Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina
Encyclopedia
The Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina (Serbian Cyrillic: Епархија захумско-херцеговачка) is an eparchy
(diocese
) of the Serbian Orthodox Church
with its seat in Mostar
, temporarily transferred to the Tvrdoš monastery
near Trebinje
, Republika Srpska
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
.
In 1089, the see of Trebinje (Travunia) was briefly theoretically under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Bar.
and Herzegovina
was originally founded in 1219, by Saint Sava
, the same year the Serbian Orthodox Church acquired its autocephaly
status from Constantinople. Thus, it was one of the original Serb Orthodox bishoprics. The first bishop of Hum was Ilarion, succeeded by Sava II (son of Stefan Prvovenčani), Jovan, Danilo and Stefan.
The original seat of the Diocese of Hum, as it was called in 1219, was in Ston
, in the church of the Most Holy Theotokos (Пресвете Богородице). Following an earthquake in the Hum capital of Ston, the Orthodox bishop of Hum moved to the church of St Peter and St Paul built on the Lim River near the Serbian border in the 1250s.
The church in Ston was taken over by the Roman Catholic Church
in the 15th century after the region was included in the fiercely Roman Catholic Ragusan Republic.
When Hum was taken over by the Bosnian ban in the 14th century, the see of the eparchy was moved to the Mileševa Monastery
. In the 15th century, it became the Diocese of Herzegovina
, in line with the regions new name given to it by its ruler, the Herceg of Saint Sava, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača
. The Bishop of Hercegovina crowned King Tvrtko I in Mileševa in 1377 as King of Serbs and all of Bosnia and Hum.
Following the fall of Herzegovina under Turkish
rule, the See was frequently moved, finally to settle in Monastery Tvrdoš
near Trebinje
. Following that final move, the following Bishops of the Diocese of Zahumlje and Herzegovina are known: Jovan (1508–1513) and Visarion, restorers of Monastery Tvrdoš (1508); then Marko (1524), Maksim (1532), Nikanor (1546), Antonije (1570), Savatije (1573–1585), Visarion (1592), Silvestar (1602) and Leontije (1605–1611).
Eventually, the Diocese was split with the Diocese of Mileševa breaking off.
Eparchy
Eparchy is an anglicized Greek word , authentically Latinized as eparchia and loosely translating as 'rule over something,' like province, prefecture, or territory, to have the jurisdiction over, it has specific meanings both in politics, history and in the hierarchy of the Eastern Christian...
(diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
) 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 its seat in Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, temporarily transferred to the Tvrdoš monastery
Tvrdoš
Tvrdoš is a 15th-century Serb Orthodox monastery near the city of Trebinje, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 4th-century foundations of the first Roman church on the site are still visible today....
near Trebinje
Trebinje
Trebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
, Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
.
Early
The region was under the Metropolitanate of Durazzo, which in turn was under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of ConstantinopleEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , part of the wider Orthodox Church, is one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
.
In 1089, the see of Trebinje (Travunia) was briefly theoretically under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Bar.
Middle Ages (Post-Autocephaly)
The Eparchy of ZahumljeZahumlje
Zachlumia or Zahumlje was a medieval principality located in modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia...
and Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
was originally founded in 1219, by Saint Sava
Saint Sava
Saint Sava was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law and literature, and a diplomat. Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić , the youngest son of Serbian Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja , and ruled the appanage of Hum briefly in...
, the same year the Serbian Orthodox Church acquired its autocephaly
Autocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
status from Constantinople. Thus, it was one of the original Serb Orthodox bishoprics. The first bishop of Hum was Ilarion, succeeded by Sava II (son of Stefan Prvovenčani), Jovan, Danilo and Stefan.
The original seat of the Diocese of Hum, as it was called in 1219, was in Ston
Ston
Ston is a village and municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. The town of Ston is the center of the Ston municipality.- Demographics :...
, in the church of the Most Holy Theotokos (Пресвете Богородице). Following an earthquake in the Hum capital of Ston, the Orthodox bishop of Hum moved to the church of St Peter and St Paul built on the Lim River near the Serbian border in the 1250s.
The church in Ston was taken over by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the 15th century after the region was included in the fiercely Roman Catholic Ragusan Republic.
When Hum was taken over by the Bosnian ban in the 14th century, the see of the eparchy was moved to the Mileševa Monastery
Mileševa monastery
Mileševa is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Prijepolje, in southwest Serbia. It was founded by King Vladislav, in the years between 1234 and 1236...
. In the 15th century, it became the Diocese of Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
, in line with the regions new name given to it by its ruler, the Herceg of Saint Sava, Stjepan Vukčić Kosača
Stjepan Vukcic Kosaca
Stjepan Vukčić Kosača was a Herzegovina nobleman. He was a member of the House of Kosača, a Grand Duke of Herzegovina, Lord of Zahumlje and Primorje and also Herzog of Serbian Saint Sava...
. The Bishop of Hercegovina crowned King Tvrtko I in Mileševa in 1377 as King of Serbs and all of Bosnia and Hum.
Following the fall of Herzegovina under Turkish
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
rule, the See was frequently moved, finally to settle in Monastery Tvrdoš
Tvrdoš
Tvrdoš is a 15th-century Serb Orthodox monastery near the city of Trebinje, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 4th-century foundations of the first Roman church on the site are still visible today....
near Trebinje
Trebinje
Trebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
. Following that final move, the following Bishops of the Diocese of Zahumlje and Herzegovina are known: Jovan (1508–1513) and Visarion, restorers of Monastery Tvrdoš (1508); then Marko (1524), Maksim (1532), Nikanor (1546), Antonije (1570), Savatije (1573–1585), Visarion (1592), Silvestar (1602) and Leontije (1605–1611).
Eventually, the Diocese was split with the Diocese of Mileševa breaking off.
Heads
| Picture | Name | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilarion of Hum | 1219 | First bishop. | |
| Sava II | -1264 | Son of Stephen the First-Crowned | |
| Jevstatije | 1300 | ||
| Jovan | 1305 | ||
| Danilo | 1316–1324 | ||
| Stefan | ? | ||
| Jovan and Visarion | 1508-1513 | ||
| Marko | 1524 | ||
| Maksim | 1532 | ||
| Nikanor | 1546 | ||
| Antonije | 1570 | ||
| Savatije | 1573–1585 | ||
| Visarion | 1592 | ||
| Silvestar | 1602 | ||
| Leontije | 1605-1611 | ||
| Basil of Ostrog | 1639–1649 | Saint Serbian Saints Over the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the church has had many people who were venerated to sainthood. The list below is made up of Holy Serbs and their feast days - according to the Gregorian calendar.-Serbian Saints:... |
See also
- List of the Eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church
- History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (958–1463)
External links
- Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina (in Serbian)