Pajsije Janjevac Пајсије Јањевац | |
|---|---|
 Icon of Serbian Patriarch Pajsije Janjevac | |
| Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch | |
| Born | 1542? Janjevo,Ottoman Empire, (modern dayKosovo) |
| Died | 2 November 1647 (aged 104–105?) |
| Church | Serbian Orthodox Church |
| Metropolis | Serbian Patriarchate of Peć |
| See | Patriarchal Monastery of Peć |
| Installed | 1614 |
| Term ended | 1647 |
| Predecessor | Jovan |
| Successor | Gavrilo I |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Rum Millet (Ottoman) |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox Christian |
| Occupation | Spiritual leader of theSerbian Orthodox Church |
Pajsije of Janjevo (Serbian:Пајсије Јањевац / Pajsije Janjevac;Janjevo, 1542? –Peć, 2 November 1647) was theArchbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch from 1614 to 1647, seated at thePatriarchal Monastery of Peć.[1] He was also a writer, poet,composer, educator, and diplomat.[2]
The greatest accomplishment of Serbian literature and theology happened under Patriarch Pajsije who inspired the revival ofhagiographical literature and entered into theological debates withPope Gregory XV and particularly withPope Urban VIII concerning the question of the procession of the Holy Spirit. He patronized art on a grand scale. He funded works by woodcarvers oficonostasis and icon painters during his entire reign as patriarch from 1614 to 1648. His travels took him toMoscow in 1622,Constantinople in 1641, andJerusalem in 1646.
He was born inJanjevo, at the time part of theOttoman Empire, the son of aclergyman, Dimitrije. He was educated in his birth town where the wealthy folks of Janjevo had their school which he attended regularly and continued his education at theseminary ofGračanica monastery. He was a pupil ofJovan Kantul. Early in life he showed that he was a great "book lover" and a very cultured man who took care to preserve manuscripts scattered about various monasteries. He was a writer. Patriarch Pajsije states in one of his works, "Service to Tsar Uroš" (Stefan Uroš V), he put in it "Troparion" and "Kontakion"—writing first theSticheron of the small vespers .... "all in the order required by liturgy."
Pajsije was electedMetropolitan of Novo Brdo and Lipljan in 1612. He was consecrated by Patriarch Jovan II Kantul and the Metropolitans of Sentence Synod on July 15, 1612. Today, there still exists one document in which he signed his name as "Humble Pajsije, Metropolitan of Novo Brdo." When Patriarch Jovan left for Constantinople in 1614, he appointed Pajsije aslocum tenens. Patriarch Jovan was accused by the sultan's court for collaborating with theHoly Roman Empire and sentenced to death. This occurred four years prior to theThirty Years' War.
When the news of Jovan's sentence arrived inPeć, Pajsije was elected patriarch on October 4, 1614. The new patriarch soon established relations withTsardom of Russia. His name appeared in Russian state documents beginning in 1622 during the reign ofPatriarch Philaret of Moscow and his son, EmperorMichael I of Russia. Pajsije often traveled. He visited the half-devastatedŽiča Monastery in 1620 and began its repair. He visitedBelgrade in 1632 andŠišatovac Monastery, which contains the relics of SaintStefan Štiljanović on October 7, 1632. The patriarch, together with Jeftimije, Metropolitan of Niš and Leskovac, also visited Bishop Maxim Predojević of theEparchy of Marča in Austro-Hungary (today's Croatia).
The militant policy of Patriarch Jovan ended with his mysterious death inConstantinople (Istanbul) but his successor, Pajsije adopted a more passive policy with both the Turks in Constantinople and the Pope inRome. Pajsije realized that open rebellion could not set things right. Very early on he turned for aid tothe Tsardom of Russia which had for a while already been a source of literary (service books) and some financial support. As the head of the Church, he worked earnestly to strengthen the faltering spirit of the nation through the constant celebration of liturgy and intense writing. He wrote a biography about the last Serbian emperor,Stefan Uroš V, and composed a Service to him. In his "Life of Emperor Uroš", Pajsije sought to connect this ruler to the uninterrupted line of Serbian history. His work started with theNemanjić ancestry and continued to own time, with Uroš's life representing only one episode. In the book, Pajsije himself reveals his larger ambition:"It was my desire to understand and learn this: whence the Serbs originated, and for what purpose".
He also wrote the Service to St. Symon (Stefan the First-Crowned) and his successor,Gavrilo I (1648–1655) who, likeJovan Kantul, would die a martyr's death while in Turkish captivity inBursa in 1659.
Pajsije's policy towards the Turks was compromising and always changing with every newSultan. He outlived four of them, (Ahmed I,Mustafa I,Osman II andMurad IV). He also contemplated the question of union with theRoman Catholic Church informingPope Urban VIII about the main obstacles separating Catholics and Orthodox faithful alike.
In November 1642, a Roman Catholic emissary,Francesco Leonardi (missionary), arrived in Peć. In the pope's name, he tried to start negotiations towards a union. Patriarch Pajsije, together with two bishops, discussed this with him. Pajsije was strongly against thefilioque. He was ready to recognize the pope'sprimatum honoris, but only if the pope gave up thefilioque,azyme, and other new teachings. This was stated in a synodical letter that was sent to Rome. At the time, theRoman Curia had a program of compulsory conversion to Catholicism that would transfer Serbs into Croats by first having them join theUniate Church, like inKiev. In 1640, the Vatican's Sacred Congregation for the Propaganda of the Faith (Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples) sought to gainMardarije Kornečanin of Montenegro and Patriarch Pajsije, to the church union. Mardarije was also in favour of placing Montenegro underVenetiansuzerainty. On the other hand, Pajsije's policy was far more prudent,[according to whom?] his goal being that of balancing his nation's best interests between the East and the West.
With a conciliatory policy, Pajsije managed to alleviate the hardship of slavery and promote the Serbian spiritual and national revival, constantly reminding his people of their glorious past and Serbian statehood. By his wise policy and correct relationship towards Serbian cultural inheritance, Patriarch Pajsije succeeded in creating an atmosphere which produced an unexpected enthusiasm for building and decorating temples.[according to whom?] He did not forgetNiš, as well. In 1647, in his last days of life, he noted in the book that he was always carrying with himself - "Peć Memorabilia: Dorotej, Niš". The question has remained unanswered whether he visitedNiš with the mentionedDorotej or he may have sent his assistant Dorotej to Niš. Nevertheless, this is a valuable document and an important confirmation of the enlightened activities of Patriarch Pajsije in the area of Niš.[according to whom?] His presence at Niš, as well as throughout theSerbian Patriarchate of Peć, contributed to the revival of cultural and religious life. His activities in the Niš region are reflected in the construction and restoration of Serbian churches and monasteries, as well as in the work of producing book, printing and publishing. In the seventeenth century, Patriarch Pajsije made great efforts to save older manuscripts, which he himself rebound and placed in safer monasteries or returned to their owners.
Patriarch Pajsije used his time in rebuilding and repairing churches, transliterating, and translating books. The church inMorača Monastery was painted in 1614 by Hilandar monks. Serbian noblemen rebuilt theDobrilovina Monastery in 1614 and its church in Čukojevac. The patriarch was an avid book collector. Western diplomats who traveled to theSoutheastern Europe bore witness that theSerbian Patriarchate of Peć was well-organized.[according to whom?]
He canonized the last ruler from the Nemanjići dynasty, EmperorStefan Uroš V. Patriarch Pajsije was forced to visit Constantinople in 1641 to obtain protection from local Turkish governors.
Pajsije was wounded by a bull in the village ofBudosavci. He died a few days later on November 2, 1647, and was buried inPatriarchal Monastery of Peć.
| Eastern Orthodox Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Serbian Patriarch 1614–1647 | Succeeded by |
|  | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Related articles |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Medieval literature | ||
| Pre-19th century | ||
| 19th century |
| |
| 20th century |
| |
| Contemporary | ||
| Literary awards | ||
|  | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
