Early life, education and personal life Amfilohije was born as
Risto Radović () in
Bare Radovića in Lower
Morača,
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now
Montenegro). He also studied
classical philology in
Belgrade. He was a member of the
Association of Writers of Serbia and
Montenegro.
Bishop of Banat (1980s) Named
Bishop of Banat in the 1980s, he held the title until the end of 1990. In 1990, Amfilohije became a candidate for
Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC). 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, a position he held until his death. Guests that were present at his inauguration ceremony were
Matija Bećković,
Novak Kilibarda and
Radovan Karadžić. At the time, the
Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro had re-emerged as a spiritual and political force following the
fall of communism and the subsequent
dissolution of the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992). Other initiatives by Amfilohije resulted in more monks, nuns, priests and people into the church and an increase of
Montenegrins baptised into Orthodoxy during a time when his relations with the
Yugoslav Montenegrin government were strained. 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. 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 kitchens 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. 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, with its
modernity and ideologies such as
communism,
individualism,
materialism and
secularism. Amfilohije made comments on the situation in
Kosovo and claimed that expansionist countries of the Catholic and
Protestant West and
Muslim East were "an insane wind trying ceaselessly to extinguish this sacred lamp", defined as Serbia. As the
Yugoslav Wars 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 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, as according to him "without death there will be no resurrection". Amfilohije became a prominent contributor to debates regarding identity and sovereignty issues of Montenegro. He viewed people advocating for the
canonically unrecognized Montenegrin Orthodox Church (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. Protests by Montenegrin autocephalists were held against Amfilohije, sometimes in places when he was present such as at the
inauguration ceremony for the
Cathedral of Christ's Resurrection in
Podgorica and the interruption of a conference of Montenegrin academia honouring
Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. 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 and wars that took place in
Croatia and
Bosnia. In comments made to a
Kosovo Serb newspaper
Jedinstvo in 1990, Amfilohije acknowledged the self determination of
Slovenes 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 peninsula on the Croatia-Montenegro border. During the
siege of Dubrovnik, Amfilohije played the
gusle (a stringed instrument) and sang verses to Yugoslav Montenegrin troops from the epic poem "Battle of Mojkovac". 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". Amfilohije maintained a strong relationship with the wartime Bosnian Serb leadership based in the town of
Pale, Bosnia. 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 gave blessings to Đukanović when he became
Montenegrin president in January 1998. Attempts to alleviate ecclesiastical tensions resulted in Đukanović and
Prime Minister Igor Lukšić 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 mid-2000s, Amfilohije commented and made critical statements regarding the
integration of Serbia into the
European Union. Amfilohije opposed dialogue and was anti-ecumenical in relation to the
Catholic Church. 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 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'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 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.
After the independence of Montenegro (since 2006) During the
2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, Amfilohije supported the continuation of
Serbian–Montenegrin unionism and was an important figure in the campaign for unity. A future unification of all Orthodox churches within Montenegro was opposed by Amfilohije. receives the
Order of St. Sava from Metropolitan Amfilohije. In 2008,
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia and Amfilohije gave speeches where he stated that
Kosovo was "
Jerusalem, the cradle of the Serbian nation". In March 2008, during the
Serbian elections, Amfilohije backed the
Serbian Radical Party (SRS) and
Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS). On 13 November 2007, after
Serbian Patriarch Pavle (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". The word
poturčenjaštvo is in reference to Slavic people becoming Muslims or converting to Islam, the faith of the "
Turks" (
Ottomans) 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". Amfilohije was well known for his frequent statements against the
LGBT rights and
gender equality, and has been quoted calling the
Pride 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 for
hate speech and discrimination of the LBGT minority. Amfilohije had denounced
NATO, calling it a "
militaristic,
totalitarian,
terrorist, 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) in
Podgorica, on 26 January 2020. As of late December 2019, the newly proclaimed Law on Religious Communities in Montenegro, which
de jure 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 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 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 and the fall from power of the ruling DPS, which had ruled the country since the introduction of the
multi-party system 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 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 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 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 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 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,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Greece,
Ukraine and
Albania,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar and Islamic communities in Montenegro and
Serbia, 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 Aleksa Bečić, as well as Serbian poet and Amfilohije's close friend Matija Bećković. In a telegram of condolences, Belgrade Chief
Mufti 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 of
Duško Marković 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,
Budva,
Berane,
Kotor,
Herceg Novi,
Tivat and
Plužine. 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. == Public opinion ==