Ilarion was born Ilija Roganović on 12 July 1828 in Podgorica to Đuro and Marija Roganović (née Marković). His family was poor,[2] and he was taught by a local priest, Aleksije Radičević, and hieromonk Isaija Bajković who ordained him as a monk at Vranjina Monastery.[3][4]
Service in the church
Metropolitan Petar II ordained him as a hierodeacon in 1843 and then as a hieromonk in 1847.[3] After the death of Isaija Bajković, Ilarion became the abbot of Ždrebaonik Monastery near Danilovgrad. In 1856, he was called to Cetinje to study there, after which he became the abbot of Ostrog Monastery.[4] From Ostrog, he moved to Cetinje Monastery where he became archimandrite, meaning he was de facto named successor to the Metropolitan.[2]
In 1864, Ilarion introduced an order that reformed the parishes and introduced archpriests. In 1866, parishes were reformed again making them more equal in population. After this, 60 priests were left without parishes, but were paid a yearly sum from parishes with more than 120 houses. Under Ilarion, an inventory of all monastery lands was created in 1868.[2]
In 1866, Roganović ordered that all priests must grow their beards.[5] They were, however, allowed to wear their national costume. Ilarion also introduced registers of births, deaths and marriages, expanding the earlier practice of recording only baptisms, started by Peter I.[2]
In 1869, the Cetinje Seminary was officially opened.[5][2] During his service, Ilarion consecrated 45 temples and ordained 119 priests.[3]
In 1875, Ilarion became the first president of the Red Cross of Montenegro.[6]
References
^Spomenica, 1876-1936 (in Serbian). Belgrade: Društvo crvenog krsta. 1936. pp. 180–182. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
^ abcdefgSlijepčević, Đoko (1991). Istorija srpske pravoslavne crkve 2: od početka XIX veka do kraja drugog svetskog rata (in Serbian). Belgrade: BIGZ. pp. 275–278. ISBN86-13-00598-5.
^ abDurković-Jakšić, Ljubomir (1991). Mitropolija crnogorska nikada nije bila autokefalna (in Serbian). Belgrade; Cetinje: Sveti arhijerejski sinod srpske pravoslavne crkve; Mitropolija crnogorsko-primorska. p. 62.
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