Claim: Atanasije II Gavrilović  was first mentioned in 1741 when the throne of Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was contested between the Serbs and Pec was led by Joanikije III who was born in 1700.
Evidence: He was first mentioned in 1741 as the Metropolitan of Skopje. At that time, the throne of Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was contested between the Serbs, who were seen as rebels by the Ottomans, and Phanariote Greeks, who were very much loyal to the authorities. The Ottomans brought Joanikije III, a Greek, to the throne in Peć. c. 1700