The Walling-Off of Venerable Justin Popović: An Ecclesiological Approach

Protopresbyter Dimitrios Athanasiou | February 15, 2026

 

 

Venerable Justin Popović (1894–1979) was a distinguished Serbian theologian, monk, and spiritual father of the 20th century. His walling-off from the official Serbian Orthodox Church constitutes a decisive ecclesiological event, as it highlights issues of faith, synodality, spiritual conscience, and relationship with Tradition.

Historical and Spiritual Background

From 1931, as abbot of the monastery of Ćelije, Venerable Justin created a spiritual center where strict Orthodox faith, ascetic life, and spiritual guidance coexisted with continuous criticism toward every form of compromise with the contemporary world. His position in the Serbian Church placed him in a central role for the spiritual life of monks and the faithful, but also for the understanding of the relationship between Church and world.

 

 

The Walling-Off of 1971

In 1971, Venerable Justin chose to wall off [cease commemoration], an act of discreet disobedience of conscience:

Reasons for Walling-Off

1. Opposition to the Ecumenist Tendencies: Venerable Justin considered the efforts of rapprochement with the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian confessions a compromise of Orthodoxy.

2. Criticism of the Serbian Hierarchy: He accused them of a downgrading of the spiritual life, secularization, and removal from the Tradition of the Holy Fathers.

3. Reactions to the Communist Regime: He condemned restrictions in the ecclesiastical life and concessions of the hierarchy.

Form of Walling-Off

The walling-off constituted an act both personal and spiritually responsible. In this act, the Venerable one ceased the commemoration of the Patriarch and the bishops, whom he considered deluded, without however abandoning the life of the Church as mystery. HE DID NOT RENOUNCE THE SERBIAN SYNOD IN WRITING. The liturgy, spiritual guidance, and the Mysteries continued to be offered at the Holy Monastery of Ćelije, safeguarding the normality of the spiritual life. At the same time, the writing of theological works and the pastoral activity proceeded normally, as testimony of faith and obedience to God. This stance expresses discreet disobedience toward the ecclesiastical administration, without being recognized as schism, and preserves the recognition of the Church as mystery, even amid disagreements with the bishops.

Reactions and Ecclesiastical Consequences

The walling-off provoked various reactions in the ecclesiastical community and among the faithful people. Many monks and faithful considered the Venerable one a guardian of the Orthodox tradition, recognizing in his act the integrity of the faith and the defense of the truth of the mysteries. At the same time, the official Church and certain theologians criticized the walling-off as a schismatic act, questioning the canonical regularity of the stance toward the hierarchy. The Monastery of Ćelije found itself in a state of relative isolation, limiting communication with the ecclesiastical administration, without however the spiritual life, the celebration of the mysteries, and the pastoral activity ceasing.

This opposition highlights the enduring tension between spiritual conscience and institutional obedience, confirming that the Church, as Body of Christ and mystery, is preserved living and united even through crisis and disagreement.

Theological and Ecclesiological Significance

The walling-off of the Venerable one highlights the deeper ecclesiological distinction between the Church as Body of Christ and the ecclesiastical administration. The Venerable one always recognizes the Church as mystery, living and indivisible, even when the hierarchy is deluded or deviates from the Tradition. Obedience to God and to the truth of the Faith surpasses formal obedience to persons, while the delusion of bishops, especially in matters of ecumenist or dogmatic nature, is judged with spiritual discernment.

The walling-off functions as a spiritual practice of discerning obedience: it separates truth from compromise, faith in Tradition from blind attachment to the ecclesiastical administration. It does not constitute schism or apostasy, but expresses the authentic spiritual conscience, which guards the holiness and the purity of the Body of Christ. Through this stance, the Church is preserved unaltered as mystery of life and salvation, while disagreements with the administration become a means of spiritual formation and canonical discernment, to the glory of God and benefit of the spiritual community.

Synodality and Spiritual Conscience

The Venerable Justin showed that true synodality is not necessarily identified with the numerical majority of the hierarchy:

• He followed the example of Saint Mark of Ephesus, refusing a signature that would constitute compromise.

• He considered that synodality is based on identification with the Tradition of the Fathers, not on the majority.

• He always defended the hope of return of the Church to the right faith, remaining within the Body of Christ.

After Death and Canonization

After 1979, the Monastery of Ćelije preserved its spiritual role. The canonization of the Venerable one in 2010 recognizes his sanctity and his theological contribution, confirming that the walling- off was an expression of faith and integrity, not apostasy.

 

Greek source (typos corrected): https://fdathanasiou-parakatathiki.blogspot.com/2026/02/blog-post_15.html