Saint (Hierarch) Ephrem II, Patriarch of Serbia

St Ephrem, Patriarch of Serbia, was born around 1312 into the family of a Bulgarian priest. Against his relatives' wishes he went to Mount Athos, where he lived as a hermit and for a time in the Hilandar monastery. Driven off by pirate raids, he settled with disciples on an island near Philippopolis, and under Tsar Stefan Dušan moved to Serbia, living near Dečani and later in a cave near Peć.

On October 3, 1375 a church council, convened at the initiative of Prince Lazar, elected him Patriarch against his will. He opposed the Bogomils, but soon asked to be released because of age and infirmity and withdrew to the wilderness near the Holy Archangels monastery at Prizren. In 1389, after the death of his successor Spyridon and of Prince Lazar at Kosovo, he briefly resumed the patriarchal throne until Danilo III was elected in 1390, then returned to solitude. He died on June 14 or 15, 1400, in his 88th year and was buried in the church of St Demetrius at Peć. His Life and service were written by his disciple Bishop Mark of Hvosno. His feast is June 15 (June 28 New Style).