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Serbian Orthodox Church assigns ex-bishop who backed protests to monastery
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Culture & Society

Serbian Orthodox Church assigns ex-bishop who backed protests to monastery

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Serbian Orthodox Church has moved former Zica Bishop Justin to a monastery following his removal from office.
  • The church assembly confirmed a decision to remove Bishop Justin, citing alleged financial and administrative mismanagement.
  • Critics suggest the dismissal is politically motivated due to Bishop Justin's public support for anti-government student protests.

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has assigned former Zica Bishop Justin to the Bosnjane Monastery in Krusevac Diocese after removing him from his episcopal duties. The SPC Assembly of Bishops confirmed a Holy Synod decision from February that ousted Justin as bishop of the Zica Diocese.

Bishop Justin reportedly enjoys significant support within his former diocese. The public perception is that his dismissal and subsequent retirement are politically motivated, stemming from his vocal backing of student-led anti-government protests in Serbia. The Krusevac Diocese is led by Bishop David, who has faced criticism for past remarks.

The SPC stated that Justin was removed to restore "regular church legal order" in the Zica Diocese, citing alleged mismanagement of finances and administration. The church has not publicly commented on his new monastery assignment. The move comes amid ongoing political tensions and public discourse surrounding church influence and political alignment in Serbia.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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