Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović has posthumously awarded the country’s highest state order to the late Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović), the former head of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The decision coincides with the fifth anniversary of his passing, according to the Montenegrin outlet Vijesti.me.

President Milatović praised Metropolitan Amfilohije’s nearly 30-year leadership, stating that he left “an indelible mark on the spiritual and public life of Montenegro.” Highlighting his theological scholarship and international education in Belgrade, Bern, Rome, and Athens, the president noted that Amfilohije’s authority helped raise Montenegro’s global reputation.

The president also acknowledged Amfilohije’s significant role during pivotal moments in the country’s recent history, including the 2006 independence referendum. Milatović emphasized the late metropolitan’s advocacy for parliamentary democracy and mutual respect, which he said helped ensure a peaceful and conflict-free process.

In his final years, Metropolitan Amfilohije became a symbol of “spiritual resistance,” most notably during 2019–2020 when he led massive religious processions in opposition to a controversial law on religious freedom that threatened church property. These marches, Milatović remarked, resonated widely with the public and contributed to political shifts in the country.

Amfilohije led the Montenegrin Metropolitanate from 1990 until his death in 2020 from COVID-19. A prominent theologian, monastic, and educator, he revived church life in Montenegro following decades of state atheism — restoring churches, reopening the Cetinje Seminary, and founding the influential church publication Svetigora. Known for his staunch opposition to the state-backed Montenegrin Orthodox Church and Montenegro’s separation from Serbia, Amfilohije remains a towering and often polarizing figure in the nation’s religious and political life. He is buried in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica.