Joasaph of Meteora

The Venerable Joasaph of Meteora, in the world John Uroš (Jovan Uroš Nemanjić, John Ouresis Doukas Palaiologos), was ruler of Thessaly around 1370-1373, the last Serbian emperor and the last Serbian ruler of Thessaly, then a monk at Meteora for nearly half a century. He fell asleep in 1422 or 1423. His feast is on 20 April.

Beginnings

He came of the Nemanjić dynasty. He was the son of the titular emperor Simeon Uroš and Thomais Orsini, grandson of Stephen Uroš III and Maria Palaiologina. From childhood he often attended services, and his father, a very pious man, built churches and helped monasteries, among them those of Meteora. He loved above all to go to Mount Athos and talk with the ascetics there; while there, in 1370, he received news of the death of his father, who had left him the throne. Between 1369 and 1372 he succeeded his father as titular emperor of the Serbs and Greeks, although his rule was limited to Thessaly. He returned to Trikala, but he had already known Saint Athanasius of Meteora, been his disciple, and wished to leave the throne as soon as possible.

The monk of Meteora

After a reign of some years he abdicated in favour of his relative Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos, who recognised the overlordship of Constantinople, and became a monk in the community founded by his father at Meteora, with the name Joasaph, documented in 1381. Although he had given up power, he remained wealthy and influential: in 1384-1385 he helped his sister Maria govern Epirus, after the murder of her husband Thomas II Preljubović. He endowed the monasteries of Meteora and in the end came to head the monastic community there, rebuilding or founding new monasteries in 1388 and 1390. Despite his high birth he was very humble and kept all the rules of the common life. Dying, Saint Athanasius made him abbot of the monastery. Under him the monastery knew a second time of flourishing: the churches of the Forerunner and of the Mother of God were built, and above all the cathedral of the Transfiguration, raised by Athanasius, was enlarged, a house for sick monks was built, he adorned it with icons and endowed it with sacred vessels; he helped other monasteries of Meteora too, defending their rights by imperial charters. He was so generous that he was counted among the founders of the monastery.

Exile and repose

When the Ottomans conquered Thessaly, in 1394, Joasaph fled to Athos, where he lived some years at the Vatopedi monastery, but in 1401 he returned to Meteora and stayed there all his life, as abbot of the monastery of the Transfiguration. He had five children, three sons and two daughters; his daughter Helena married Theodore Kantakouzenos. He died in 1422 or 1423. His relics are kept beside those of Saint Athanasius of Meteora, in the Great Meteoron monastery. He is venerated by the Serbian and the Russian Church.