St. Basil was born in Mrkonjić, a village in Herzegovina, of simple and God-fearing parents named Petar and Ana Jovanović (Петар и Ана Јовановић). His baptismal name was Stojan (Стојан). From his youth, he was filled with love for the Church of God. He was taught the Holy Scriptures in the Zavala Monastery. His teacher was Serafim, the monastery's igumen. When Stojan reached maturity, Fr. Serafim sent him to the Monastery of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Theotokos (Tvrdoš), near Trebinje. Stojan was tonsured a monk with the name Basil and was then ordained deacon and presbyter. As a monk, he quickly became renowned because of his genuine and rare ascetical life. Soon he was raised to archimandrite. Saint Basil took upon himself mortification upon mortification, each one heavier and mor