The Serbian Orthodox Church has canonized Priest Mihailo Barbić, who served in the Bay of Kotor region and was killed during the years of the Second World War. The decision to recognize him as a saint was taken by the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and solemnly proclaimed during a church service in Montenegro.

According to the website of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, the canonization ceremony took place on January 24 during an archierarchal Divine Liturgy led by Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral. Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and other regions took part in the service.

Priest Mihailo Barbić, recognized in church tradition as a hieromartyr—a clergyman who died for his faith—served as a parish priest in the villages of Morinj and Krtole along the Adriatic coast. He was actively engaged in educational work, teaching religious instruction, providing pastoral care to young people, publishing in church periodicals, and participating in the social life of the region.

During the wartime and postwar turmoil, church leaders say, Father Mihailo sought to reconcile divided communities, protect civilians, and support his flock. In the late 1940s he was arrested, tortured, and died in prison in the town of Kotor without trial or formal charges. The exact circumstances of his death have not been fully established.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Joanikije noted that after his death, Father Mihailo was slandered and his name fell into obscurity for many years. Over time, however, the accusations against him were признаны false, and researchers and witnesses confirmed his innocence and fidelity to the Church.

“He became an example of a pastor who, in the most difficult times, did not renounce his calling and accepted a martyr’s death,” the metropolitan said.

Church leaders emphasized that the canonization of Hieromartyr Mihailo is a significant event for Orthodox believers in Montenegro and for the entire Bay of Kotor region, where he served and gave his life.