He was elected patriarch on [[February 21]]/[[March 6]], 1938. As a new patriarch, he was very successful in resolving problems. He was an outspoken critic of Nazism, so he, together with St. Nikolaj, was arrested. He was first under house arest arrest in the [[monastery|monasteries]] of Rakovacia and Vojlovica, and later in Dachau. After the war he was not permitted to come back until [[November 14]], 1946. He created six new [[diocese]]s after the war. He put a lot of effort in dealing with the new regime. He died on [[May 7]], 1950. His remains are buried in Belgrade Cathedral Church together with those of Princes Miloš and Mihajlo.