Bishop Jovan (Jordan Ilić, Ph.D.) was born 1883 in Dojkinci, where he finished the primary school. He finished the high school in Pirot, and after graduating at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade 1902, he was a teacher in the villages near Pirot. In April 1911, he was ordained deacon and presbyter by the bishop of Niš Domentijan, who appointed him the parish priest in Rsavci. From that place, he went for his studies to Switzerland in 1913, and he graduated at the Old-Catholic Theological Faculty in Bern, where he took his doctorate in 1921, as well. He was appointed the secretary of the Holy Synod.

On September 5th 1925, he was ordained the bishop of Zahumlje-Herzegovina.

He entered the monastic order in Rakovica, and he was consecrated in 1926 in the Cathedral of Belgrade.

In 1931, he was appointed the bishop of Braničevo, and he became the bishop of Niš in 1933.

During his time, the episcopal dormitory was built, the Cathedral was frescoed, and a great number of rural churches were built or finished.

He died in Niš, on February 5th 1975 and was buried in the Cathedral of Niš.