Eparchy of Braničevo is one of the eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...

, with the seat at Braničevo

Branicevo

Braničevo can refer to:* Braničevo , a geographical region in Serbia.* Braničevo District, a district in Serbia.* Braničevo , a village in Serbia, in the Golubac municipality....

, Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

.

History

It is mentioned for the first time in 878 as a bishopric. It continues the early Christian seats of Viminacium and Horreum Margi.

In 1018, the Bishopric is mentioned as part of the Constantinopolitan Archbishopric of Ochrid (Under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch) with seat at Braničevo (at the ruins of ancient Viminacium

Viminacium

Viminacium was a major city and military camp of the Roman province of Moesia , and the capital of Moesia Superior. The archeological site occupies a total of 450 hectares. Viminacium is located 12 km from Kostolac, was devastated by Huns in the 5th century, but rebuilt by Justinian...

, near Požarevac

Požarevac

Požarevac is a city and municipality in eastern Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Braničevo District of Serbia...

).
During the rule of Stefan Dragutin and Stefan Milutin, the Eparchy is part of the Serbian Archepiscopate.

It gained the status of Metropolitanate in 1346, during Dušan the Mighty.

The seat of the Metropolitanate is moved to Smederevo

Smederevo

Smederevo is a city and municipality in Serbia, on the right bank of the Danube, about 40 km downstream of the capital Belgrade. According to official results of the 2011 census, the city has a population of 107,528...

 between 1430/1434 and 1439, and since then, the bishops hold the titles "of Smederevo".

In 1705, the Smederevo Metropolitanate or Old Braničevo Eparchy, becomes part of the Metropolitanate of Belgrade

Metropolitanate of Belgrade

The Metropolitanate of Belgrade was a metropolitanate of the Orthodox Church that existed between 1766 and 1920. It was formed in 1766, when Patriarchate of Peć was abolished by the Ottoman Empire. The Metropolitanate of Belgrade existed until 1920, when it was merged with Patriarchate of Karlovci...

. It is resurrected in 1921 as the Eparchy of Braničevo, with seat in Požarevac

Požarevac

Požarevac is a city and municipality in eastern Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Braničevo District of Serbia...

.

Heads

• bishop of Braničevo - Agaton, 878
• metropolitan of Braničevo - Venijamin, 1416
• metropolitan of Braničevo - Savatije, 1434
• bishop of Smederevo - Jovan, 1466
• bishop of Braničevo - Mitrofan Rajić (1921—1930)
• bishop of Braničevo - Jovan Ilić (1931—1933)
• bishop of Braničevo - Venijamin Taušanović (1934—1959)
• bishop of Braničevo - Hrizostom Vojinović (1959—1989)
• bishop of Braničevo - Sava Andrić (1991—1993)
• bishop of Braničevo - Ignatije Midić, 1994- (current)