EPISCOPE MOJSIJE PUTNIK’S ADMINISTRATION OF THE METROPOLITANATE OF KARLOWITZ

Abstract

The Metropolitanate of Karlowitz as a Serbian ecclesiastical organisation within the Habsburg Monarchy played an important role in the history of Serbs. From 1708 to 1913 there was a succession of nineteen metropolitans as its head. In the time between the death of one and the election of a new metropolitan, the so-called sede vacante, the church was ruled by one of the episcopes as its administrator. Mojsije Putnik, first the episcope of Bačka, and then of Timisoara, held this position three times (1768-1769, 1773-1774 and 1780-1781), though he was replaced during his first mandate. His work as an administrator was solely within what the law (First Illyrian Regulament and Declaratorium) proscribed, while only in the financial matters he strived to acquire significant assets, but without success. Successful church management, without confronting the Court, resulted in his becoming a desirable candidate for the metropolitan, both in the eyes of the people and the Court, in the Synod of 1781. This secured him the position of the hierarch of the Serbian church in the Habsburg Monarchy, which he held until his death in 1790.