Jefrem (Milutinović) of Banja Luka

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Bishop of Banja Luka, Jefrem (Milutinović) (Serbian: Јефрем Милутиновић, Православни Епископ Бањалучки) is 6th Serbian Orthodox bishopin the city of Banja Luka, in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was born on April 15, 1944 in the village of Busnovi near city of Prijedor, today in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Life

Jefrem Milutinović went to elementary and high school in his native village and in nearby town of Sanski Most. He became a monk in the Monastery of Liplje on July 9, 1967. Bishop Jefrem finished studies at the Theological Seminary in the Monastery of Krka in Dalmatia in 1971 and at the Theological Academy in Moscow in 1975. Bishop Jefrem graduated from the Moscow Academy with work on the teachings of St. Basil the Great (on Monasicism), and he earned the title of "Candidate of Theology". He was ordained as hierodeacon by His Grace Andrej, Bishop of Banja Luka, on January 14, 1968 and as hieromonk on Pentecost, July 14, 1970, both in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Banja Luka. Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church appointed him 1975 as teacher at the “The Holy Three Hierarchs” Theological Seminary at Krka Monastery. In the course of time, Bishop Jefrem resumed duty of Seminary’s main tutor as well. Hieromonk Jefrem was elected for Vicarius Bishop of Moravice on June 1, 1978 and ordained on September 17, of that same year. His Grace was elected "Bishop of Banja Luka" in May, 1980, and His entrhonement took place on June 1. As bishop of Banja Luka, he succeded His Grace Bishop Dr Andrej (Frušić), who was elected for bishop of Srem. On November 2, 2005, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, requested His Grace to accept the duty of chairman of the Jasenovac Committee.

Christ the Saviour Cathedral

He put enormous energy in rebuilding and recovery of diocese destroyed on World War II from Croatian faschists and in post-war period from communists. The crown of all his efforts was the rebuilding of the old cathedral church of Christ of Saviour. The cathedral was initially destroyed by German and Croatian fashists in 1941. After the war, the remnants of the cathedral were removed by communists who didn't allow rebuilding until 1991. Now the cathedral church is almost completed, and the first Divine Service took place in September 2004.