch Jefrem I
1375 – 1380 First time in office.
4 Spiridon I
Спиридон I
Serbian Patriarch Spiridon
Patriarch Spiridon I
1380 – 1389
(3) Jefrem I
Јефрем I
Serbian Patriarch Jefrem
Patriarch Jefrem I
1389–1390 Second time in office.
5 Danilo III
Данило III
Serbian Patriarch Danilo III
Patriarch Danilo III
1390–1396
6 Sava V
Сава V
No image
No image available
1396–1406
7 Danilo IV
Данило IV
No image
No image available
1406
8 Kirilo I
Кирило I
No image
No image available
1407–1419
9 Nikon I
Никон I
No image
No image available
1420–1435
10 Teofan I
Теофан I
No image
No image available
1435–1446
11 Nikodim II
Никодим II
No image
No image available
1446–1455
12 Arsenije II
Арсеније II
No image
No image available
1457–1463
First Ottoman Abolishment (1463–1557)
The Patriarchate was abolished by the Ottoman Empire during this time.
No. Leader Picture Years in Office Important Facts
Pavle I
Павле I
No image
No image available
1526–1541 Tried to bring back the Serbian Patriarchate.
Second Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (1557–1766)
No. Leader Picture Years in Office Important Facts
13 Makarije I
Макарије I
Makarije Sokolovic
Makarije I
1557–1571 The Patriarchate was restored during his time.
14 Antonije I
Антоније I
No image
No image available
1571–1575
15 Gerasim I
Герасим I
No image
No image available
1575–1586
16 Savatije I
Саватије I
Savatije Sokolović
Savatije I
1586
17 Nikanor I
Никанор I
No image
No image available
1588 Information about his time is limited.
18 Jerotej I
Јеротеј I
No image
No image available
1589–1590
19 Filip I
Филип I
No image
No image available
1591–1592
20 Jovan II
Јован II
Jovan Kantul, by Georgije Mitrofanović
Jovan II
1592–1613
21 Pajsije I
Пајсије I
PatrijarhPajsije
Patriarch Pajsije I
1614–1647
22 Gavrilo I
Гаврило I
No image
No image available
1648–1655
23 Maksim I
Максим I
No image
No image available
1655–1674
24 Arsenije III
Арсеније III
Arsenije III
Arsenije III
1674–1690 (1706) Led the First Serbian Migration to the Habsburg Monarchy.
25 Kalinik I
Калиник I
No image
No image available
1691–1710 A Greek leader who kept the Patriarchate going during difficult times.
26 Atanasije I
Атанасије I
No image
No image available
1711–1712
27 Mojsije I
Мојсије I
No image
No image available
1712–1724
28 Arsenije IV
Арсеније IV
Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta
Arsenije IV
1724–1737 Led the Second Serbian Migration to the Habsburg Monarchy.
29 Joanikije III
Јоаникије III
No image
No image available
1739–1746 A Greek leader who later became the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
30 Atanasije II
Атанасије II
No image
No image available
1746–1752
31 Gavrilo II
Гаврило II
No image
No image available
1752
32 Gavrilo III
Гаврило III
No image
No image available
1752–1758
33 Vikentije I
Викентије I
No image
No image available
1758
34 Pajsije II
Пајсије II
No image
No image available
1758 A Greek leader.
35 Gavrilo IV
Гаврило IV
No image
No image available
1758 A Greek leader.
36 Kirilo II
Кирило II
No image
No image available
1758–1763 A Greek leader.
37 Vasilije
Василије
No image
No image available
1763–1765
38 Kalinik II
Калиник II
No image
No image available
1765–1766 A Greek leader. He resigned, leading to the Patriarchate's abolition.
Second Ottoman Abolishment (1766–1920)
After 1766, the Ottoman Empire abolished the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć for the last time. Serbian Orthodox people were then under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople until 1920. Many Serbs moved to the Habsburg monarchy in 1690. This led to the creation of a church region in Karlovci in 1708. This region became a Patriarchate in 1848. When the Principality of Serbia was formed, the Metropolitanate of Belgrade was created in 1831. It became fully independent in 1879. In 1920, these different Serbian church regions reunited to form the modern Serbian Orthodox Church.

Patriarchs (1920–Present)

These are the Patriarchs of the reunited Serbian Orthodox Church, based in Belgrade.

No. Leader Picture Years in Office Important Facts
39 Dimitrije
Димитрије
Димитрије (Павловић)
Patriarch Dimitrije
1920 1930 9 years, 6 months and 25 days First Patriarch of the reunited Serbian Church.
40 Varnava
Варнава
Патриарх Варнава
Patriarch Varnava
1930 1937 7 years, 2 months and 11 days His death is still debated.
41 Gavrilo V
Гaврилo V
Патријарх Гаврило (Дожић)
Patriarch Gavrilo V
1938 1950 12 years, 2 months and 16 days
42 Vikentije II
Викентије II
Vikentije Prodanov
Patriarch Vikentije II
1950 1958 8 years and 4 days His death is also debated.
43 German
Герман
Patrijarh Srpski German by Stevan Kragujevic (cropped)
Patriarch German
1958 1990 32 years and 16 days Served the longest as Patriarch.
44 Pavle
Павле
Patrijarh Pavle
Patriarch Pavle
1990 2009 18 years, 11 months and 14 days
45 Irinej
Иринеј
Патриарх Сербский Ириней 2019
Patriarch Irinej
2010 2020 10 years, 9 months and 28 days
46 Porfirije
Порфирије
Patr.Porfirije (crop)
Patriarch Porfirije
2021 Incumbent 4 years, 5 months and 14 days
(as of 23 July 2025)
The current Serbian Patriarch.

Timeline of Recent Patriarchs

Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch Irinej, Serbian Patriarch Pavle, Serbian Patriarch German, Serbian Patriarch Vikentije II, Serbian Patriarch Gavrilo V, Serbian Patriarch Varnava, Serbian Patriarch Dimitrije, Serbian Patriarch

More About the Serbian Orthodox Church

  • Serbian Orthodox Church
  • Patriarchate of Peć (monastery)
  • Archbishopric of Belgrade and Karlovci
  • Metropolitanate of Belgrade
  • Metropolitanate of Karlovci
  • Patriarchate of Karlovci
  • Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
    • List of metropolitans of Montenegro
  • Religion in Serbia

Important Notes

  • The Ottoman rulers did not always officially recognize the title "Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch." However, church records still show these leaders as Patriarchs. They were seen as the protectors of the "throne of Saint Sava."
  • The Patriarchs hold the title of Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch. They are considered the successors to the Patriarchal throne of Peć. But the main office of the Patriarch is in Belgrade, Serbia.
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