Visarion Ljubiša
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Visarion Ljubiša (1823, Sveti Stefan, Austria-Hungary – 14 April 1884, Cetinje, Montenegro) was the Serb Orthodox Metropolitan of Montenegro from 1882 to 1884.
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[edit] Early Life and Schooling
Ljubiša was born in the village of Sveti Stefan belonging to the Paštrovići clan. He lost his father, who was a sailor as many of his compatriots, when only three. When he grew up for school his mother sent him to his grandfather, abbot Savo Ljubiša in Praskavica monastery. He finished primary education in a lay school in Risan and then he was sent to the Serb orthodox clerical school in Šibenik, which was promoted to the rang of seminary during his studies there (in 1841).
[edit] Church Career
After he finished his studies in 1844, he returned to Praskavica where he was became a monk and was consecrated for a priest. In next years he was serving as a teacher in monastery schools (often the only existing Serb schools in those days) in Praskavica, monasteries Podlastva, Podmaine, Reževići and Savina (all in the littoral). In 1858 he was appointed priest and teacher in Perast. In 1867 he became the abbot of monastery Morača in Montenegro and two years later the abbot of the Cetinje Monastery (which was the seat of metropolitan) and professor to the newly opened seminary. From 1872 to 1875 he was the rector of the Cetinje Seminary. In the Montenegrin-Turkish war of 1876 - 1878, he was appointed as a priest with the general staff. His dignified and brave behavior made it to the folk epic song. In 1876 he became the president of the newly founded Red Cross of Montenegro. From 1878 to 1882, he was the head of the Zahumlje-Ras bishopric, founded in the newly acquired territories of Montenegro. His seat was in Ostrog Monastery which he enlarged. His work as bishop was devoted and thorough; especially important was the fact that Ljubiša introduced pedant church administration that he knew well from his earlier work in the Littoral.
[edit] Metropolitan
After the death of Ilarion Roganović, and the administration of abbot Mitrofan Ban, on 6th of December 1882, Ljubiša became the Metropolitan of Montenegro. About the same time, the Ministry of Education of Montenegro was formed and Ljubiša, as an experienced teacher and organizer, became its first administrator. He was also a member of the State Council. He died of tuberculosis in 1884 and was buried in the courtyard of Vlaška Church in Cetinje. He left his house in main Cetinje street to the poor.
[edit] Litterature
- Pravoslavlje u Crnoj Gori, Cetinje 2006
- Miroslav Luketić, Budva, Sveti Stefan, Petrovac, Budva - Cetinje 1966
- Radoslav Grujić, Azbučnik Srpske pravoslavne crkve, Beograd 1993
[edit] Trivia
- Visarion was first cousin of famous writer Stjepan Mitrov Ljubiša.
- He was the key assistant of Baltazar Bogišić in his gathering of material for the writing of Montenegrin common law.
