His family was poor, and he was taught by a local priest, Aleksije Radičević, and hieromonk Isaija Bajković who ordained him as a monk at Vranjina Monastery.
The young man's family struggled financially, and he received education from a nearby priest, Aleksije Radičević, and a monk, Isaija Bajković, who later ordained him as a member of the monastic community at Vranjina Monastery.