Amfilohije Radović
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Amfilohije ( sr-Cyrl, Амфилохије; , English: Amphilochius; born Risto Radović, 7 January 193830 October 2020) was a bishop of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
, theologian, university professor, author and translator. He was first the Bishop of Banat between 1985 and 1990, and then the Metropolitan Bishop of Montenegro and the Littoral from 1990, until his death. As the metropolitan bishop, he was the
primate Primates is an order (biology), order of mammals, which is further divided into the Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, which include lemurs, galagos, and Lorisidae, lorisids; and the Haplorhini, haplorhines, which include Tarsiiformes, tarsiers a ...
of the
Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro Eastern Orthodoxy in Montenegro refers to adherents, religious communities, institutions and organizations of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Montenegro. It is the largest Christian denomination in the country. According to the latest 2023 Census ...
. He was one of the most influential leaders of the Serbian Church, and was among the three candidates for the
Serbian patriarch This is a list of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an Autocephaly, autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Se ...
ate both in 1990 and 2010. Amfilohije's honorary and liturgical title was: His Grace,
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of
Cetinje Cetinje ( cnr-Cyrl, Цетиње, ) is a List of cities and towns in Montenegro, town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital ( cnr-Latn-Cyrl, prijestonica, приjестоница, separator=" / ") of Montenegro and is the location of sev ...
, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, of
Zeta Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
, Brda (the Highlands) and the Skenderija, and the
Exarch An exarch (; from Ancient Greek ἔξαρχος ''exarchos'') was the holder of any of various historical offices, some of them being political or military and others being ecclesiastical. In the late Roman Empire and early Byzantine Empire, ...
of the Holy Throne of Peć. More than 569 churches and monasteries of the
Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro Eastern Orthodoxy in Montenegro refers to adherents, religious communities, institutions and organizations of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Montenegro. It is the largest Christian denomination in the country. According to the latest 2023 Census ...
were built or reconstructed during his reign. A noted theologian and author, his bibliography consists of more than 1,000 items and his selected works were published in 36 volumes. Amfilohije was described as one of the most powerful people in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, as well as one of the most influential individuals within the
Bishops' Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Council of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, also known in English as the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Church constitution as the supreme body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is the supreme ...
, the supreme body of the Serbian Orthodox Church.


Biography


Early life, education and personal life

Amfilohije was born as ''Risto Radović'' () in Bare Radovića in Lower
Morača The Morača ( cnr-Cyrl, Морача, ) is a major river in Montenegro that originates in the northern region in Kolašin Municipality under Mount Rzača. It meanders southwards for before emptying into Lake Skadar. Its drainage basin covers ...
,
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
(now
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
). He was a descendant of
voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
Mina Radović who participated in the unification of the Morača tribe with the
Principality of Montenegro The Principality of Montenegro () was a principality in Southeastern Europe that existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a Kingdom of Montenegro, kingdom by Nikola I of Montenegro, Nikola I, who then became King of M ...
in 1820. He studied at St. Sava's Seminary and graduated from the Faculty of Theology in 1962 in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
, which at the time was a part of the
SFR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
. During his time as a seminarian in the late 1950s, he knew Justin Popović, a SOC cleric and admired the uncompromising position he held toward modern civilisation. He also studied
classical philology Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek and Roman literature and their original languages, ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
.Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral official site
Његово Високопреосвештенство Архиепископ Цетињски Митрополит Црногорско-приморски и Егзарх Пећког Трона Амфилохије (Радовић) (''His Eminence Archbishop of Cetinje, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral and Exarch of the Throne of Peć Amfilohije (Radovic)'')
In
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Amfilohije studied at the Russian St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
at the
Pontifical Oriental Institute The Pontifical Oriental Institute, also known as the Orientale, is a Catholic institution of higher education located in Rome and focusing on Eastern Christianity. The plan of creating a school of higher learning for Eastern Christianity had bee ...
and in
Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
at the Old Catholic Faculty. He completed his postgraduate studies in Bern and Rome, and then moved to
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
where he lived for seven years, took
monastic vows Monasticism (; ), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially ...
(and
monastic name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should not be "foreign to ...
''Amfilohije'', eng. '' Amphilochius'') and worked as a
hieromonk A hieromonk,; Church Slavonic, Slavonic: ''Иеромонахъ''; ; ; ; ; Albanian language, Albanian: ''Hieromurg'' also called a priestmonk, is a person who is both monk and Priest#Roman Catholic and Orthodox, priest in the Eastern Christianity ...
of the
Greek Orthodox Church Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Christianity in Greece, Greek Christianity, Antiochian Greek Christians, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christian ...
. In
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, he completed his doctoral thesis on Saint Gregory Palamas and earned a
doctor of theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...
degree. After spending one year at
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
, he moved to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and worked as a professor at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute. In 1976 he became a
docent The term "docent" is derived from the Latin word , which is the third-person plural present active indicative of ('to teach, to lecture'). Becoming a docent is often referred to as habilitation or doctor of science and is an academic qualifi ...
and later professor of Orthodox
catechesis Catechesis (; from Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the ...
at the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade. He was made an
honorary doctor An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
of the
Moscow Theological Academy Moscow Theological Academy () is a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, training clergy, teachers, scholars, and officials. The Academy traces its origin to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, which was founded in 1685 by th ...
(2006) and of the Institute of Theology of the Belarusian State University (2008). He spoke
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
,
Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...
,
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
,
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
, French and used Old Greek,
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
and
Old Church Slavonic Old Church Slavonic or Old Slavonic ( ) is the first Slavic languages, Slavic literary language and the oldest extant written Slavonic language attested in literary sources. It belongs to the South Slavic languages, South Slavic subgroup of the ...
. He was a member of the Association of Writers of Serbia and
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
.


Bishop of Banat (1980s)

Named Bishop of Banat in the 1980s, he held the title until the end of 1990. During the late 1980s, Amfilohije engaged in
anti-Catholic Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...
propaganda and accused the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and
Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
of endangering Serbs within Croatia. "accusation of Croats and the Roman Catholic Church of allegedly endangering the Serb people in Croatia. Many Serbian intellectuals became involved in this anti-Catholic propaganda, but the names of Vasilije Krestic, historian, Dobrica Cosic, writer, and Amfilohije Radovic, Orthodox bishop from Banat stand out." In 1990, Amfilohije became a candidate for Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC). A week before political elections in Serbia, on 6 December 1990, Serbian President
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Милошевић, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the President of Serbia between 1989 and 1997 and President of the Federal Republic of Yugos ...
attempted to get control of the SOC through supporting his preferred candidates such as Amfilohije for patriarch. Amfilohije did not succeed in getting many votes and as such did not make the final shortlist of candidates for the role. A few days later the elderly Danilo Dajković retired and in December 1990 Amfilohije was elected to succeed him as Metropolitan of the
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church () is the largest eparchy (diocese) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in modern Montenegro. Founded in 1219 by Saint Sava as the Eparchy of Zeta, it has continued to ex ...
, a position he held until his death. Guests that were present at his inauguration ceremony were
Matija Bećković Matija Bećković ( sr-Cyrl, Матија Бећковић, ; born 29 November 1939) is a Serbian poet, writer and academic. Life Bećković was born in Senta, in the multiethnic province of Vojvodina (then Danube Banate, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) ...
, Novak Kilibarda and
Radovan Karadžić Radovan Karadžić ( sr-Cyrl, Радован Караџић, ; born 19 June 1945) is a Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb politician who was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal ...
. The arrival of Amfilohije to his new role was greeted by numerous people that ranged from high ranking politicians to Serbian nationalists in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. At
Cetinje Cetinje ( cnr-Cyrl, Цетиње, ) is a List of cities and towns in Montenegro, town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital ( cnr-Latn-Cyrl, prijestonica, приjестоница, separator=" / ") of Montenegro and is the location of sev ...
in December 1990 public protests by people against his appointment as metropolitan followed, due to the reputation of Amfilohije as a Serb nationalist and his denial of a separate Montenegrin identity.


As Metropolitan of Montenegro in the early 1990s

Amfilohije was elected Metropolitan of Montenegro in December 1990 and enthroned in the
Cetinje Monastery The Cetinje Monastery () is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. It is located in Cetinje and is the seat of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro. A center of historical and cultural importance, it was founded c. 1484 by Prince ...
on 30 December that year. At the time, the
Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro Eastern Orthodoxy in Montenegro refers to adherents, religious communities, institutions and organizations of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Montenegro. It is the largest Christian denomination in the country. According to the latest 2023 Census ...
had re-emerged as a spiritual and political force following the
fall of communism The revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, were a revolutionary wave of liberal democracy movements that resulted in the collapse of most Marxist–Leninist governments in the Eastern Bloc and other parts of the world. Th ...
and the subsequent dissolution of the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
(1992). In his role as metropolitan, Amfilohije initiated a programme to construct new churches, monasteries and rebuild old churches. Other initiatives by Amfilohije resulted in more monks, nuns, priests and people into the church and an increase of
Montenegrins Montenegrins (, or ) are a South Slavic ethnic group that share a common ancestry, culture, history, and language, identified with the country of Montenegro. Montenegrins are mostly Orthodox Christians; however, the population also includes ...
baptised into Orthodoxy during a time when his relations with the Yugoslav Montenegrin government were strained. Relics from the bodies of saints were used to rally and to "re-Christianise" the population by the SOC such as those from St. Basil that were divided and later sent out to other monasteries in Yugoslavia. In Montenegro, new churches exhibited relics of martyrs that had died at the
Jasenovac concentration camp Jasenovac () was a concentration camp, concentration and extermination camp established in the Jasenovac, Sisak-Moslavina County, village of the same name by the authorities of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) in occupied Yugoslavia durin ...
to remind parishioners of the suffering that Serbs had undergone in the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Amfilohije campaigned to rehabilitate Nikolaj Velimirović, an interwar Serbian Orthodox cleric imprisoned by the
Axis powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...
during the World War II whom he viewed as a martyr. In Cetinje, Amfilohije opened a new theological school, a publishing house known as Svetigora and a radio station called Radio Svetagora. Amfilohije was the main supervisor of his publishing house Svetigora. In 1992, Metropolitan Amfilohije founded ''Svetigora'', a periodical journal of the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, which is still published monthly. Journal contains mostly the church teachings, poetry, lectures, spiritual lessons, reportages, news and chronicles from the Metropolitanate, the Serbian Church and the all other Orthodox churches. In 1998, Metropolitan Amfilohije also started nationwide radio station of the same name. At the time his relations with the Montenegrin government were lukewarm and he lobbied for religious education by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral to be compulsory in schools. More than 569 churches and monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church were built or reconstructed during his reign. During his thirty-year rule of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Montenegro,
soup kitchen A soup kitchen, food kitchen, or meal center is a place where food is offered to Hunger, hungry and homeless people, usually for no price, cost, or sometimes at a below-market price (such as coin Donation, donations). Frequently located in Low i ...
s were opened in several cities in Montenegro, from which currently about 600 most vulnerable families get a hot meal, usually at home, every day, while the number of those receiving one-time food assistance is also large. Amfilohije became a prominent advocate and supporter of Serbdom and was a self declared Serbian nationalist. His appointment as metropolitan coincided with the rise of Slobodan Milošević and the mobilisation of the Serb population in Yugoslavia that was supported by the SOC, along with an increase in Serbian nationalist sentiment. The SOC increasingly embraced a nationalist path, mainly by radical elements within its ranks as represented by the figure of Amfilohije. He and several other SOC bishops claimed that the responsibility of Yugoslavia's problems were based upon genocidal tendencies among Yugoslav ethnic groups and
the West West is a cardinal direction or compass point. West or The West may also refer to: Geography and locations Global context * The Western world * Western culture and Western civilization in general * The Western Bloc, countries allied with NAT ...
, with its
modernity Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular Society, socio-Culture, cultural Norm (social), norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the ...
and ideologies such as
communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...
,
individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote realizing one's goals and desires, valuing independence and self-reliance, and a ...
,
materialism Materialism is a form of monism, philosophical monism according to which matter is the fundamental Substance theory, substance in nature, and all things, including mind, mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. Acco ...
and
secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...
. Amfilohije made comments on the situation in
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
and claimed that expansionist countries of the Catholic and
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
West and Muslim East were "an insane wind trying ceaselessly to extinguish this sacred lamp", defined as Serbia. As the
Yugoslav Wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of ...
spread, Amfilohije along with other high ranking clerics strengthened their positions as the older generation of clerics and theologians that made compromises with the past Yugoslav communist government were sidelined. During this period Amfilohije made anti-Muslim and anti-Croat comments. In 1992, claims against
Bosniaks The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...
, Croats and
Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...
were made and repeated by high ranking Serb Orthodox clergy such as Amfilohije that the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
faced a genocide from them through a global conspiracy assisted by the
Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...
and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. In the early 1990s, Amfilohije and Bishop Vasilije Kačavenda deepened religious and ethnic divisions during the Yugoslav Wars and alleged that a global conspiracy existed against the SOC. Amfilohije stated that the "natural space" of the Serbs lay with the Orthodox East and that they needed to fight the Protestant and Catholic West and also
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
, as according to him "without death there will be no resurrection". "According to the Serbian patriarch Amfilohije Radovic, the "natural space" for the Serbian people is the Orthodox East. And it must fight against the Catholic and Protestant West, as well as against Islam: "without death there will be no resurrection". Amfilohije became a prominent contributor to debates regarding identity and sovereignty issues of Montenegro. A number of his views are on the statehood and nationhood of Montenegro and identity of Montenegrins which Amfilohije regards as being of Serb ethnic origin or the "best and purest Serbs" consisting of elements such as Kosovo, St. Sava and the
Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
. Other positions include that the Serb ancestors of the Montenegrins fled from the control of Islam to Montenegro and from there the Serbian nation had the opportunity to revive itself after the defeat suffered by Serbs at the
Battle of Kosovo The Battle of Kosovo took place on 15 June 1389 between an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad I. It was one of the largest battles of the Late Middl ...
(1389). It led to strong disagreements with the Montenegrin government that over time favoured independence from
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. For Amfilohije the Montenegrin nation was invented by communists such as Tito and
Milovan Đilas Milovan Djilas (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Милован Ђилас, Milovan Đilas, ; 12 June 1911 – 20 April 1995) was a Yugoslav communist politician, theorist and author. He was a key figure in the Partisan movement during World War II, as well ...
along with separatists supported by external forces that sought to separate Montenegrins from their historic origins and split Serbs within the wider region. He viewed people advocating for an independent and restored
Montenegrin Orthodox Church The Montenegrin Orthodox Church (, Црногорска православна црква; abbr. MOC, CPC or ЦПЦ) is a canonically unrecognized Eastern Orthodox Church. It was formed in 1993 and registered as a non-governmental organization. ...
(MOC) as "heretical and schismatic" that waged a campaign against the SOC and labelled Montenegrin autocephalists as "Crnolatinaši" (''Black Latins''), a derogatory expression used for dogmatic and fanatical Catholic clergy. Amfilohije stated that the MOC was a "political entity" and that Montenegrin autocephalists were " Titoists" and "godless" that came from "non-church circles" and an
irreligious Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, rationa ...
background. The MOC attempted to characterise Amfilohije as a "dangerous fundamentalist" that wanted to impose the SOC upon all Orthodox Montenegrins and autocephalists viewed him as part of an " anti-Montenegrin" assimilation campaign. Protests by Montenegrin autocephalists were held against Amfilohije, sometimes in places when he was present such as at the
inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...
ceremony for the Cathedral of Christ's Resurrection in
Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...
and the interruption of a conference of Montenegrin academia honouring
Petar II Petrović-Njegoš Petar II Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-cyrl, Петар II Петровић-Његош, ;  – ), commonly referred to simply as Njegoš (), was a List of rulers of Montenegro, Prince-Bishop (''vladika'') of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose ...
. The Montenegrin opposition viewed Amfilohije and his supporters as agents of a " Greater Serbian project" and accused the metropolitan of wanting to maintain ecclesiastical control over all churches in Montenegro. Early on Amfilohije supported Milošević, his policies and the Serbian nationalist standpoint during the
breakup of Yugoslavia After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...
and wars that took place in
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
and
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. During a 1990 interview with Serbian newspaper ''NIN'', Amfilohije stated that Milošević should be "commended" as he understood "the vital interests of the Serb people" and that "if they continue as they started, the results will be very impressive." In another interview with the foreign media Amfilohije said that the Kosovo jubilee of the late 1980s made Serbia demonstrate "a national unity, unseen probably since 1914." In comments made to a Kosovo Serb newspaper ''Jedinstvo'' in 1990, Amfilohije acknowledged the self determination of
Slovenes The Slovenes, also known as Slovenians ( ), are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Slovenia and adjacent regions in Italy, Austria and Hungary. Slovenes share a common ancestry, Slovenian culture, culture, and History of Slove ...
and Croats to statehood and said the Serbs should do likewise adding that "reconciliation over the graves of innocents" was impossible "until the Croatian people renounce the evil". In anticipation of an invasion by Yugoslav troops of southern Croatia, the SOC, represented on the ground by Amfilohije conducted a religious ceremony (17 February 1991) in a historic Orthodox church on the
Prevlaka Prevlaka () is a small peninsula in southern Croatia, near the border with Montenegro, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor on the eastern Adriatic coast. Because of its strategic location in the southern Adriatic, in the aftermath of the SFR Y ...
peninsula on the Croatia-Montenegro border. During the
siege of Dubrovnik The siege of Dubrovnik ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, opsada Dubrovnika, опсада Дубровника) was a military engagement fought between the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Croatian forces defending the city of Dubrovnik and its surroundings dur ...
, Amfilohije played the
gusle The gusle () or lahuta (; related to English ''lute'') is a bowed single- stringed musical instrument (and musical style) traditionally used in the Dinarides region of Southeastern Europe (in the Balkans). The instrument is always accompanie ...
(a stringed instrument) and sang verses to Yugoslav Montenegrin troops from the epic poem "Battle of Mojkovac". He made many visits to Serb soldiers in
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
to give his support. Amfilohije often praised the wartime
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби Босне и Херцеговине, Srbi Bosne i Hercegovine), often referred to as Bosnian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, босански Срби, bosanski Srbi) or Herzegovinian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, ...
leadership such as
Biljana Plavšić Biljana Plavšić ( sr-Cyrl, Биљана Плавшић; born 7 July 1930) is a Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb former politician, university professor and scientist who served as President of Republika Srpska and was later convict ...
, whom he labelled the "
Kosovo Maiden The Kosovo Maiden or Maiden of the Kosovo field, Blackbird's Field ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовка девојка, Kosovka devojka, separator=" / ") is the central figure of a poem with the same name, part of the Serbian epic poetry#Corpus, Kosovo ...
", and Radovan Karadžić. Amfilohije invited the Serb paramilitary leader Željko Ražnatović Arkan and his group the
Tigers The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is tradition ...
, a paramilitary group on two separate occasions to guard the
Cetinje Monastery The Cetinje Monastery () is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. It is located in Cetinje and is the seat of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro. A center of historical and cultural importance, it was founded c. 1484 by Prince ...
in 1991 and 1992. On the second of those visits during Orthodox Christmas Eve (1992), Montenegrin autocephalists had assembled at King Nikola's Square and Arkan with his Tigers were present at the monastery where Amfilohije told the gathered crowd that " Skadar would be Montenegrin again". At the time Amfilohije was also involved as an arbiter in external and internal conflicts within and between Serbian political parties in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, Serbia and
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. During the war in Bosnia, Amfilohije in 1994 called for
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
, a Bosnian Serb self declared political entity to be supported. He was critical of what he viewed as Yugoslav government and European inaction toward Bosnian Serbs and the perceived danger they and the Orthodox faith in Bosnia faced from
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
Bosniaks. Amfilohije maintained a strong relationship with the wartime Bosnian Serb leadership based in the town of Pale, Bosnia. He often visited Pale and told Serb troops to continue fighting. Amfilohije supported the decision by the wartime Bosnian Serb leadership to reject the Vance–Owen peace plan which proposed to divide Bosnia into multiple cantons. The relationship between Amfilohije and the Serbian President deteriorated after Milošević broke with the Bosnian Serb leadership, due to their rejection in May 1993 of the Vance–Owen peace plan. Amfilohije continued to support the wartime Bosnian Serb leadership and became a strong critic of Milošević and his policies. In 1995, with Serb forces losing ground in Croatia and Bosnia, Amfilohije addressed the Montenegrin parliament and called for them to abandon support for Milošević and to remove their sanctions against Bosnian Serbs.


Late 1990s and early 2000s

Due to his opposition toward Milošević, Amfilohije for a short time found common ground with
Milo Đukanović Milo Đukanović (, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the President of Montenegro from 2018 to 2023, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2002. He also served as the Prime Minister of Montenegro (1991–19 ...
when in 1997 the
Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) ** Democratic Par ...
(DPS) became divided into pro- and anti-Milošević groups. Amfilohije gave blessings to Đukanović when he became Montenegrin president in January 1998. Over time, as Đukanović advocated for an independent Montenegro, a rift emerged in their relationship and Amfilohije became a strong critic of the Montenegrin president. Attempts to alleviate ecclesiastical tensions resulted in Đukanović and
Prime Minister A prime minister 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. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Igor Lukšić Igor Lukšić (, ; born 14 June 1976) is a The Montenegrins, Montenegrin politician who served as the 4th Prime Minister of Montenegro from 2010 to 2012, following the resignation of Milo Đukanović. He was succeeded by Đukanović on 4 Decemb ...
asking Amfilohije to become part of the MOC, a move that is unachievable as the MOC lacks recognition and is considered heretical by other Orthodox churches. In the late 1990s, Amfilohije, as head of the Montenegrin metropolitanate, was in charge of 160 clergy such as priests, monks and nuns that provided religious service to more than 90% of parishes and monasteries within Montenegro. In the mid-2000s, Amfilohije commented and made critical statements regarding the integration of Serbia into the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. Amfilohije opposed dialogue and was anti-ecumenical in relation to the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. In the late 20th century, Amfilohije gave support to nationalists and radical anti-Westerners and in the early twenty first century he had devoted his efforts toward dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic churches. During February 2003, Amfilohije was head of a SOC delegation that visited Vatican City and German Catholic media reported that he invited the
Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
to Belgrade, later denied by the SOC. Exposed to Catholic influence, Amfilohije has shifted his position about the "evil essence" of people in the West and has begun to distinguish between a "bad" secular and "good" anti-secular Europe. Amfilohije has promoted and advocated for the concept of " theo-democracy" without going into the specifics of the idea as a possible opposition toward
liberal democracy Liberal democracy, also called Western-style democracy, or substantive democracy, is a form of government that combines the organization of a democracy with ideas of liberalism, liberal political philosophy. Common elements within a liberal dem ...
. Amfilohije's views remain distant from a liberal perspective and as such, Klaus Buchenau states, he cannot be labelled a "pro-Westerner". In 2005 Amfilohije urged Radovan Karadžić, who evaded capture from the
ICTY The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a body of the United Nations that was established to prosecute the war crimes that had been committed during the Yugoslav Wars and to try their perpetrators. The tribun ...
indictment, to give himself up. On 18 June 2005, a small corrugated iron church was placed by a helicopter atop the summit of Mount Rumija by the 172nd Airborne Brigade of the Serbian and Montenegrin Army of Podgorica at the request of the Council Church of Podgorica, a dependent of the Orthodox Serb Metropolitan of Montenegro. The symbolic action aimed at demonstrating the dominance of the SOC over other religions and to support the Serbian character of Montenegro, the event also revealed the close links between Amfilohije and the army. The SOC stated that a former church existed some 500 years in that location which was destroyed by the
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
. The action was criticised in Montenegro by public figures such as
Andrej Nikolaidis Andrej Nikolaidis (; born May 7, 1974) is a Montenegrin- Bosnian novelist, columnist, and political adviser. His novel ''Sin'' (The Son) won the European Union Prize for Literature in 2011. The English translation was published in 2013 by Istro ...
who stated there never was a church in that location and Amfilohije received negative press from a part of Montenegrin media of appropriating the site for one faith to the exclusion of others and generating inter religious disharmony. para. 28-29. In a letter addressed to Đukanović, Amfilohije stated that any removal of the church would be an act of vandalism.


After the independence of Montenegro (since 2006)

During the
2006 Montenegrin independence referendum An independence referendum was held in Montenegro on 21 May 2006. It was approved by 55.5% of voters, narrowly passing the 55% threshold. By 23 May, preliminary referendum results were recognized by all five permanent members of the United Natio ...
, Amfilohije supported the continuation of Serbian–Montenegrin unionism and was an important figure in the campaign for unity. In Montenegro, Amfilohije was viewed as a more able articulator for the interests of Montenegrin Serbs than politicians of the time. Amfilohije protested an attempt in 2006 by the MOC to storm a church near Cetinje and stated that he thought the
Montenegrin government The government of Montenegro (, Влада Црне Горе) is the executive branch of state authority in Montenegro. It is headed by the prime minister. It consists of the prime minister, the deputy prime ministers, and the ministers. Milojk ...
were behind the actions of the MOC. A future unification of all Orthodox churches within Montenegro was opposed by Amfilohije. Montenegrin politician
Ranko Krivokapić Ranko Krivokapić (; born August 17, 1961) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the minister of foreign affairs from April to October 2022. He is a former long-term President of the Parliament of Montenegro from 2003 to 2016, and the Presi ...
was a major rival of Amfilohije. During May 2011, Amfilohije was charged with
hate speech Hate speech is a term with varied meaning and has no single, consistent definition. It is defined by the ''Cambridge Dictionary'' as "public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as ...
and underwent a court trial in Podgorica, due to comments made toward people who wanted to remove a church located at Mount Rumija. The trial lasted until November 2012, where Amfilohije rejected the charges against him and later at the conclusion of his case he received a caution from the court. During 2013, Amfilohije attempted to have Petar II Petrović-Njegoš declared a saint, yet those efforts were opposed by Montenegrin authorities and the SOC synod. At the Cathedral of Christ's Resurrection in Podgorica, the image of Amfilohije is featured among the frescoes. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia and Amfilohije gave speeches where he stated that
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
was "
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, the cradle of the Serbian nation". At the time Amfilohije criticised the Serbian Foreign Minister
Vuk Jeremić Vuk Jeremić ( sr-Cyrl, Вук Јеремић, ; born 3 July 1975) is a Serbian politician and diplomat who served as the president of the United Nations General Assembly from 2012 to 2013 and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia from 2 ...
and President
Boris Tadić Boris Tadić, (born 15 January 1958) is a Serbian politician who served as the president of Serbia from 2004 to 2012. Born in Sarajevo, he graduated from the University of Belgrade with a degree in psychology. He later worked as a journalist ...
as "traitors who did not want the army to defend Kosovo". Amfilohije also stated that Serbia needed to buy new weapons from
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and get Russian volunteers to defend Kosovo. In March 2008, during the Serbian elections, Amfilohije backed the
Serbian Radical Party The Serbian Radical Party (, abbr. SRS) is a Far-right politics in Serbia, far-right, Ultranationalism, ultranationalist List of political parties in Serbia, political party in Serbia. Founded in 1991, its co-founder, first and only leader is ...
(SRS) and
Democratic Party of Serbia The New Democratic Party of Serbia (, , abbr. NDSS), known as the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) until 2022, is a national-conservative political party in Serbia. Miloš Jovanović serves as the current president of NDSS. DSS was formed as ...
(DSS). On 13 November 2007, after
Serbian Patriarch Pavle Pavle ( sr-cyr, Павле, ''Paul''; 11 September 1914 – 15 November 2009) was the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1990 to his death. His full title was ''His Holiness the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć, Archbishop of Peć, ...
(1914–2009) had been transferred to a clinical centre due to his poor health, the Holy Synod of the SOC elected Radović to perform the duties of the patriarch. Patriarch Pavle died on 15 November 2009, and Amfilohije continued his role as the Guardian of the Throne. Amfilohije, portrayed as a compromise figure between nationalists and bishops, along with Vasilije Kačavenda and Irinej Bulović, was the main candidate for the SOC patriarch. He ceased to perform that duty after the election of Bishop Irinej of Niš as the new patriarch on 22 January 2010. His friends have claimed that he was happy not to be elected as a patriarch as there was "a lot of work to be done in
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
". On 2 August 2014, at a church gathering on Ilindan ( St. Elijah's Day), Amfilohije stated that
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
were "a false people with a false religion" and Islamic teachings a "spiritual death". He made comments on ''
The Mountain Wreath ''The Mountain Wreath'' () is a poem and a play written by Prince-Bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. Njegoš wrote ''The Mountain Wreath'' during 1846 in Cetinje and published it the following year after the printing in an Armenian monas ...
'', a 19th-century poem written by Petar Petrović Njegoš regarding what Amfilohije described as the "extermination of the Turkifiers". Amfilohije stated that killing people was "horrible, however more terrible is the spiritual death sown around by fake people with false faith." He further added that "Thanks to those victims, Bishop Danilo saved
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. Otherwise, there would not have been a single Orthodox ear left in Montenegro." On 8 October 2014, at a church celebration in
Kolašin Kolašin (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Колашин, ) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 2,989 (2003 census). Kolašin is the centre of Kolašin Municipality (population 9,949) and an unofficial centre of Morača region, nam ...
, Amfilohije said "two evil and deadly diseases ravaged through this region, ''poturčenjaštvo'' and ''brozomora''." The word ''poturčenjaštvo'' is in reference to Slavic people becoming Muslims or converting to Islam, the faith of the " Turks" (
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
) in the Ottoman era and ''brozomora'' (Broz disease) is in relation to acceptance of the communist ideology of Josip Broz Tito. Amfilohije also stated that the era under Tito resulted in the division of a unitary Serbian nation into four separate nations such as the "Bosniaks, Montenegrins and Macedonians". The Islamic Community responded by stating that Amfilohije's comments were "hate speech" and referred to the close relations the Church and Amfilohije had with combatants and their "crimes against humanity" during the Yugoslav Wars. Amfilohije was well known for his frequent statements against the
LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, Gay men, gay, Bisexuality, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the Capital punishmen ...
and
gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...
, and has been quoted calling the
Pride Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...
a "parade of death, self-destruction, murder and homicide". He was also elected the Homophobe of the Year by the NGO Queer Montenegro in 2014. He was also publicly warned by the
Ombudsman An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...
for
hate speech Hate speech is a term with varied meaning and has no single, consistent definition. It is defined by the ''Cambridge Dictionary'' as "public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as ...
and discrimination of the LBGT minority. Amfilohije had denounced
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
, calling it a " militaristic,
totalitarian Totalitarianism is a political system and a form of government that prohibits opposition from political parties, disregards and outlaws the political claims of individual and group opposition to the state, and completely controls the public sph ...
,
terrorist Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...
, international organization". The SOC in Montenegro has called for a referendum on Montenegro's NATO accession. Anti-government protests had been held, organized by the Montenegrin opposition, made up of the mainly Serb community. Amfilohije had publicly criticized the country's " separation from mother Russia".


Controversial religion law and protests (2019–2020)

As of late December 2019, the newly proclaimed Law on Religious Communities in Montenegro, which ''
de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...
'' transfers the ownership of church buildings and estates from the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro to the Montenegrin state, sparked a series of large
protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
followed with road blockages. Some church officials were attacked by the police (including Bishop Metodije, Amfilohije's deputy) and a number of journalists, opposition activists and protesting citizens were arrested. On 29 December 2019, the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro excommunicated President of Montenegro 
Milo Đukanović Milo Đukanović (, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the President of Montenegro from 2018 to 2023, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2002. He also served as the Prime Minister of Montenegro (1991–19 ...
 and Government coalition MPs and officials for passing the religious law. Prayer walks continued into August 2020 as peaceful protest prayer walks, mostly organised by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and led by Metropolitan Amfilohije in a number of Montenegrin municipalities. As time went on a considerable percentage of Montenegro's population took to streets opposing the law. During February peaceful public gatherings reached over 50 or even 60,000 attendees in Podgorica alone and they are increasingly described as the most massive public gatherings in the history of Montenegro. During peaceful protests in early 2020, more cases of police abuse of office and violence against protesting citizens and political activists were reported, several opposition activists and journalists were also arrested. At the parliamentary election in August 2020, Metropolitan Amfilohije supported the opposition candidates, going to the polls for the first time in his lifespan. The election resulted in a victory for the
opposition parties Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term ''government'' as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning ''th ...
and the fall from power of the ruling DPS, which had ruled the country since the introduction of the
multi-party system In political science, a multi-party system is a political system where more than two meaningfully-distinct political parties regularly run for office and win elections. Multi-party systems tend to be more common in countries using proportional ...
in 1990. In September 2020, Montenegrin professor Zdravko Krivokapić, close to Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and Metropolitan Amfilohije was selected new
prime minister-designate A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...
of Montenegro by the new parliamentary majority, announcing withdrawal of the disputed law on religious communities.


Death and legacy

On 7 October 2020, Amfilohije tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
during its pandemic in Montenegro. He appeared to recover initially, and, on 20 October, tested negative for COVID-19. However, the situation worsened sharply on 29 October, when he developed shortness of breath. The head of the Pulmonology Clinic of the Clinical Center, Jelena Borovinić, stated on 29 October that the health condition of Metropolitan Amfilohije was difficult and that he was "placed in the mode of invasive ventilation". She explained that the deterioration of Amfilohije's health condition occurred after
pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
developed, due to complications caused by COVID-19. He died on 30 October 2020 in Podgorica, Montenegro, at the age of 82. Serbian Ambassador to Montenegro Vladimir Božović confirmed the media rumors that the
Serbian government The government of Serbia ( sr-cyrl, Влада Србије, Vlada Srbije), formally the Government of the Republic of Serbia ( sr-cyrl, Влада Републике Србије, Vlada Republike Srbije), commonly abbreviated to Serbian Governme ...
offered to transfer Amfilohije to Serbia for treatment, while the Metropolitan was treated at the local hospital in Cetinje, the Metropolitan thanked him and said he wanted to stay in Montenegro and share the fate of all other Montenegrin people. Metropolitan Amfilohije was, at his own request, buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica in a resting place prepared for his lifespan. Amfilohije has begifted his personal library, consisting of several thousands books, to the medieval Stanjevići monastery. Noted Serbian poet
Matija Bećković Matija Bećković ( sr-Cyrl, Матија Бећковић, ; born 29 November 1939) is a Serbian poet, writer and academic. Life Bećković was born in Senta, in the multiethnic province of Vojvodina (then Danube Banate, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) ...
wrote a poem in his honour. Despite to the Montenegrin government's bans on mass public gatherings due to the spread of COVID-19 virus, in front of the Podgorica Cathedral, there were thousands of believers present, as well as heads of the Orthodox Church in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
and
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar The Archdiocese of Bar (; ; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Montenegro.
and Islamic communities in Montenegro and
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
, the funeral was also attended by a large number of political leaders from Montenegro and neighboring countries. Speeches at the funeral were given by Bishop Joanikije of Budimlja and Nikšić, Serbian Patriarch Irinej, Montenegrin Prime Minister-designate Zdravko Krivokapić,
President of the Parliament of Montenegro President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsidente ...
Aleksa Bečić Aleksa Bečić (; born 4 August 1987) is a Montenegrin politician, current Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro since 2023, who served as the president of the Parliament from 2020 until 2022. He is the founder and current president of the centri ...
, as well as Serbian poet and Amfilohije's close friend Matija Bećković. In a telegram of condolences, Belgrade Chief
Mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
Mustafa Jusufspahić paid his respects to the late Metropolitan, recalling the events during the nationalist protests in Belgrade during May 2004, when the Bajrakli Mosque was attacked, and when only Metropolitan Amfilohije stood in front of the unbridled mass defending the sanctuary, "defending good from evil in all of us". He donated his last pension to a poor priest who was working on several books in Belgrade. Zdravko Krivokapić, the Prime Minister-designate of Montenegro, publicly asked the outgoing
Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
of
Duško Marković Duško Marković (; born 6 July 1959) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the prime minister from 2016 to 2020. Formerly a high-ranking member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), he is now the president of the Party of European ...
to declare a day of mourning on the occasion of the death of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, which the government refused to do; meanwhile, several municipalities of Montenegro declared a day of mourning at the local level:
Andrijevica Andrijevica (Cyrillic: Андријевица, ) is a town in Montenegro in the northern region and it is the seat of Andrijevica Municipality. According to the 2023 Census of Montenegro, it had a population of 988. History The town of Andrijev ...
,
Budva Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...
,
Berane Berane (Cyrillic: Беране) is a town in Montenegro in the northern region. It is former administrative centre of the Ivangrad District. The town is located on the Lim river. From 1949 to 1992, it was named Ivangrad ( cyrl, Ивангра ...
,
Kotor Kotor (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian language, Italian: ), is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has ...
,
Herceg Novi Herceg Novi (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Херцег Нови, ) is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro located at the Western entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of ...
,
Tivat Tivat (Serbo-Croatian: Tivat/Тиват, ) is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro, located in the Bay of Kotor. , its population was 9,367. Tivat is the centre of Tivat Municipality, which is the smallest municipality by area in Montenegro. ...
and
Plužine Plužine (Cyrillic: Плужине, ) is a town in Montenegro in the northern region. In 2023 it had a population of 1,102. Location The municipality of Plužine is the seventh municipality in Montenegro in terms of area. The municipality is lo ...
. Serbian Patriarch Irinej tested positive for COVID-19 after attending, as well as presiding over, the open casket funeral for Amfilohije, which saw few among a large attendance, including the clergy who provided liturgy, wear safety masks. Those attending the funeral, which was held on 1 November, also did not keep their social distance and agreed to abide by the tradition of walking up to an open casket to kiss a deceased Eastern Orthodox cleric's hands and forehead. Irinej died 19 days after the funeral due to coronavirus, on 20 November.


Public opinion

Amfilohije as a metropolitan understood Montenegrin sentiments and the social currents of Montenegro. He was a controversial figure that was respected by his clergy and disliked by some critics. Due to his status as a public figure, polarised public opinion over Amfilohije was either positive or negative. Among Montenegrin Serbs, Amfilohije was a popular figure and in polls conducted during 2003-2004 he ranked as one of the top trusted people in public life of Montenegro. As a divisive figure Amfilohije was portrayed by Montenegrin pro independence parties, some intellectuals and the MOC as a "war criminal" and "fundamentalist" causing conflict among fellow citizens. A
cottage industry The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work, like a tailor. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the p ...
arose around criticising Amfilohije in the 1990s. The MOC has engaged in a public relations campaign aimed at what they considered to be the negative aspect of Amfilohije's character. Those efforts have included the MOC publishing a book by Vešeljko Koprivica about Amfilohije called ''Amfilohijeva sabrana ne djela'' (Misdeeds of Amfilohije) that attempts to portray the metropolitan as a Serb nationalist that stirred conflict during the breakup of Yugoslavia and its wars. The role of Amfilohije in the political and social life of Montenegro has been denounced as a supporter of "militant Greater Serbian politics" and "ideas that lead to war" by his ideological opponents. In the rivalry between Amfilohije of the SOC and Metropolitan
Miraš Dedeić Mihailo Dedeić ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Михаило Дедеић; born 8 November 1938) commonly referred to by his birth name Miraš Dedeić ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Мираш Дедеић), was the second head of the non-canonical Montenegri ...
of the canonically unrecognized MOC have often exchanged personal slurs and both have become representatives of the Serb and Montenegrin factions within the country. Supporters of Amfilohije are calling him "Đedo" (the Grandfather). Amfilohije's supporters have claimed that more churches and monasteries have been built and rebuilt during his rule than during the
Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
.


Awards

;Selected orders and medals * Commemorative Medal of Bartholomew I of Constantinople, 1991 * Medal of the
Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem,, ''Patriarcheîon Hierosolýmōn;'' , also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, is an autocephalous church within the Eastern Orthodox Church organization, wider communion of Eastern Ort ...
commemorating 2000 years of Christianity, 2000 * Order of Lomonsov, The national committee of state awards of the Russian Federation, 2001 * Medal of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem commemorating 1500 years of
Mar Saba The Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas, known in Arabic and Syriac as Mar Saba (; ; ; ) and historically as the Great Laura of Saint Sabas, is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the Bethlehem Governorate of Palestine, in th ...
, 2002 * Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, I Degree, Russian Academy of Military Science, 2003 * Order of the St. Cyril of Turov,
Belarusian Orthodox Church The Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC; , ) is the official name of the exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belarus. It represents the union of Eparchies and Metropolitanates of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox eparchies in the ...
, 2008 * Order of Saint Prince Vladimir, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2012 * Order of The Holy Great Martyr George,
Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić The Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić or Budimlja–Nikšić () is an eparchy (diocese) of the Serbian Orthodox Church, covering eastern, central, and western parts of modern Montenegro. The ecclesiastical seat of the eparchy is the Đurđevi Stupo ...
, 2013 * Order of King Peter of the Society for Nurturing the Traditions of the Liberation Wars of Serbia until 1918, 2014 * Medal of Orthodox Spiritual Academy of St. Petersburg of Saint John the Apostle, 2015 * Commemorative Medal of
Vergina Vergina (, ) is a small town in Northern Greece, part of the Veria municipality in Imathia, Central Macedonia. Vergina was established in 1922 in the aftermath of the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey, population exchanges after t ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
;
Honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
s *
Moscow Theological Academy Moscow Theological Academy () is a higher educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, training clergy, teachers, scholars, and officials. The Academy traces its origin to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, which was founded in 1685 by th ...
, 2006 * The Institute of Theology at the Belarusian State University in
Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
, 2008 * St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, 2012 * Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, 2015


Selected works

Amfilohije's bibliography consists of more than 1000 units and his selected works have been published in 36 volumes. Together with bishop
Atanasije Jevtić Atanasije Jevtić (Serbian Cyrillic: Атанасије Јевтић; 8 January 1938 – 4 March 2021) was a Serbian Orthodox prelate who served as the bishop of Banat from 1991 until 1992, and the bishop of Zahumlje and Herzegovina from 1992 ...
, Amfilohije translated the
Deuterocanonical books The deuterocanonical books, meaning 'of, pertaining to, or constituting a second canon', collectively known as the Deuterocanon (DC), are certain books and passages considered to be canonical books of the Old Testament by the Catholic Chur ...
of the
Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...
to Serbian. ;His selected works include: *''Tajna Svete Trojice po učenju Grigorija Palame'' (1973),
study in Greek, doctorate dissertation. *''Smisao liturgije'' (1974), study in Greek. *''Tumačenje Starog zaveta kroz vekove'' (1979), Belgrade. *''Sinaiti i njihov značaj u Srbiji XIV vijeka'' (1981), study. *''Filokalijski pokret XVIII i početkom XIX vijeka'' (1982), study. *''Osnove pravoslavnog vaspitanja'' (1983), studies. *''Duhovni smisao hrama Svetog Save'' (1987), Belgrade. *''Vraćanje duše u čistotu'' (1992), Podgorica *''Istorijski presjek tumačenja Starog zavjeta'' (1995), Nikšić. *
Sveti Petar Cetinjski i rat
' (1996), essay in edited book:
'' The Lamb of God and the Beast from the Abyss'' ;Selected translations (mostly from Serbian
to Greek and vice versa): *''Kasijana'' by Nikolaj Velimirović, 1973 (Serbian to Greek) *''Žitije Svetog Simeona i Save'' by Justin Popović, 1974 *''Starac Arsenije Kapadokijski'', 1987 *''Od maske do ličnosti'', 1993 *''Premudrosti Solomonove'' (
Wisdom of Solomon The Book of Wisdom, or the Wisdom of Solomon, is a book written in Greek and most likely composed in Alexandria, Egypt. It is not part of the Hebrew Bible but is included in the Septuagint. Generally dated to the mid-first century Anno Domini, ...
), 1995 *''Azbučni Otačnik'', 1995 *''Knjiga Premudrosti Isusa sina Sirahova'' ( Book of Sirach), 2007 *''Eight deuterocanonical books of the
Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...
'' (
Additions to Esther The Book of Esther (; ; ), also known in Hebrew as "the Scroll" ("the Megillah"), is a book in the third section (, "Writings") of the Hebrew Bible. It is one of the Five Scrolls () in the Hebrew Bible and later became part of the Christian ...
,
2 Esdras 2 Esdras, also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra, is an apocalyptic book in some English versions of the Bible. Tradition ascribes it to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the fifth century BC, whom the book identifies with the sixth-ce ...
,
Judith The Book of Judith is a deuterocanonical book included in the Septuagint and the Catholic Church, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Christian Old Testament of the Bible but Development of the Hebrew Bible canon, excluded from the ...
,
Sirach The Book of Sirach (), also known as The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, The Wisdom of Jesus son of Eleazar, or Ecclesiasticus (), is a Jewish literary work originally written in Biblical Hebrew. The longest extant wisdom book from antiqui ...
, Baruch, Tobit,
Letter of Jeremiah The Letter of Jeremiah, also known as the Epistle of Jeremiah, is a deuterocanonical book of the Old Testament; this letter is attributed to Jeremiah and addressed to the Jews who were about to be carried away as captives to Babylon by Nebuchadnez ...
,
Additions to Daniel The additions to Daniel are three chapters not found in the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel. The text of these chapters is found in the Septuagint, the earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the original Hebrew. The three chap ...
), 2011-2012 *''Mitropolit pergamski Jovan Zizjulas''


References


Sources

* * *


External links


Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radovic) of Montenegro and the Coastlands

Documentary film about the life of Metropolitan Amfilohije
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radovic, Amfilohije 1938 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops 21st-century Eastern Orthodox bishops 20th-century Montenegrin writers 21st-century Montenegrin writers People from Kolašin Serbs of Montenegro Bishops of Montenegro and the Littoral Eastern Orthodox theologians Serbian theologians Serbian nationalists Serbian male writers Serbian male essayists University of Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology alumni Prisoners and detainees of Montenegro Deaths from pneumonia in Montenegro Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Montenegro Burials at Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches Pontifical Oriental Institute alumni Eparchy of Banat