Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić


Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić or Budimlja–Nikšić is an eparchy of the Serbian Orthodox Church, covering eastern, central, and western parts of modern Montenegro. The ecclesiastical seat of the eparchy is the Monastery of Đurđevi Stupovi in Berane. Since 2002 it has been headed by Joanikije Mićović, bishop of Budimlja and Nikšić.

History

In 1219, the autocephaly of the Eastern Orthodox Church in medieval Serbia was established by Saint Sava who was consecrated as first Serbian archbishop by Patriarch Manuel I of Constantinople, who was residing at that time in Nicaea. On that occasion, region of Budimlja in the upper Lim valley was detached from the old Eparchy of Raška, and on that territory new Eparchy of Budimlja was created, centered in the Monastery of Đurđevi Stupovi, previously founded by Stefan Prvoslav, cousin of Saint Sava.
In 1346, Serbian Archbishopric was raised to the rank of Patriarchate, and on the same occasion the Eparchy of Budimlja was raised to the titular rank of Metropolitanate. 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. Serbian Patriarchate was renewed in 1557 by patriarch Makarije Sokolović, with Eparchy of Budimlja remaining under its jurisdiction.
During the Austro-Turkish war 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 Patriarch Arsenije III sided with Austrians in 1689 and again in 1737 under Serbian Patriarch Arsenije IV. In the following punitive campaigns, Ottoman armies conducted systematic atrocities against local Christian population in Serbian regions, including the region of Budimlja in the upper Lim valley, resulting in Great Migrations of the Serbs.
By that time, the Eparchy of Budimlja was abolished, and its territory incorporated into neighboring eparchies. In 1938, historical title of bishops of Budimlja was renewed for auxiliary bishops, and the diocese itself was renewed in 1947, as Eparchy of Budimlja and Polimlje, and reorganized in 2001 as Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić.

Territory

Today's Eparchy of Budimlja-Nikšić contains 10 municipalities of Montenegro: Andrijevica, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Žabljak, Mojkovac, Nikšić, Plav, Plužine, Rožaje, and Šavnik.

Heads

Metropolitans of Budimlja:
Modern bishops:
Monasteries in the Budimlja-Nikšić diocese are: