In September 1791, during the renewal of Ottoman structures in northern Serbia after the Austro-Turkish War (1788–91), Methodius (Serbian: Metodije) was appointed the new Metropolitan of Belgrade after Dionysius had fled to Austria prior to the fall of Belgrade (Treaty of Sistova).
[1] Methodius was described as cleverful in church and political matters, and was obliged by the Patriarchate of Constantinople to cooperate with Hadji Mustafa Pasha, the Vizier of Belgrade.
[2] Apart from the Metropolitanate of Belgrade, he was given to manage almost all of the Eparchy of Vidin (which territory was under the governorship of Mustafa Pasha).
[3] Archimandrite Hadži-Ruvim however claimed that he was drowned "due to his lawlessness and wrongdoings" having been a tyrant.
[3] Serbian historian Milenko Vukićević, most likely based on Lazar Batalaka (who did not cite a source), described him as a good-hearted elder, killed after his disciple Leontius falsely accused him of guilt to Mustafa Pasha.