Sofronije Podgoričanin

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Sofronije Podgoričanin (Podgorica, Ottoman Empire, today's Montenegro, 1668 – Sremski Karlovci, Austrian Empire, 7 January 1711) was the Metropolitan of Karlovac (Krušedol) and, therefore, one of the important metropolitans of the Serbian Orthodox Church of the time.[1][2] Sofronije succeeded Isaija Đaković, an exarch of the Patriarch of Peć.[3]

Sofronije Podgoričanin was born in Podgorica in what is now Montenegro but was then part of the Ottoman Empire. He joined the monastic order as a youngster at a monastery and later, after completing his theological studies in Peć, was elevated through the ranks. Sofronije became an archimandrite at the Patriarchate of Peć and when Bishop Jovan of Papraća Monastery died in 1694, he was named the monastery's administrator and exarch of Patriarch Arsenije III Čarnojević.[4] With the patriarch, he migrated north to the Serbian territories, then under Austrian and Hungarian rule.[5]

After bishop Petronije Ljubibratić died and his brother Janićije (Ljubibratić) succeeded him in the Eparchy of Slavonia,[6] it was Sofronije Podgoričanin who was named successor by Arsenije III.[7]

In 1703 the Hungarians, under the leadership of their famous Transylvanian Prince Francis II Rákóczi, rebelled against the Austrians, demanding Hungarian independence from the Habsburg Monarchy. It was only then that Vienna eased the pressure on the Serbs, hoping to pacify them because of Austria's need for assistance in dealings with Hungarians. In this political game of chess between Vienna and the Serbs, no opportunities were missed by Patriarch Arsenije III to replace the Uniate Bishop of Pakrac with Bishop Sofronije Podgoričanin, in 1705.[8]The following year, Patriarch Arsenije III sent the Austrian Emperor a written request that the Serbian Orthodox church, political, economic and military rights be spared further restrictions. And so, in 1706, Emperor Joseph I (1705-1711) reconfirmed the privileges granted Serbs by Leopold I.

The second Krušedol sabor of 1710 in order to elect a replacement for Isaija Đaković who died in 1708. The newly elected Metropolitan Sofronije Podgoričanin was prevented by the Austrians from giving his oath of allegiance to the Peć Patriarch. However, Patriarch Kalinik I (1691-1710) gave his blessings as well as an official scroll confirming the Metropolitan of Krušedol, and at the same time, extended to him and his See, a form of autonomy. Despite Vienna's constant meddling in Serb affairs, the Serb Orthodox were slowly entrenching their communal organizations and settling themselves permanently. Unfortunately, the early death of Metropolitan Sofronije prompted another calling of a third assembly (sabor) in April 1713, in Sremski Karlovci. For two years again, the Church was leaderless until Vikentije Popović-Hadžilavić (1713-1725) was elected.

Sofronije Podgoričanin is remembered as a defender of Serbian interests in the Pakrac region during the reign of Joseph I.[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Bataković, Dušan (December 10, 2005). Histoire du peuple serbe. L'AGE D'HOMME. ISBN 9782825119587 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Burgess, Michael (September 10, 1995). Lords temporal and lords spiritual: a chronological checklist of the popes, patriarchs, katholikoi, and independent archbishops and metropolitans of the autocephalcus monarchical churches of the Christian East and West. Borgo Press. ISBN 9780893703264 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Cirkovic, Sima M. (April 15, 2008). The Serbs. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781405142915 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Stanojević, Stanoje (December 10, 1925). "Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatsko-slovenac̆ka". Izdavac̆: Bibliografski zavod d.d. – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Stanojević, Stanoje (1925). "Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatsko-slovenac̆ka".
  6. ^ "Episkopi". June 7, 2015.
  7. ^ "Marulić". Hrvatsko književno društvo sv. Ćirila i Metoda. December 10, 1991 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Stanojević, Stanoje (1925). "Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatsko-slovenac̆ka".
  9. ^ Kaurić, Vijoleta Herman; Penava, Šimun; povijest, Hrvatski institut za (December 10, 2003). Krhotine povijesti Pakraca: povijest naselja od prapovijesti do 1918. godine. Hrvatski institut za povijest. ISBN 9789536659159 – via Google Books.
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