His Grace, Bishop of Great Britain and Scandinavia, The Right Reverend Dositey
His Grace, Bishop Dositey was born in the village of Zagoni, in the district of Olovo, near Sarayevo, on the feast day of The Protection of the Mother of God, the 14th October 1949.
God had blessed his devout parents Nedjo and Rosa with many children. They, in turn, as was customary at the time, out of loyalty and gratitude to God for this priceless gift, from very early on, educated their children in the spirit of strong belonging, service and obedience to the Orthodox Church. One child in particular, the young Despo, as he was christened, our Bishop Dositey today, became increasingly attached to the Church and its holy services from early childhood, and responded to the calling from above by enrolling at a Seminary upon finishing primary school. This was the first generation of students at the School for Monks at the monastery of Ostrog. As one of the best students there, he completed the school between 1967-1969. He then finished the theological school St. Arseny Sremac in Sremski Karlovci and Theology at the University of Belgrade.
Having shown such brilliant academic results, Despo was then sent to do post-graduate studies in theology, specialising in pastoral psychology, in Regensburg, Germany and Bern, Switzerland, which he completed in 3 years.
He took monastic vows in the monastery of St. Nicholas in Ozren in 1970, where he was tonsured with the name of Dositey. In the monastery of Tavna, in that same year, Dositey was ordained a hierodeacon and hieromonk by Bishop Longin of the Diocese of Zvornik and Tuzla. He also undertook parochial and pastoral work there while still studying at university.
In order to fulfil the spiritual needs of our people in Latin America, the Holy Synod of SOC sent Vladyka Dositey to Argentina where he set up and organized a Serbian Orthodox Mission at three different places. Together with his flock, he helped build a church in Buenos Aires, dedicated to the Nativity of the Theotokos.
He was a secretary of the managing board of the Diocese of Canada in Toronto. He was consecrated assistant Bishop of Marcani to His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia in 1989. As instructed by the Holy Synod, Bishop Dositey was then sent to assist Bishop Lavrentije (Trifunovic) of Western Europe in ministering the parish.
He was enthroned as Bishop during the Synod’s sessions in the ancient Patriarchate of Pec on the summer feast day of St. Nicholas, 22 May 1990. In December of that same year the Synod’s sessions took place again. At this historic meeting a new Patriarch, Pavle, was appointed. In addition, the decision was made to found a new diocese of Great Britain and Scandinavia with Dositey as its first Bishop.
In the last 24 years together with the priests and the faithful, our Vladyka has whole-heartedly devoted himself to parochial work and the mission of the Orthodox Church in the diocese entrusted to him. Well-organized old and new parishes as well as places of worship and a sufficient number of ministers are an excellent testimony to his dedication and hard work.
At present, the main spiritual centre of our diocese, the monastery of The Protection of the Mother of God is being constructed in Orkelljunga, south Sweden.
We hope and pray to God that Vladyka’s mission continues and the scope of his incessant work increases for the good of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people as well as the whole Christian world.
