Утицај политичких околности на црквене прилике у Србији кнеза Лазара

Abstract

Рад разматра стање у Српској цркви у време успона кнеза Лазара и непосредно после његове смрти. Преиспитана су становишта да је кнез Лазар уживао подршку Цркве већ од 1375. године и измирења српске и византијске патријаршије. Установљено је да Црква није имала велику улогу у јачању кнеза и проширењу његове државе, до 1379 године. Тек када је довољно политички ојачао кнез је могао свој утицај да наметне и у Цркви и постави Спиридона за патријарха. У успостављању нове идеологије велику улогу имала је Српска црква, која је и сама претрпела неке промене.

Political discrepancies affected the condition of the Church a lot more than the Serbian Church could impose its influence upon the arrogant territorial lords. Reconciliation of Serbian and Byzantine Patriarchy in 1375 took place during the change Serbian Church Head. A patriarch was supposed to be chosen at the assembly for the first time after the Serbian Empire downfall. This assembly was summoned by Prince Lazar and Đurađ Balšić, a hermit monk, Jefrem, was chosen to be the patriarch. His election was considered to be a compromise at a time of great disputes. Only when Prince Lazar got enough political strength, could he impose his influence on the Church too. Support of this establishment was necessary in order for him to legalize his dominance and present himself as a ruler of all the Serbs. At the new assembly 1379/1380 which was summoned by Lazar, Jefrem was ousted and Spiridon was appointed as a patriarch. During the decade of his ruling, a series of changes were made in order to return to the traditions of Serbian Archbishopric, as well as the relocation of Church headquarters from Peć to Žiča. Spiridon died only two months after Prince Lazar. Transient solution was found in the fact that former patriarch Jefrem was alive and ready to accept this important position. Vuk Branković did not manage to use this vantage and impose his influence upon the Church. The Lazarević family summoned the assembly in 1390 and placed their own candidate Danilo III to be the patriarch. Political circumstances influenced the relationship towards the monasteries on Mount Athos. Throughout this whole period Branković family had a strong influence in Hilandar. Monk Gerasim, Vuk Branković’s brother was very influential and he mediated several times between the Serbian lords. After the Battle of Kosovo, relationship between the Lazarević family and the monastery of Hilandar was disrupted only to be restored at the beginning of the 15th century.