Jefrem

Jefrem (; Ephraim; c. 1312 – died 1400), also known as Elder Jefrem (старац Јефрем) and Ephraim of Serbia, was the Patriarch of the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć twice, in 1375–1379 and 1389–1392 , and also a renowned poet.

Life

Born into a priestly family, of Bulgarian origin, he became a monk around 1335 at the age of 23. He moved to Mount Athos, where he stayed at Hilandar, then Zograf, and later lived as a hesychastic ascetic in the mountains of Athos. In around 1347, he left Athos on a river island of the Maritsa near Plovdiv where he became a hegumen. He then moved to Serbia, and stayed in the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery. He lived in a cave-church near Visoki Dečani, and Patriarch Sava IV built an ascetic cell for him in Ždrelo near the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery. When unrest broke out in the state and Church, the Synod chose Jefrem to succeed as patriarch on 3 October 3, 1375. To protect the Church from interference from feudal lords, he renounced his throne and turned it over to Spiridon, becoming an ascetic. Following the death of Spiridon in 1389, Jefrem again took office. However, he once again renounced the throne in 1392, and then retired to Ždrelo. He died in the evening of 14 June 1400, and was buried the next day at the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery. According to the hagiography of Jefrem, Sava V was present at the burial. Jefrem left a large original poetry work, preserved in a 14th-century manuscript from Hilandar.

In 1406 or 1407 ("seven summers after ascendance") he was proclaimed a saint by Sava V after showing signs of sainthood. Bishop Marko wrote the Service to St. Jefrem and Life of St. Jefrem. His feast day is celebrated on June 15/28, together with St. Lazar and St. Spyridon.

Annotations Historiography treat him as being of Bulgarian origin.