Cloud of Witnesses
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Hierarch13th century

Saint Jacob Archbishop of Serbia

flourished late 13th century; archbishop 1286–1292

Also known as Jakov of Serbia

Archbishop of Serbia in the late thirteenth century, a successor of Saint Sava who governed the Serbian Church in piety and care for the poor.

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Commemorated as

Our Father among the Saints Jacob, Archbishop of Serbia

Life

Saint Jacob (Serbian: Јаков) was Archbishop of Serbia in the late thirteenth century, serving from 1286 to 1292 as a successor of Saint Sava in the line of hierarchs who governed the autocephalous Serbian Church.

He held the position of Metropolitan of Peć, succeeding Jevstatije I and being followed in office by Jevstatije II. Sources describe him as gentle, humble, and charitable, with a particular care for the poor and for Serbian ascetics.

He is venerated by the Serbian Orthodox Church as Saint Jakov, commemorated on February 3 (February 16 on the Gregorian calendar), and is also commemorated on that date in the OCA Synaxarion.

Kontakion & Troparion2 hymnsReadHide
KontakionTone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”) O Hierarch Jacob, divine thunder, spiritual trumpet,
planter of faith and pruner of heresies, great favorite of the Trinity,
while standing with the Angels before God,
pray unceasingly for us all.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

TroparionTone 4

In truth you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith,
an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence;
your humility exalted you;
your poverty enriched you.
Hierarch Father Jacob,
entreat Christ our God
that our souls may be saved.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline5 momentsReadHide
  1. 1219Serbian Church becomes autocephalousThe Eastern Orthodox Church in medieval Serbia became an autocephalous archbishopric under Saint Sava as its first archbishop, the institution Jacob would later lead.
  2. 1286Becomes Archbishop of SerbiaJacob succeeded Jevstatije I as Archbishop of Serbia and Metropolitan of Peć.
  3. 1289–1290Treasures transferred to PećWithin Jacob's tenure, the chief treasures of the ruined monastery were transferred to the Peć Monastery.
  4. 1291Seat moved to PećAmid foreign invasion, Jacob moved the episcopal seat to Peć, likely completing the transfer of the see from Žiča.
  5. 1292End of episcopateJacob's tenure as archbishop ended; he was succeeded in office by Jevstatije II.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributionsReadHide

Episcopate and the Serbian Church

Jacob governed the Serbian Church during the early period of its leadership (1219–1346), when archbishops administered the ecclesiastical structure that Saint Sava had established as an autocephalous archbishopric in 1219, before the patriarchate was instituted in 1346.

He stood within the succession of early Serbian archbishops after Saint Sava: Arsenije I, Sava II, Danilo I, Joanikije I, Jevstatije I, Jacob, Jevstatije II, and Sava III. In some accounts he is also referred to as Jacob the New of Tuman.

His ministry was marked by special care for Serbian ascetics and by his support of monastic life. He provided liturgical books and church accessories to the monastery of Studenica.

Building and the Transfer of the See

Jacob renovated and founded churches during his tenure. He is associated with the transfer of the episcopal see from the Žiča Monastery to the Peć metochion, the seat of what would become the Patriarchate of Peć.

The archbishopric had been seated first at Žiča and, from the middle of the thirteenth century, increasingly at Peć. Žiča suffered destruction by the Cumans in the period around 1276–1292, which contextualizes the relocation of the see under Jacob.

According to the succession list of the Archbishopric of Peć, Jacob moved the seat to Peć in 1291 amid foreign invasion, likely completing the final transfer of the see. Between 1289 and 1290, within his tenure, the chief treasures of the ruined monastery were transferred to Peć.

Veneration

The Serbian Orthodox Church venerates Jacob as a saint, numbering him among the Saints of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Sources relate that he received his aureola for his saintly purity and Christian love.

The OCA Synaxarion commemorates Saint Jacob, Archbishop of Serbia, on February 3, listing him among the saints of that date; its entry notes that no fuller biographical information is available at this time, reflecting how relatively obscure this hierarch remains.

Member ofReadHide
Synaxis of the Serbian Hierarchs
Commemorated together · Aug 30
Related Saints3 saintsShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

Immediate predecessor in the see; Jacob succeeded Eustathius I as Archbishop of Serbia and Metropolitan of Peć in 1286.
Eustathius IArchbishop of Serbia
Founder of the autocephalous Serbian Church (1219), in whose line of successor-archbishops Jacob served.
Sava IFirst Archbishop of Serbia
A fellow holy archbishop in the Žiča-Peć succession.
Saint Savva IIIArchbishop of Serbia

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Feb 3