When he reached school age, his mother sent him to his grandfather, Abbot Savo Ljubiša, at the Praskvica monastery.

During the Montenegrin-Ottoman War (1876–78), he was appointed as military priest attached to the general staff.

From 1878 to 1882, he was the head of the Zahumsko-Raška eparchy, founded in the newly liberated territories of Montenegro.

After the death of Ilarion Roganović, and the administration of abbot Mitrofan Ban, on 6 December 1882, Ljubiša became the Metropolitan of Montenegro.

About the same time, the Ministry of Education of Montenegro was formed and Ljubiša, as an experienced teacher and organizer, became its first administrator.