Bishop Georgije (Djokic)
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Bishop Georgije (Ðjokić) (1949-____)
Djordje may be spelt Georgije, George.
Djocic may be spelt Ðjokić.
Early life of Djordje Ðjokić
On 6 May, 1949, Djordje Ðjokić was born to Hadži-Krsta and Krunija (born Arsenović) in the village of Crnjelovo near Bijeljina, in the Bosnia-Herzegovina region of the Yugoslav Republic (now Republika Srpska).
Djordje was the third child. All the children were raised as Orthodox Christians in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
All the siblings were active in serving the Church. His eldest brother emigrated to Russia. His other brothers became a bishop and a priest, and his sister became a nun.
Higher education
In 1962, Djordje left for the Tavna Monastery. There, he continued his preparation for serving God, as well as at the Ozren, Kosijerevo, Transfiguration (Ovèar Banja), Savina and Studenica monasteries.
Between 1967 and 1969, Djordje was part of the first generation of students at the two-year monastic school in the Ostrog Monastery in Montenegro. At that time, the administrator and professor was the Hieromonk Irinej (Gavrilović) (later Patriarch of Serbia). Djordje was amongst the first of the post-war generation.
Monastic tonsure, 1971
In 1971, Djordje Ðjokić was tonsured to be a monk at the Ozren Saint Nicholas Monastery (near the town of Petrovo), and he was given the name Georgije.
Ozren Saint Nicholas Monastery
Ordinations, 1971
On 12 February, 1971, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.
On 15 February, 1971, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood.
Pastoral service ; further education, 1981, 1984
Bishop Longin appointed the Hieromonk Georgije to be the confessor of the Tavna Monastery in the village of Banjica in the town of Bijeljina.
Tavna Monastery
From there, he finished the Saint Arsenius Seminary in Sremski Karlovci, and the Theological Faculty in Belgrade in 1981.
In 1982, Hieromonk Georgije (Ðjokić) continued his postgraduate studies at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England, from which he graduated in 1984.
On 16 May, 1984, "Synkellos" Georgije (Ðjokić) was chosen by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Serbia to be a bishop.
Episcopal ordination, 1984
On 8 July, 1984, "Synkellos" Georgije (Ðjokić) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate at the Cathedral Church of Saint Michael in Belgrade by the Serbian Patriarch German (Đorić), together with Bishop Milutin (Knezevic) of Timok and Bishop Vasilije (Kacavenda) of Zvornik-Tuzla.
Saint Michael Cathedral, Belgrade
Transfer to Canada
Soon afterwards, in 1984, Bishop Georgije (Đokić) travelled to Canada, where the Holy Synod had assigned him to take up his responsibilities in the Toronto, Ontario. region as the first bishop of the new Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada.
On 14 October, 1984, Bishop Georgije was enthroned in the Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Hamilton, Ontario, on the Feast-day of the Protection of the Theotokos. The enthronement was performed by Bishop Christopher (Kovaćević) of Eastern America and Canada who on that occasion officially handed over the Canadian diocese to the new bishop. It had been Bishop Christopher who had promoted the establishment of a distinct Canadian diocese, which had been formally established on 26 May, 1983. It had also been Bishop Christopher who had (as Bishop of Eastern America and Canada) served as the administrator of the new diocese up until this moment.
[[
]] Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Hamilton, Ontario
In the newly-formed Diocese of Canada, 11 new Temples were established and sanctified under the leadership of Vladika Georgije. In addition, the first Serbian monastery was established in Canada. The Cathedral of All Saints of Serbia is in Mississauga, Ontario, and the Monastery of the Transfiguration is near Campbellville, Ontario. Bishop Georgije re-founded the Federation of the Circle of Serbian Sisters in Canada. He brought many priests to Canada to serve the numerous immigrating people, and to develop the new parishes.
In 1994, Patriarch Pavle (Stojčević) visited Canada. Included in his visit to various parishes in the country and the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada was a visit to the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, and to the Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien.
Patriarch Pavle, Bishop Georgije and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in Ottawa
During his visit, Patriarch Pavle also sanctified the Holy Transfiguration Temple of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery at the diocesan centre near Campbellville (Milton), Ontario.
Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Campbellville
All Saints of Serbia Cathedral, Misssissauga
During the time of his episcopal service, the number of parishes in Canada increased from 12 to 40.
Vladika Georgije founded the “ISTOĆNIK” diocesan magazine, and as well as many other publishing endeavours. He also founded the Library of the Holy Transfiguration of our Lord.
Vladika Georgije's work included overcoming the effects of the former schism in the Serbian Church (primarily locally, in Canada). He was also in charge of several actions for the assistance of Serbs in Serbia, and for providing more accurate and clear material for the public media regarding the truth about the war in the former Yugoslavia, and about the sufferings of the Serbian people. Bishop Georgije represented his diocese as a member of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, and in the Canadian Council of Canonical Orthodox Bishops (now the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Canada).
Bishop of Mileševa, 1992-1994
In 1992, Bishop Georgije (Đokić) was temporarily released from his active service as Bishop of Canada in the face of a need in his homeland. He continued to serve the Canadian diocese as its administrator, but at this time he was installed by the Holy Synod of the Church of Serbia to serve as the first bishop of the renewed Eparchy of Mileševa (first established in the 14th century) in Prijepolje, south-western Serbia. His service there at this juncture was significant.
By 1994, a suitable candidate had been found to succeed him in the Eparchy of Mileševa, and Bishop Georgije was returned to his responsibilities as the ruling bishop of the Serbian Diocese of Canada.
On 1 June, 2014, Bishop Georgije was given the highest award of the Eparchy of Mileševa, the "Order of the White Angel", 1st degree. The award was presented by Bishop Filaret (Mićević) of Mileševa after a concelebrated service in Mileševa.
Retirement, 2015
In May, 2015, Bishop Georgije was retired by the Holy Assembly of the Bishops of Serbia (Sabor). In his retirement, he lives in a house nearby the Campbellville monastery.
— Bishop of Canada 1984-1992. See was created.
— Bishop of Mileševa 1992-1994. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : Bishop Vasilije (Veinović).
— Administrator of Canada 1992-1994. Preceded by : Bishop Christopher (Kovaćević). Succeeded by : Patriarch Irenej (Gavrilović) (2015).
— Bishop of Canada 1994-2015. Preceded by : The see was created. Succeeded by : Bishop Mitrofan (Kodić).
— Former Bishop of Canada 2015-____.
Reflections
The older brother of Vladika Georgije, Marco, emigrated to Russia. He settled in Arkhangelsk, where he lived under a localised version of his surname : Djezic. His grandson is the well-known Russian historian Mikhail Arkadyevich Djezic (born 1974), who lived in London, England.
His older brother Krsta later became Bishop Konstantin (Đokić), and he served as Bishop of Central Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) from 1991 to 2013, when he retired.
His brother Lubomir became a priest in Vršani near Bijeljina, Serbia.
His sister Nadežda (Hope) became a nun in the Tavna Monastery.
During the years of his archpastoral service in Canada, there began to be complaints about the conduct of Bishop Georgije.
After numerous complaints from the clergy and the faithful, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church released Bishop Georgije temporarily from his responsibilities as Bishop of the Eparchy of Canada on 28 April, 2015. The accusations concerned his moral life and also alleged financial abuse regarding the production and sale of candles.
After further consideration, the decision that Bishop Georgije be retired was confirmed by the Holy Assembly of Bishops on 20 May, 2015.
When Bishop Georgije (Đokić) was retired in May, 2015, Patriarch Irenej (Gavrilović) was assigned by the Serbian Holy Synod to serve in his place as the administrator of the Diocese of Canada until there could be appointed a successor. This administratorship lasted until May, 2016, when the successor was announced.
Writings :
• "The Seal of my Bishopric" ("Pečat mojega vladičanstva"), 2006
• "Memoirs : My Way to God" ("Kovčežić uspomena"), 2011
Vladika Georgije was made an honourary member of the Writers' Association of Serbia.
References
Serbian Wikipedia biography (in Serbian)
Serbian Encyclopaedia reference
Additional information :
Hockenos, Paul, “Homeland Calling : Exile, Patriotism & the Balkan Wars” (Ithaca, NY : Cornell University Press, 2003). ISBN 0-8014-4158-7.
Puzovic, Predrag, Article about Serbian Orthodox Church Eparchies Abroad (PDF) in “Journal of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, Belgrade” (in Serbian), vol. 40 (1996), nos. 1-2, pp. 87–96 : PDF article in English ; PDF article in Serbian.
Spasović, Stanimir, Miletić, Srboljub, “History of the Serbian Orthodox Church : Schism on the North American Continent”
Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.
Vuković, Sava, “History of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Canada 1891–1941” (Kragujevac, Serbia : Kalenić, 1998)
Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada web-site
Wikipedia article about the Serbian Orthodox Church
Orthodox wiki article about the Church of Serbia
Wikipedia article about the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada
Orthodoxwiki article about the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
Wikipedia article about the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America
Wikipedia article about the Tavna Monastery
Patriarch Pavle II (Stojcevic)
Wikipedia article about the Đokić surname
Interview with Bishop George : “Twenty Years at the Head of the Serbian Church of Canada” (8 October, 2004) (in Serbian)
Conversation with Bishop Georgije (Ðjokić), Bishop of Canada : “Emigration as a special Mission” (22 September, 2008)
“Bishop Georgije is an honourary Member of the Writers’ Association of Serbia” (23 November, 2011) (in Serbian)
Review of Bishop Georgije’s book “Memoirs : My Way to God” by Dragan Lakićević. (in Serbian)