Saint Hieromartyr Raphael
of Sisatovac.

Raphael (baptismal name Đorđe, or George) Momcilović was born on April 23, 1875, to parents named Velimir and Persida, in a village called Deronje in the Bačka region. He also completed primary school here.

When he was ten years old, he went to the Kovilj Monastery and afterwards to the Bođani Monastery. These monastic communities in Serbia became his spiritual home and places of formation in the Orthodox faith during his formative years.

On October 26, 1896, he took monastic vows in the Manasija Monastery, with Igumen Miron (Đorđević) serving. On November 23, 1896, Metropolitan Mihailo ordained Raphael a hierodeacon. Following his ordination, he devoted himself to both the spiritual and artistic life of the Orthodox Church.

Along with his spiritual rising and accomplishments, Raphael improved his knowledge of painting by studying on an advanced level. He was educated in art in Belgrade, Moscow, and Italy. He painted the iconostases of churches in Velika Krsna (1902), the Rakovica Monastery (1905/6), Pačir and Gornji Kovilj (1908-10), and in the Ružica Church in Belgrade (1925-26). At the beginning of World War II, Archimandrite Raphael was the igumen of the Šišatovac Monastery located in northern Serbia.

On August 25, 1941, the Ustashe (a Croatian nationalist militia) arrested Raphael, together with three other monastics of the Šišatovac Monastery, and transported them by train to Slavonska Požega.

During this transport, Igumen Raphael was tortured in different ways: They hit him with different objects and tore out his beard. In the concentration camp in Slavonska Požega, the afflictions of Hieromonk Raphael continued. After monstrous tortures he died on September 3, 1941. No one knows where he was buried. He thus became one of the many New Hieromartyrs of the Serbian Orthodox Church who suffered and died defending their faith during the persecution of World War II.

At the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1999, Abbot Raphael was glorified, and his name was entered in the List of Names of the Serbian Church as "the Hieromartyr." His canonization recognized both his steadfast witness to Orthodoxy unto death and his remarkable contributions to Serbian religious art.

The icons of the iconostasis of Ružica Church in Belgrade were painted by Rafailo Momčilović, who had gained his iconographic skills from Russian iconographers. His artistic legacy endures in the iconostases and paintings he created throughout Serbia, serving as a testament to his gifts and devotion. The monastery he led, though severely damaged during World War II, has been partially restored and continues as a sacred site of Orthodox worship in the Fruška Gora region.

Overview

Hieromartyr Raphael (Momcilović) was a Serbian who was the igumen and iconographer of the Šišatovac Monastery during World War II and was martyred, in 1941, for his Orthodox faith. At the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1999, Abbot Raphael was glorified, and his name was entered in the List of Names of the Serbian Church as "the Hieromartyr." His memory feast is on September 3—the day of his death.

Life and Ministry

Raphael (baptismal name Đorđe, or George) Momcilović was born on April 23, 1875, to parents named Velimir and Persida, in a village called Deronje in the Bačka region. When he was ten years old, he went to the Kovilj Monastery and afterwards to the Bođani Monastery. On October 26, 1896, he took monastic vows in the Manasija Monastery, with Igumen Miron (Đorđević) serving. On November 23, 1896, Metropolitan Mihailo ordained Raphael a hierodeacon. Along with his spiritual rising and accomplishments, Raphael improved his knowledge of painting by studying on an advanced level. He was educated in art in Belgrade, Moscow, and Italy.

He painted the iconostases of churches in Velika Krsna (1902), the Rakovica Monastery (1905/6), Pačir and Gornji Kovilj (1908-10), and in the Ružica Church in Belgrade (1925-26). The icons of the iconostasis of Ružica Church in Belgrade were painted by Rafailo Momčilović, who had gained his iconographic skills from Russian iconographers.

Martyrdom

At the beginning of World War II, Archimandrite Raphael was the igumen of the Šišatovac Monastery located in northern Serbia. On August 25, 1941, the Ustashe (a Croatian nationalist militia) arrested him, together with three other monastics of the Šišatovac Monastery, and transported them by train to Slavonska Požega. During this transport, Igumen Raphael was tortured in different ways: They hit him with different objects and tore out his beard. In the concentration camp in Slavonska Požega, the afflictions of Hieromonk Raphael continued. After monstrous tortures he died on September 3, 1941. No one knows where he was buried.