Antonije Abramović (
Cyrillic
, bg, кирилица , mk, кирилица , russian: кириллица , sr, ћирилица, uk, кирилиця
, fam1 = Egyptian hieroglyphs
, fam2 = Proto-Sinaitic
, fam3 = Phoenician
, fam4 = G ...
: Антоније Абрамовић; 16 July 1919 – 18 November 1996) was an
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
archimandrite, who became the first primate of the canonically unrecognized
Montenegrin Orthodox Church
, image =
, imagewidth =
, type = Eastern Christian
, main_classification = Independent Eastern Orthodox
, scripture=Septuagint, New Testament, theology = Orthodox theology
, polity ...
, serving from 1993 to 1996. He was styled as ''His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro''.
Early life
Antonije was born Ilija Abramović in Orahovac, near
Kotor
Kotor (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative c ...
, on 16 July 1919. His father had recently moved to the
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
from the
Bjelice
Bjelice ( sr, Бјелице/Bjelice) is a historical region and tribe of the Katunska nahija region of Old Montenegro. The tribe was one of the largest traditional tribes of Old Montenegro and one of nine tribes of the Katunska nahija, along w ...
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...
in
Old Montenegro
Old Montenegro ( sr, Стара Црна Гора, Stara Crna Gora), also known as Montenegro proper ( sr, Права Црна Гора, Prava Crna Gora), or True Montenegro ( sr, Истинска Црна Гора, Istinska Crna Gora), is a ...
. His mother was from the town next to Orahovac,
Dobrota
Dobrota ( Montenegrin and Serbian: Доброта) is a town in the municipality of Kotor, Montenegro.
Although administratively a separate settlement, it is ''de facto'' a part of Kotor as it encompasses most of Kotor's residential area, whi ...
. After graduation from junior
gymnasium in Kotor in 1935, Abramović became a
novice
A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession
A profession is a field of work that has ...
at
Praskvica Monastery.
Monastic life at Visoki Dečani
He stayed at Praskvica until 1937, at which time he transferred to
Visoki Dečani
The Visoki Dečani Monastery ( sr, Манастир Високи Дечани, Manastir Visoki Dečani, sq, Manastiri i Deçanit) is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of ...
, where he completed the
monastic school
Monastic schools ( la, Scholae monasticae) were, along with cathedral schools, the most important institutions of higher learning in the Latin West from the early Middle Ages until the 12th century. Since Cassiodorus's educational program, the st ...
in 1941. The abbot there at the time was
Dionisije Milivojević
Dionisije Milivojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Дионисије Миливојевић; 26 July 1898 – 15 May 1979) was a Serbian Orthodox bishop who served as Bishop of America and Canada from 1939 to 1964.
In his youth, he was one of the leaders ...
, who was elected Bishop of North America by the
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
in 1939 and was sent to the United States to take up his post in 1940.
Antonije remained at
Visoki Dečani
The Visoki Dečani Monastery ( sr, Манастир Високи Дечани, Manastir Visoki Dečani, sq, Manastiri i Deçanit) is a medieval Serbian Orthodox Christian monastery located near Deçan, Kosovo. It was founded in the first half of ...
throughout
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, surviving at least one major raid by the
Balli Kombëtar
The Balli Kombëtar (literally ''National Front''), known as Balli, was an Albanian nationalist, collaborationist and anti-communist resistance movement during the Second World War. It was led by Ali Këlcyra and by Midhat Frashëri. The movem ...
. He was ordained to the priesthood and became a
hieromonk
A hieromonk ( el, Ἱερομόναχος, Ieromonachos; ka, მღვდელმონაზონი, tr; Slavonic: ''Ieromonakh'', ro, Ieromonah), also called a priestmonk, is a monk who is also a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church and E ...
in November 1941 in the
Cathedral of Saint George in
Prizren
)
, settlement_type = Municipality and city
, image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg
, imagesize = 290px
, image_caption = View of Prizren
, image_alt = View of Prizren
, image_flag ...
. Abramović was
tonsure
Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...
d to the
little schema in April 1943 in Dečani and took on the name of Antonije, in honor of
St. Anthony of Rome. He was elevated to the title of
hegumen
Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen ( el, ἡγούμενος, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called a hegumenia ...
in August 1950 in Dečani. Concurrently, Abramović enrolled at the
Prizren Seminary in 1947 and graduated in 1951.
Career in the SOC and contact with the Yugoslav state apparatus
From October 1955 to January 1956, Abramović was the acting abbot of the
Patriarchate of Peć Patriarchate of Peć may refer to:
* Patriarchate of Peć (monastery), Eastern Orthodox Patriarchal Monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church, near the city of Peć
* Serbian Patriarchate of Peć
The Serbian Patriarchate of Peć ( sr, Српс ...
monastery. In 1957, he studied a theological course in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
at the invitation of the dissident Metropolitan
Leontius Turkevich, during which he performed priestly service at a church in
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
. During this time, he was entering financial hardships and the
State Secretariat for Foreign Affairs wrote to the Religious Commission of the
Federal Executive Council (SIV) in May 1957 requesting that he be awarded a monthly stipend of $75–100 due to his "useful and positive attitude about our country" which would be "useful for keeping contact with protestants and other religious groups in America".
After that, he was the abbot of
Rakovica Monastery until July 1959, when he became the abbot of
Savina Monastery in his native
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral
The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr, Митрополија црногорско-приморска Српске православне цркве, Mitropolija crnogorsko-primorska Srpske pravoslav ...
. Soon after the consecration of the new Metropolitan of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, Danilo Dajković, in December 1961, Abramović was transferred to the
Eparchy of Banja Luka
The Eparchy of Banja Luka ( sr, Епархија бањалучка) is an eparchy (diocese) of the Serbian Orthodox Church with its seat in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has jurisdiction over the north-western regions of Bosnia and Her ...
where he became the abbot of Moštanica Monastery.
Service in the Orthodox Church in America (Metropolia)
In mid 1962, Abramović left socialist
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
for Greece, and from there emigrated to Canada a year later. He settled in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, where he was received into the
Diocese of Canada of the
Russian Orthodox Church in America, then known informally as the ''Metropolia''. He was offered the position of assistant to the parish priest of St. Peter and St. Paul Russian Orthodox Church on Champlain Street.
At that time, Bishop
Dionisije Milivojević
Dionisije Milivojević (Serbian Cyrillic: Дионисије Миливојевић; 26 July 1898 – 15 May 1979) was a Serbian Orthodox bishop who served as Bishop of America and Canada from 1939 to 1964.
In his youth, he was one of the leaders ...
went into schism with the SOC and immediately recruited Antonije. Dionisije made him a parish priest in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
in 1963, and he stayed there for less than a year before he was forced to return to Montreal. He was again received by the St. Peter and St. Paul Russian Orthodox Church on Champlain Street. After his return to Montreal, Bishop Sylvester Haruns sent him sometimes to serve in Saint Seraphim's Church in
Rawdon, Quebec
Rawdon is a municipality located on the Ouareau River in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about 60 kilometres north of Montreal. It is the seat for the Matawinie Regional County Municipality, Regional County Municipality of Matawinie, in the Lanaudiè ...
.
In June 1968, Abramović contacted the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral led by Metropolitan Danilo Dajković. He requested that he be allowed to perform service at Savina Monastery, and Dajković promised to allow it if Abramović could present the approval of his superior, Bishop
Sava Vuković. However, Sava replied that Abramović had followed the schismatic Bishop Dionisije, and was currently part of a Russian church. The SOC retracted their promise.
After 1970, Abramović, now elevated to the dignity of archimandrite, also was sent to
Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, in order to serve at the Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas. Abramović retired as an
archimandrite
The title archimandrite ( gr, ἀρχιμανδρίτης, archimandritēs), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot (''hegumenos'', gr, ἡγούμενος, present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") who ...
. In January 1993, he was recalled from retirement by Bishop
Seraphim Storheim
Monk Seraphim (born Kenneth William Storheim; 25 January 1946) is a defrocked hierarch for the Orthodox Church in America. During 1990-2010 he served as head of the Archdiocese of Canada with the title Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada
Life
Kennet ...
of Canada and appointed to serve as a priest in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
.
[Archdiocese of Canada - Orthodox Church in America: Major Pastoral Acts, 1993](_blank)
/ref> In July 1993, Bishop Seraphim wrote to Abramović to inform him that he was to be appointed Bishop's Vicar for monasticism in Canada effective 1 August 1993, but by that time he was already set to return to Montenegro.
Leadership of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church
In October 1993, archimandrite Abramović arrived in Montenegro, responding to the invitation of several groups and organizations, including the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro
Liberal Alliance of Montenegro ( cnr, italic=no, Liberalni savez Crne Gore - LSCG; Либерални савез Црне Горе - ЛСЦГ) was a Montenegrin separatist, liberal and anti-war political party, active between 1990 and 2005. The ...
. His intention to support the proclamation of an independent Montenegrin Orthodox Church
, image =
, imagewidth =
, type = Eastern Christian
, main_classification = Independent Eastern Orthodox
, scripture=Septuagint, New Testament, theology = Orthodox theology
, polity ...
became known to the leadership of the Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches.
The majori ...
. Learning that Abramović was a cleric of the Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian church based in North America. The OCA is partly recognized as Autocephaly, autocephalous and consists of more than 700 parishes, missions, commun ...
, the SOC contacted the Primate of the OCA, Metropolitan Theodosius Lazor, on 27 October 1993 telling him that the autocephalists in Montenegro represented "a party of liberals, former communists and Albanians (both Catholic and Muslim)". Theodosius acted swiftly and on 29 October Abramović was suspended from all priestly functions. Theodosius denied that the episcopal see of "vicar bishop of Edmonton" that Abramović had claimed existed. He was recalled to Canada and told to meet his superior, Bishop Seraphim Storheim, in Ottawa to explain himself.
In spite of that, Abramović was elected as the first head of the newly proclaimed Montenegrin Orthodox Church, at an ''ad hoc'' meeting held by his supporters on 31 October 1993 in Cetinje
Cetinje (, ) is a town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital (''prijestonica'' / приjестоница) of Montenegro and is the location of several national institutions, including the official residence of the president of Montenegro ...
. He was issued a charter by the ''Committee for the Restoration of an Autocephalous Montenegrin Orthodox Church'', signed by its president Dragoje Živković. The Committee denied the validity of Metropolitan Theodosius' fax and claimed it was really sent from Kotor by rector of the Cetinje Orthodox Seminary Momčilo Krivokapić.
On 13 November, the state-owned daily ''Pobjeda
Pobjeda ( cyrl, Пoбjeдa, , lit. "The Victory") ( MNSENIPO is a Montenegrin daily newspaper. Having been published for 75 years, it is the oldest Montenegrin newspaper still in circulation; in the media, it is also the oldest Montenegrin activ ...
'' published an official statement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
(MUP) stating that the State Security Service (SDB) had information on Abramović's "lewd activities, based on the statements of the persons injured and findings of medical facilities", and alleged he was left unprosecuted and given the right to leave the country because of his ties to the SDB at the time. The MUP described a police interview they held in the lead-up to the meeting in Cetinje with Bobo Bogdanović, a representative of the committee, and Abramović. They stated that they "thought it was only fair to let Mr Abramović know that this information and these documents were known not only to the SDB, but to the people that sustained not only injuries but violations of dignity from these acts, before he accept any public position". They denied Bogdanović's claim that Abramović was pressured or that he was threatened with liquidation. There is no substantial proof that Abramović was a homosexual, despite these allegations and it being "common knowledge" within the SOC.
On 25 November, the SOC wrote to Metropolitan Theodosius that, despite his suspension, Abramović continued to present himself as vicar bishop, presenting a letter of support from archpriest
The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogous ...
John Tkachuk, the validity of which the SOC put into question, and continued to perform baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
in Montenegro. On 30 November, Metropolitan Theodosius informed the SOC as well as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of th ...
Bartholomew I
Bartholomew I ( el, Βαρθολομαῖος Αʹ, , tr, I. Bartholomeos; born 29 February 1940) is
the 270th archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, since 2 November 1991. In accordance with his title, he is regarded as the '' ...
that the "elderly and deluded" Abramović "was falsely representing himself as an auxiliary (Vicar) bishop of Edmonton (Canada)" since he "was never consecrated" as such. He began the canonical process to formally depose Abramović from the clergy.
Abramović went to Canada, but returned to Montenegro on the eve of Orthodox Christmas on 6 January 1994. This decision was controversial, and the General Secretary of the Committee for the Restoration of an Autocephalous Montenegrin Orthodox Church Stevo Vučinić was opposed, considering it imperative to try to avoid Abramović's deposition from the clergy of the OCA. He blamed Bobo Bogdanović and considered bringing Abramović to Cetinje while his position in the OCA was in jeopardy an attempt to score "cheap political points". Leader of the Liberal Party of Montenegro Slavko Perović
Slavko Perović (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Славко Перовић; born 2 August 1954) is a Montenegrin politician. He is best known as a co-founder and former leader of Liberal Alliance of Montenegro (LSCG), former party that was fighting for in ...
had a similar stance on the issue, which he stated in an open letter printed in the party newspaper ''Liberal'' on 9 January.
On 17 February 1994, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Canada Georgije Đokić
Georgije Đokić (Serbian Cyrillic: Георгије Ђокић; born May 6, 1949) is a retired Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the aut ...
wrote to the OCA with the information that, despite his suspension, Abramović continued to serve as a priest at the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Montreal. After initial denial, the OCA found that Archbishop Sylvester Haruns had indeed allowed Abramović to serve the Paschal Vigil
Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this liturgy that people are ba ...
. He was declared to be self-deposed by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America, effective 1 May 1994.
After this, Abramović traveled with Bogdanović and Vučinić to Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
to try to convince the then canonically unrecognized Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid (MOC-AO; mk, Македонска православна црква – Охридска архиепископија), or simply the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) or the Archdiocese o ...
to consecrate him as a bishop. They rejected out of fear of direct confrontation with the SOC. In late 1994, Abramović repeatedly announced he would be consecrated by an unnamed canonical church.
The Serbian Patriarch
This article lists the heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Serbian Ortho ...
Pavle Pavle ( Macedonian and sr-cyr, Павле; ka, პავლე) is a Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian and Georgian male given name corresponding to English Paul; the name is of biblical origin (cf. Saint Paul).
People known mononymously as Pavle in ...
wrote to the OCA on 17 February 1995 stating that Abramović continued to appear wearing archbishop's ornate, was performing baptism in Montenegro, was trying to convince the clergy of the SOC to join the MOC and was searching for someone in the world who would proclaim him bishop. Metropolitan Theodosius wrote to Pavle telling him that Abramović was excommunicated
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
on 22 March at the spring session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA meeting in Oyster Bay Cove, New York
Oyster Bay Cove is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village located within the Oyster Bay (town), New York, Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island, Long island, in New York (state), New York. The ...
and was given a judgment of "complete expulsion from the Church".
In spite of this, Abramović continued his service as the head of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. He wrote to Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Milo Đukanović
Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister o ...
setting out the historical claims of the church in June 1996. Soon after, however, Abramović fell into ill-health and his activities were much limited.
Death
On 3 November 1996, Abramović sustained a heart attack. He died on 18 November of the same year in Podgorica
Podgorica (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; Literal translation, lit. 'under the hill') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd ...
and was buried in Cetinje. Abramović was succeeded by Mihailo Dedeić in 1997.
Legacy
The emergence of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church in 1993 was seen by researches as an indicative part of wider ethnoreligious and political processes that were occurring in Montenegro after the breakup of former Yugoslavia.
Media in Serbia have accused the government currently in power, headed by Milo Đukanović
Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister o ...
, of planning to "rob" the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro of its assets, and hand them over to the minor and unrecognized Montenegrin Orthodox Church. The SOC is the largest denomination in multi-ethnic Montenegro, but its relations with the pro-Western government have always been poor. The government considers the Church hostile to the independence of the country, and generally too pro-Serbian and pro-Russian. The Church accuses the government of trying routinely to undermine it and strip the country of its Serbian heritage.
See also
* Montenegrin Orthodox Church
, image =
, imagewidth =
, type = Eastern Christian
, main_classification = Independent Eastern Orthodox
, scripture=Septuagint, New Testament, theology = Orthodox theology
, polity ...
* Miraš Dedeić
Mihailo Dedeić ( cyrl, Михаило Дедеић; born 8 November 1938) commonly referred to by his birth name Miraš Dedeić ( cyrl, Мираш Дедеић), is the second and current head of the non-canonical Montenegrin Orthodox Church. Si ...
References
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Abramović, Antonije
1919 births
1996 deaths
Archbishops of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church
Montenegrin nationalists
Montenegrin Orthodox Church
People from Kotor
Clergy from Cetinje