Eparchy Of Niš
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The Eparchy of Niš () is an
eparchy Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an Ecclesiology, ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administra ...
(
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
) 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 ...
with its seat in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
, 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 ...
. It has jurisdiction over the south-eastern regions of
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 ...
. Since 2017, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Niš is Arsenije Glavčić.


History

Eparchy of Niš is one of the oldest eparchies in the region. Modern name of the city of
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
was derived from the name of its predecessor, the ancient Roman city of Naissus. that belonged to the Roman province of
Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; ) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River. As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballi ...
and after its division to the province of
Moesia Superior Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; ) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River. As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballia ...
. By the 3rd century early Christianity was already well established in that region. Archeological excavations in ancient Naissus have discovered remains of early Christian churches and cemeteries. The exact date of the foundation of ancient Bishopric of Naissus is not known, but it existed by the beginning of the 4th century. In that time, the city of Naissus belonged to the newly created province of
Dacia Mediterranea Dacia Mediterranea (Mid-land Dacia; ) was a late antique Roman province, whose capital city was Serdica (or Sardica; later Sradetz or Sredets, now Sofia). The date for the establishment of Dacia Mediterranea is uncertain. It was traditionally h ...
with its capital in
Serdica Serdika or Serdica ( Bulgarian: ) is the historical Roman name of Sofia, now the capital of Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans ...
and in accordance to that, bishops of Naissus were under ecclesiastical jurisdiction of metropolitans of Serdica. Various bishops of Naissus from 4th to 6th century attended church councils and had prominent role in theological controversies of that time. After the division of the Roman Empire (395), the city of Naissus remained part of the Eastern Roman or
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
. It was devastated by the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
in 441 and later restored. Up to the beginning of the 6th century, episcopal see of Naissus was already under supreme jurisdiction of Archbishopric of
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
, and in 535 it was transferred by the decree of emperor
Justinian I Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
(527–565) to newly created
Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima was a Christian autonomous Archbishopric with Episcopal see, see in the city of Justiniana Prima and jurisdiction over the Late Roman Diocese of Dacia in central parts of the Southeastern Europe. History The ...
. The city of Naissus was again devastated in 584, by the Avars and
Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
. Byzantine rule in that region finally collapsed at the beginning of the 7th century and the church life was later renewed after the Christianization of
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 ...
. After the Byzantine campaigns of 1018 and the establishment of imperial rule in Bulgarian and Serbian lands, by the orders of emperor
Basil II Basil II Porphyrogenitus (; 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar Slayer (, ), was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025. He and his brother Constantine VIII were crowned before their father Romanos II died in 963, but t ...
an autonomous
Archbishopric of Ohrid The Archbishopric of Ohrid, also known as the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid *T. Kamusella in The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Springer, 2008, p. 276 *Aisling Lyon, Decentralisation and the Management of Ethni ...
was created in 1019, under the supreme ecclesiastical jurisdiction the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...
. Imperial charters of 1019 and 1020 mention the Bishopric of Niš among eparchies that were placed under jurisdiction of the autonomous
Archbishopric of Ohrid The Archbishopric of Ohrid, also known as the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid *T. Kamusella in The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Springer, 2008, p. 276 *Aisling Lyon, Decentralisation and the Management of Ethni ...
. Until the beginning of the 13th century, archbishops of Ochrid were titled as metropolitans of all Bulgaria and Serbia. During 11th and 12th century Byzantines and Serbs fought several battles over the city of Niš. Sometime around 1185, during the rule of Serbian "grand župan"
Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
(1168–1196), Byzantine Empire lost Niš to Serbia, but Eparchy of Niš remained under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Archbishipric of Ohrid. After 1203, Niš was conquered by Bulgarians and during 13th century Serbs and Bulgarians fought several battles over the city and its region. By the end of the 13th century, the city war incorporated into medieval Serbia, and the Eparchy of Niš became part of
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 ...
. By the end of 14th century much of the region of Niš was conquered by
Ottoman Turks The Ottoman Turks () were a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group in Anatolia. Originally from Central Asia, they migrated to Anatolia in the 13th century and founded the Ottoman Empire, in which they remained socio-politically dominant for the e ...
and by the second half of 15th century the conquest of Serbian lands was finalized and
Serbian Patriarchate of Peć Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (, ''Srpska patrijaršija u Peći''), or simply Peć Patriarchate (, ''Pećka patrijaršija''), was an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate that existed from 1346 to 1463, and then again from 155 ...
was suppressed. Between 1526 and 1541, during the attempt of Metropolitan
Pavle of Smederevo Serbian Patriarch Pavle I ( sr-cyr, Српски патријарх Павле I; 1527–1541) was the Archbishop of Peć and self-proclaimed Serbian Patriarch from around 1530 to 1541. He tried to end the long period of vacancy of the Serbian ...
to restore the Serbian Patriarchate, Eparchy of Niš was also included in local ecclesiastical disputes with
Archbishopric of Ohrid The Archbishopric of Ohrid, also known as the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid *T. Kamusella in The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Springer, 2008, p. 276 *Aisling Lyon, Decentralisation and the Management of Ethni ...
. Finally in 1557, Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was restored and the Eparchy of Niš was returned to its jurisdiction, with bishops of Niš holding the honorary title of metropolitan. In 1766, when
Serbian Patriarchate of Peć Serbian Patriarchate of Peć (, ''Srpska patrijaršija u Peći''), or simply Peć Patriarchate (, ''Pećka patrijaršija''), was an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate that existed from 1346 to 1463, and then again from 155 ...
was abolished, the Eparchy of Niš and all other Serbian eparchies under Ottoman rule came under the jurisdiction of
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...
. Bishop of Niš kept his honorary title of Metropolitan, as was also the custom in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1878, region of Niš was finally liberated from the Ottoman rule and under incorporated into independent
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 ...
. In 1879, by the arrangement with the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...
, Eparchy of Niš was transferred to the jurisdiction of the
Metropolitanate of Belgrade The Metropolitanate of Belgrade () was an Eastern Orthodox ecclesiastical province (metropolitanate) which existed between 1831 and 1920, with jurisdiction over the territory of Principality and Kingdom of Serbia. It was formed in 1831, when t ...
. After the end of the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, all Serbian ecclesiastical provinces united in 1920 and since then Eparchy of Niš remains part of the united
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 ...
.


Heads

This is an incomplete list of bishops and metropolitans of Niš.


Monasteries

Monasteries of the Eparchy of Niš are:
Veta Monastery Veta may refer to: * Veta (Bela Palanka), a village in the municipality of Bela Palanka, Serbia * Veța, a village administered by Miercurea Nirajului town, Mureș County, Romania * Veta Pass, a mountain pass in Colorado, United States - see La Vet ...
,
Visoka Ržana Monastery Visoka may refer to: * Visoka, Kardzhali Province, a village in southern Bulgaria * Visoka (Arilje), a village in the municipality of Arilje, Serbia * Visoka (Kuršumlija), a village in the municipality of Kuršumlija, Serbia * Visoka oil field, ...
, Ajdanovac Monastery, Divljana Monastery, Lipovac Monastery,
Đunis Monastery Đunis ( sr-Cyrl, Ђунис) is a village in the municipality of Kruševac, Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = ...
, Sveti Roman Monastery, Naupara Monastery,
Poganovo Monastery The Poganovo Monastery () is a Serbian Orthodox monastery situated in the gorges of the river Jerma, near the village Poganovo, municipality of Dimitrovgrad, Serbia. According to some sources the frescoes were made by masters from Northern Gr ...
,
Sićevo Monastery Sićevo ( sr-Cyrl, Сићево) is a village in the administrative area of the city of Niš in southern Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the village has a population of 772 people. It lies on a hilltop above the entrance of the Sićevo Gorge ...
,
Sukovo Monastery Sukovo Monastery is near the village of Sukovо, on the right bank of the Jerma River, 18 km east of Pirot, Serbia. It belongs to the Eparchy of Niš of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It represents an immovable cultural asset as a cultural m ...
, Temska Monastery,
Jašunja Monastery Jašunja () is a village in the municipality of Leskovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village had a population of 514 people.Popis stanovništva, domaćinstava i Stanova 2002. Knjiga 1: Nacionalna ili etnička pripadnost po naseljima ...
, Muštar Monastery, Monastery of the Holy Mother of God in Toplica, Monastery of St. Nicholas in Toplica.


See also

*
List of the Eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church This is the list of eparchies (dioceses) of the Serbian Orthodox Church, based on the Article No. 14 of Church constitution and subsequent decisions of the Holy Assembly of Bishops. List The territory of the Serbian Orthodox Church is di ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Serbian Orthodox Church

International Symposium "Niš and Byzantium"
{{Serbian Orthodox subdivisions Religious sees of the Serbian Orthodox Church Serbian Orthodox Church in Serbia Dioceses established in the 4th century