Bishop Damaskin (Davidovic)

Bishop Damaskin (Davidović) (1946-2017)

Damaskin may be spelt Damaskenos, Damaskeno, Damascene.

Dušan may be spelt Dushan.

Davidović may be spelt Davidovich, Davidovitch.

Family history

The origin of the Davidović family is linked to the origin of the village of Velika Krsna (Great Cross), in Yugoslavia. According to tradition, this village was created by a part of the people who started to migrate with Patriarch Arsenij III (Črnojević) in the 17th century. With him, they did not cross the Danube River to the northern regions, but rather remained there at the “crossroads”, and began clearing forests and settling.

In this village of Velika Krsna, about 300 families have the Feast of Vidovdan as their Family Slava.

Early life of Dušan Davidović

On 8 June, 1946, Dušan Davidović was born to Radomir and Bosiljka Davidović in Velika Krsna near Mladenovac, in the City of Belgrade (Beograd) in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later Federal Peoples’ Republic of Yugoslavia (and generally, Serbia).

After having studied at the seminary in the Krka Monastery in Dalmatia, Radomir Davidović became a priest, and he served in several parishes in Serbia. Later in life, he entered a monastery, and he was tonsured and given the name Romil.

Thus, Dušan Davidović was baptised as an Orthodox Christian, and he received an Orthodox Christian formation in his family life. He grew up in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

He received his first 8 years of primary and secondary education in his home-town.

At a young age, he had been interested in technology ; and even in primary school, he regularly subscribed to technical newspapers from Belgrade. However, his upbringing in the spirit of the Orthodox Church and Orthodoxy prepared him for a priestly vocation.

It is important to keep in mind that throughout much of his life, both he and the Serbian Orthodox Church were living under the great anti-Church (and especially anti-Orthodox Church) pressure and stress that was being exerted by the Communist government under Mr. J B Tito. After his demise in 1980, the communist government continued its negative policy.

Higher education

In 1962, Dušan enrolled at the seminary of Saint Sava in Belgrade.

He continued his education there, and in the Novi Sad Seminary during 1966 (by which time, he had encountered the writings of Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirović)). It was particularly through Vladika Nikolaj’s book “Spiritual Lyre” (“Duhovna Lira”) that his heart was opened yet more to the Lord. He became greatly influenced by the holy bishop’s writings.

Dušan Davidović completed his studies in 1967 in the newly-opened seminary in Sremski Karlovci. This academy, now called “Saint Arsenije Sremac”, was founded in 1794 as the “Clerical High School of Saint Arsenije”. It had been closed for a period of time under the Communist government, but it was re-opened in 1964.

By this time, he was 21 years old.

By this time also, he was required to fulfil the obligatory military service.

However, even before the military service, he had already understood that he was called to remain in celibacy, and to embrace the monastic path and way.

This decision was pleasing to Patriarch German (Đorić).

Monastic tonsure

Therefore, in 1967, with the blessing of Patriarch German (Đorić), Dušan Davidović was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Damaskin. Usually, this name refers to Saint John of Damascus.

Diaconal ordination

In 1967, with the blessing of Patriarch German (Đorić), the Monk Damaskin (Davidović) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.

It is not indicated in available information when he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. It is likely that this occurred either before or during the course of his studies.

Further study

In 1967, after the ordination, Hierodeacon Damaskin (Davidović) was sent to the Moscow Theological Academy at Zagorsk (now Sergiyev Posad) north of Moscow, Russia, in order to continue theological studies.

In 1971, he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy.

Pastoral service

After the graduation, Hieromonk Damaskin returned to Serbia, and he fulfilled obediences of service in the Church which are not identified specifically in presently-available documents.

It is known, however, that in 1973, he was assigned to teach at the Saint Sava Seminary in Belgrade.

It was also in that year that he Providentially met Archimandrite Justin (Popović) and his mother. The holy Father Justin also was a strong influence in his life, perhaps just as was Saint Nikolaj (Velimirović).

In 1975 (by decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops), the Hieromonk Damaskin was transferred “according to the need of the service” to the Seminary of Saint Cyril and Methodius in Prizren, in the province Kosovo and Metohija.

Further study

During the period from 1984 until 1985, Father Damaskin undertook his post-graduate studies at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece, where he trained in the field of liturgical and pastoral theology at the Faculty of Theology and attended the school for Modern Greek at the Faculty of Philosophy of the same university.

In 1985, he completed postgraduate studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Further service

In 1986, according to the decision of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Father Damaskin was transferred from Prizren to Belgrade, and to the Faculty of Theology. There, he served as a professor in seminaries in Belgrade and Prizren and was the manager of a boarding school at the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Move to the USA

In 1988, Father Damaskin received a canonical release from the Serbian Patriarchate in order to go to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos. However, since he was prevented by circumstances from going to the Hilandar Monastery, he went instead to Germany. Afterwards, he went to the USA, where he became a cleric of the Metropolis of Novogračanica.

From 1963, this diocese (the former diocese for the United States and Canada of the Serbian Patriarchate), had become the “Free Serbian Orthodox Church”, which had gone into schism from the Church of Serbia.

This rupture lasted until 1992, when Patriarch Pavle (Stojčević) presided over the healing, together with Metropolitan Irinej (Kovacević).

Episcopal ordination

On 22 July, 1990, Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) and Bishop Vasilije (Veinović) ordained Archimandrite Damaskin (Davidović) to the Holy Episcopate in the Nova Gračanica Monastery at Third Lake, Illinois, USA.

Episcopal service

In 1994, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Serbia, at its regular session in 1994, made a decision about the state of the dioceses of the Church of Serbia in the territory of Western Europe. It founded the Diocese of Western Europe from parts of dioceses of Central Europe, the Diocese of Dusseldorf and Western Germany, and the Diocese of Britain and Scandinavia. Also established was the Diocese of Novogračanica in North America.

The area entered into the composition of the new diocese which included Spain, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Belgium. For the first bishop of the Serbian Diocese of Western Europe, which was based in Paris, the new bishop assigned for Western Europe was Bishop Damaskin (Davidović).

Move to Canada

Early 1999, Bishop Damaskin moved to Canada, where he entered into the jurisdiction of one of the Greek Old Calendar Orthodox churches. He served at the Saint Anargiri (Holy Unmercenaries) Greek Old Calendarist Orthodox Church at 281, Jones Avenue (Leslieville neighbourhood), in Toronto, Ontario.

Saint Anargiri Church

Deposition

In 2003, in the wake of this move, Bishop Damaskin was deposed by the Church of Serbia from his episcopal and monastic status. This was because the entity he had joined were schismatics from the canonical Church.

In a conflict in the Australian diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the summer of 2008, 3 parishes and churches in Canberra left the diocese and declared themselves again to belong to the Serbian Free Church (the schismatic group). By the end of the same year, they were joined by former Bishop Damaskin.

He was buried in a family tomb in his native Great Cross on 2 August, 2017.

Repose

“My good servant, enter into the joy of your master !”

On 28 June, 2017 (Vidovdan, Saint Vitus’ Day), suddenly, quietly, and silently, Bishop Damaskin (Davidović) fell asleep in the Lord in his apartment in Toronto, Ontario. He reposed at age 71.

The Funeral Service for the Burial of a Hierarch was offered at the Saint Anargiri Greek Old Calendarist Orthodox Church at 281, Jones Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.

The body of Vladyka Damaskin (Davidović) was interred near his birthplace at Velika Krsna (Great Cross) near Smederevo, Serbia.

— Bishop of Western Europe 1991-1994. Preceded by : Bishop Vasilije (Veinović). Succeeded by : Diocese abolished.

— Bishop of Western Europe 1994-1997. Preceded by : Diocese established. Succeeded by : Bishop Luka (Kovačević).

Reflections

Bishop Damaskin was a Christ-loving High-priest (Hierarch) and Arch-pastor (Chief-shepherd), and he was kind. However, he served during a period of time during which there were many complicated relationships and some turmoil within the Orthodox Church in Europe.

In particular, there were disturbances in the Church of Serbia, which were in the context of the bombings in Yugoslavia by NATO.

For instance, it was in 1999, the year of this bombing, that Vladika Damaskin moved from Europe to Canada. This move was clearly a consequence of various current events, besides any related internal Church controversies at the time.

In this context, a parishioner in Toronto, Ontario, wrote the following :

In the conflict in the Australian diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the summer of 2008,
three parishes and churches in Canberra left the diocese and declared again that they belong to
the Serbian Free Church. By the end of the same year, the former bishop Damascene joined them.

The issue of property and control of property was not the only controversial point of the proposed Constitution.

A sore point was also the abolition of the Novogračanica Metropolis (Free Serbian Church) and the
distribution of its parishes to ‘sister’ dioceses.

Although the proposed Constitution was never accepted at the council of the Novogračanica
Metropolis, the Bishops’ Council in Belgrade unilaterally accepted it, and after the death of
Metropolitan Irinej, it strengthened all these controversial points.

The spiritual unification of the feuding brothers through a common Liturgy and communion from
one cup was to be strengthened by administrative unification with a common Constitution for both sides.

Just as in 1963 there was a raid on the property of ‘schismatics’ that was confiscated after major
trials, so again the central issue was the question of property. The mother church, although it
promised to be guided by the principle of the Apostle Paul, ‘We want not yours, but you’, was not
ready to compromise on the issue of property.

• The issue of property and property control was not the only contentious point of the proposed Constitution.
• Another sore point was the abolition of the Novogračanica Metropolis (Free Serbian Church) and the
distribution of its parishes to ‘sister’ dioceses.

Although the proposed Constitution was never accepted at the council of the Novogračanica
Metropolis, the Bishops' Council in Belgrade unilaterally accepted it , and after the death of
Metropolitan Irinej, strengthened all these controversial points.

So, the principle of the Apostle Paul ‘We want not yours, but you’ turned into ‘we want yours, not you’
because there was no compromise on the issue of property.

In all these ‘transactions’, after spiritual reconciliation, Bishop Damaskin was a great victim
because from the European Diocese of the Novogračanica Metropolis, which was the first to be
closed, he was appointed bishop of the European Diocese in Paris, which he ultimately lost and
resigned.

In an interview with the late Pavle Pavlović, when asked : ‘How did you lose your diocese ?’, the
bishop replied :
‘A complete answer to it can only be given through the prism of the so-called process of
“reconciliation and unification”, i.e., how sincerely we reconciled first and unification will come
later, of course, provided that all its premises are sincere and if they are based on God’s and
human justice and not on lies, deceptions and frauds. Perhaps the opinion of Bishop Atanasij and
his statement are authoritative in this matter : “We did not even care about the establishment of
that diocese (the Western European one in Paris) but about separating Damascene from the
American Serbs”. No one forced them to recognise us, but since they have already recognised, let
them behave like people, Christian brothers, let them have the fear of God’.

And then the bishop's headlong rush began. Since he was left without a diocese in Paris due to
various circumstances that forced him to resign, and since the faithful of the Novogračanica
Metropolis in America were treated in a similar way, the delegates of the council from Canada
invited the bishop to come to Canada. Bishop Damaskin responded to that invitation and came to
Canada in 1999. If an atomic bomb had fallen on Canada, it would have had less of an impact
than his arrival. This disturbed many spirits and probably also shook up the plans he had set.
After vain calls to return, the Council of Bishops in Belgrade deprived him of both episcopal and
monastic rank in 2005.

Having no place in any church of the Novogračanica Metropolis, which was under the complete
control of Belgrade, torn apart and divided into sister churches, even though they signed the
Proposal for Reconciliation that they would not reorganise us or change the structure of the NM
or its dioceses, Bishop Damaskin served in the Greek Old Calendar Church, which again was
taken as evil. He is a pensioner in the Greek Church.

Bishop Damaskin was a very frequent and dear guest in our house. After arriving in Canada, he
was with us for eight months before he found a job in the Greek church. For Slava, Christmas,
Easter and other holidays, his place was at the head of the table. He knew how to comfort, to
cheer up, to encourage the discouraged and to bring a festive atmosphere with his wonderful
singing. He was very modest and content with little. He bought beautiful things cheaply. He had a
great love for books and would give his last dinar for a good book. He had a broad education in
many fields, which he never boasted about. He spoke Greek and Russian.

He never complained about his health problems, which he had more than was noticeable. He
fasted every Lent, even when he was sick. He knew Greek families who were very hospitable to
him. He left quietly and inconspicuously, just as he had lived.

People can judge and blame him for many things. Let's leave that judgment to God, who will not make mistakes.

I am glad that even though he is dead, he is returning to his country that he loved so much, to his
pious parents and to a place where there is no human persecution and injustice. May the Serbian
land be easy for him and may God grant him a heavenly home.

The editorial staff of Serbian Newspapers and the Krstić family express their deepest condolences
to the grieving brother Momčil, his sister-in-law Ljiljana, his nephews Dejan, the priest and his
family, Lazar and his family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, with a prayer to God that God
will strengthen and comfort them in their days of mourning.

Dr. Desanka Krstic

Writings

‘For the 10th Anniversary of the patriarchal Service of the Holy Patriarch of Serbia in Germany’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 12 (1968), pp. 49-50.

‘Metropolitan of Conchin Zagreb Damascus’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate” 1970), no. 4 (1970), pp. 48-50.

‘Bishop of Timoksk Emilian [obituary]’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no 2 (1971), pp. 53-54.

‘Jubilee and the Serbian Church’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 1 (1972), pp. 56-57.

‘O Revered Holy Mother’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, 1975), no. 7 (1975), pp. 30-31.

‘Bishop John of Nishsky’ [obituary]’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 7 (1975) pp. 35-36.

‘Chronicle of the Orthodox Church : Serbian Orthodox Church’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 12 (1978), pp. 49-50.

‘Students pray to St. John Chrysostom’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 9 (1979), pp. 68-73.

‘St. Dometian, Bishop of Vransk [obituary]’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1983), no. 12 (1983), p. 50.

‘Karlovački Metropolitan Pavle (Nenadović) (1699-1768)’ in “Theological prayers” nos. 1-2 (1987), pp. 73-87.

‘Celebrations of the 1000th Anniversary of Belgrade’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, no. 12, (1988), p.55.