Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Territory | Parts ofMontenegro |
| Headquarters | Berane,Montenegro |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Sui iuris church | Serbian Orthodox Church |
| Established | 1219 (renewed in 2001) |
| Language | Church Slavonic andSerbian |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Metodije |
| Map | |
-en.svg) | |
| Website | |
| http://www.eparhija.me | |
TheEparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić orBudimlja–Nikšić (Serbian:Епархија будимљанско-никшићка / Eparhija budimljansko-nikšićka) is aneparchy (diocese) of theSerbian Orthodox Church, covering eastern, central, and western parts of modernMontenegro. The ecclesiastical seat of the eparchy is theMonastery of Đurđevi Stupovi inBerane. Since 2021 it has been headed byMetodije, bishop of Budimlja and Nikšić.[1]
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In 1219, theautocephaly of theEastern Orthodox Church inmedieval Serbia was established bySaint Sava, who was consecrated as the first Serbian archbishop by PatriarchManuel I of Constantinople and who was residing at that time inNicaea. On that occasion, the region ofBudimlja in the upperLim valley was detached from the oldEparchy of Raška, and on that territory the newEparchy of Budimlja was created, centered in theMonastery of Đurđevi Stupovi, previously founded by Stefan Prvoslav, cousin of Saint Sava.[2][3]
In 1346, the Serbian Archbishopric was raised to the rank ofpatriarchate, and on the same occasion the Eparchy of Budimlja was raised to the titular (honorary) rank ofmetropolitanate.[2] In the middle of the 15th century, during the Turkish invasion and conquest, several dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church suffered great devastation, including the Eparchy of Budimlja. The Serbian Patriarchate was renewed in 1557 by patriarchMakarije Sokolović,[4] with the Eparchy of Budimlja remaining under its jurisdiction.[5]
During theAustro-Turkish war (1683–1699) relations between Ottoman authorities and their Serbian subjects deteriorated further. As a result of Ottoman oppression and destruction of churches and monasteries,Serbian Christians and their church leaders, headed by Serbian PatriarchArsenije III, sided with the Austrians in 1689 and again in 1737 under Serbian PatriarchArsenije IV.[6] In the following punitive campaigns, the Ottoman armies conducted systematic atrocities against local Christian population in Serbian regions, including the region of Budimlja in the upper Lim valley, resulting inGreat Migrations of the Serbs.[7]
By that time, the Eparchy of Budimlja was abolished, and its territory incorporated into neighboring eparchies. In 1938, the historical title of bishops of Budimlja was renewed forauxiliary bishops, and the diocese itself was renewed in 1947 as theEparchy of Budimlja and Polimlje, and reorganized in 2001 as theEparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić.[8]
Today's Eparchy of Budimlja-Nikšić covers 12 municipalities of Montenegro:Andrijevica,Berane,Bijelo Polje,Žabljak,Mojkovac,Nikšić,Petnjica,Plav,Gusinje,Plužine,Rožaje, andŠavnik.
Titualar bishops of Budimlja (and Polimlje):
(Eparchy merged intoMetropolitanate of Montenegro, Brda and the Littoral)
Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić renewed in 2001:
Monasteries in the Budimlja-Nikšić diocese are:[9]