Saint Arsenius, Archbishop of Pec

Life

A great hierarch of the Serbian Church and successor of Saint Sava, Arsenius was a native of Srem. While still in his youth he became a monk and gave himself sincerely to wholehearted ascetic labors for the salvation of his soul. But hearing of the wondrous person and activity of Saint Sava, Arsenius went to him at Zica, where Sava received him lovingly and enrolled him in the brotherhood of Zica. Seeing the rare virtues in Arsenius, Sava soon appointed him abbot of the Monastery of Zica. When the Hungarians invaded the Serbian lands, Sava sent Arsenius south to find for the archbishopric a place more sheltered than Zica. Arsenius chose Pec and there built a monastery and a church dedicated to the Holy Apostles, which was later called the Church of the Ascension of the Lord. Before his second departure for Jerusalem, Sava designated Arsenius as his successor on the archiepiscopal throne. And when Sava died upon his return at Trnovo, Arsenius urged King Vladislav to transfer the body of Sava to Serbian lands. He wisely governed the Church for thirty years and reposed in the Lord on October 28, 1266. On the altar wall of the Pec temple is inscribed: "Lord our God, hearken, visit and bless this temple... and remember also me, the sinful Arsenius." He is buried there in the temple of Pec.