In Memoriam: Serbian Orthodox Patriach Pavle (1914-2009)

The spirtual leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, was born on September 11,  1914 to Stefan and Ann Stojcevic, in the village of Kucani, in the county of Donji Miholjac, in Slavonija. His baptismal name was Gojko.

On May 29, 1957, the Holy Assembly of Bishops elected Archimandrite Pavle as Bishop of Raska-Prizen, in charge of Kosovo.

From that day, he had faithfully shared in the plight of his suffering people. Bishop Pavle wrote and warned of the present exodus of Serbs from Kosovo, the attacks of the Albanians on Serbian monasteries, the rape of nuns, and terrorizing of pedestrians, the desecration of Serbian cemeteries and overall suffering of the Orthodox in Kosovo and in Metohija. In 1989, the then Bishop Pavle was personally beaten by several Albanian youths in Kosovo. The extent of his injuries required nearly 3 months of hospitalization. However, in the spirit of Christian forgiveness, he refused to press charges.

On December 1, 1990, Bishop Pavle was elected the Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovac and Serbian Patriarch.

It is not without reason that Patriarch Pavle has been referred to as a "saint who walks." The simplicity of his lifestyle and his personal humility have found favor by all of those who are familiar with this virtuous man. All of the Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church have an automobile, which they use to travel through their dioceses. The one exception was Patriarch Pavle. When asked why he never obtained an automobile, he replied: "I will not purchase one until every Albanian and Serbian household in Kosovo and Metohija has an automobile."