PRIESTS OF THE LESKOVAC VICARAGE 1879–1915

Abstract

The Leskovac vicarage within the Diocese of Nis, the Metropolitanate of Belgrade, was formed in 1879 after liberation from Ottoman Empire. In the period until 1915 included between 20 and 24 parishes. Religion authorities of Serbia did not express distrust towards the local priests because of their Exarchate past – participation in the Bulgarian autonomous church organization. There are no data on the transfer of parishioners, dismissal or expulsion. In addition, uneducated priests were kept in the parishes and their replacement by educated compatriots or relatives, for three and a half decades, shows the intention of the Church to harmonise the educational structure between new and old Serbia territories, without violent measures, but with patient long-term work. The tables given in the paper show that theologically educated priests reached more than half of the majority by 1914, while the locals maintained their numerical dominance. Leskovac vicarage experienced numerous distresses and had significant losses during the First World War. A total of 7 clergymen from his ranks were killed by the Bulgarian occupation authorities, together with vicar Stevan Komnenović, while two died of epidemics. At the same time, nine parishioners were interned in Bulgaria, while two emigrated.