Mостарска црквено-школска општина и промене на херцеговачком митрополијском трону (1888–1889)
Church-School Municipality in Mostar and Changes on the Herzegovina Metropolitan Throne (1888–1889)

Summary/Abstract: The Serbian Orthodox Church­-School Municipality in Mostar, as one of the most reputable and financially the most stable, was established at the time of the Ottoman rule in 1835 and abolished by virtue of the decision of the Austro­-Hungarian occupation authorities in 1882. The motive for the abolishment were the accusations that it was the initiator of the 1881 riot of limited scope, launched over the Military Law which envisaged the recruitment of a contingent from Herzegovina to the Austro­-Hungarian army. The Municipality was restored in 1888, based on the compromise with state authorities, when its autonomy was significantly diminished. Its erstwhile rights to represent all church­-school municipalities in Herzegovina and elect priests in Mostar were abolished and transferred to the Herzegovina-Zahumlje Metropolitan. At the time of the first convocation of the renewed Church-School Municipality in Mostar in 1888–1891, even three metropolitans changed on the Herzegovina­-Zahumlje throne. Metropolitan Ignjatije Ikonomidis, a Greek who maintained good cooperation with the Municipality, protesting together with it over the conclusion of the unfavourable Convention between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Austria­Hungary, was pensioned in1888. In the same year, the authorities nominated archimandrite Leontije Radulović, who was then ordained and assumed the throne, but died only six months later from tuberculosis. In 1889, he was succeeded by archimandrite Serafim Perović, who served until his death in 1903. In its session minutes, the restored Church­-School Municipality did not record data on Metropolitan Ignjatije Ikonomidis, but described in detail his relationship with his successors – Leontije Radulović and Serafim Perović. It assumed the central role in the organisation of ceremonies relating to their ordainment and enthronement, and established with them good cooperation, despite disagreements concerning jurisdiction, particularly in the case of Serafim Perović. The Municipality also organised the erection of the monument to Metropolitan Leontije Radulović in the new Cathedral Church. In the years just after its restoration, the Church-School Municipality of Mostar quickly adjusted to changes on the Herzegovina­-Zahumlje Metropolitan throne, and fostered good communication with the three Metropolitans who succeeded one another at the time.

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