Deacon Dragan Tanasijević: Chilandar – the Mother of Serbian Spirituality

Church of Serbia – 16/3/17

It was in the gallery of the Parish house of Saint Sava church in Belgrade that deacon Dragan S. Tanasijević, the official photographer of the Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church, presented a lecture on the topic extremely interesting Chilandar – the mother of Serbian Spirituality and with projection of the selected photos submitted to the audience a new insight into the Holy Serbian Rpyal Lavra, the monastery Chilandar.

On the world and eternity of the Athonite monasteries and specifically on the monastery Chilandar, the artist, photographer by the will of God, deacon Dragan Tanasijević exposed an unusual story complementing it with the photos that were incorporated into the line of pearls of Serbian spirituality.

For the purposes of Serbian Orthodox Church deacon Dragan S. Tanasijević offices annually takes between 40,000 and 70,000 photos. Since 31 March 2008 he has worked in the Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church; ordained as a deacon in the Cathedral Church in Belgrade on the feast-day of the Holy Procopius, 21 July 2008.

He has been engaged in photography since 1973, and has been exhibiting since 1978. The title of Master of photos he acquired in 1982, as well as a diploma of mechanical engineering; in addition, he acquired the status of an Independent artist in 1991; he obtained a title of a prominent artist in 2002. Most of his works have become an integral part of private and museum collections in our country and abroad.

In his rich biography he counts more than 880 collective and 56 solo exhibitions, more than 90 awards and 130 recognitions, diplomas and letters of thanks for numerous photos from trips to France, Germany, England, study tours, including Corsica, Mount Athos, Ceylon, Jerusalem … He published some fotomonographs: Approaching Chilandar, Guards  of Shrines – Visoki Decani; Portraits 1994- 2005; Patriarch Pavle – photos between 1994- 2007 and many others.

His specialty is portraits. Three of Serbian Patriarchs (now blessed Patriarchs German and Pavle, and the current Patriarch, His Holiness Irinej), some members of the Karadjordjevic dynasty, members of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts as well as many personalities from the cultural, artistic, social and political life of Serbia posed to him.

Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

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