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Saint Sava (, ;
Old Church Slavonic Old Church Slavonic or Old Slavonic ( ) is the first Slavic languages, Slavic literary language and the oldest extant written Slavonic language attested in literary sources. It belongs to the South Slavic languages, South Slavic subgroup of the ...
: ;
Glagolitic The Glagolitic script ( , , ''glagolitsa'') is the oldest known Slavic alphabet. It is generally agreed that it was created in the 9th century for the purpose of translating liturgical texts into Old Church Slavonic by Saints Cyril and Methodi ...
: ; ; 1169 or 1174 – 14 January 1235/6), known as the Enlightener or the Illuminator, was a
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
prince and Orthodox
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
,
abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
of Studenica, the first
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of the
autocephalous Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...
Serbian Church,
writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...
, great of Serbian law, and a
diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
. Sava, born as Rastko Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Растко Немањић), was the youngest son of Serbian Grand Prince
Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
(founder of the
Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
), and ruled the appanage of
Zachlumia Zachlumia or Zachumlia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Zahumlje, Захумље, ), also Hum, was a medieval principality located in the modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia (today parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, r ...
briefly in 1190–92. He then left for
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
, where he became a monk tonsured with the name ''Sava'' (''
Sabbas Sabbas is an Aramaic masculine given name. Variant forms or transliterations include Sabas, Savas, Savvas, Saba, Sava, Savva, Savo and Sawa. Sabbas may refer to, chronologically: * Sabbas Stratelates (died 272), Roman general, martyr and sa ...
''). At Athos he established the monastery of
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
, which became one of the most important cultural and religious centres of the
Serbian people The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia ...
. In 1219 the
Patriarchate Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, referring to the office and jurisdiction of a patriarch. According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria—were establi ...
exiled in
Nicea Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and sevent ...
recognized him as the first Serbian Archbishop, and in the same year he authored the oldest known constitution of Serbia, the '' Zakonopravilo''
nomocanon A nomocanon (, ; from the Greek 'law' and 'a rule') is a collection of ecclesiastical law, consisting of the elements from both the civil law and the canon law. Nomocanons form part of the canon law of the Eastern Catholic Churches (through th ...
, thus securing full religious and political independence. Sava is regarded as the great of Serbian medieval literature., and author of the first Serbian "biography". Specifically, he wrote the life of his father, the Serbian ruler
Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
. He is widely considered one of the most important figures in Serbian history. Sava is considered for the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
what
Averroes Ibn Rushd (14 April 112611 December 1198), archaically Latinization of names, Latinized as Averroes, was an Arab Muslim polymath and Faqīh, jurist from Al-Andalus who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astron ...
is to the
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
and
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
is to the
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
. Saint Sava is
venerated Veneration (; ), or veneration of saints, is the act of honoring a saint, a person who has been identified as having a high degree of sanctity or holiness. Angels are shown similar veneration in many religions. Veneration of saints is practiced, ...
by the
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
on . Many artistic works from the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
to modern times have interpreted his life. He is the
patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
of Serbia, Serbs, Serbian education and medicine. The
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
is dedicated to him, built on the site where the Ottomans burnt his remains in 1594, during an uprising in which Serbs used
icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
s of Sava as their
war flag A war ensign, also known as a military flag, battle flag, or standard, is a variant of a national flag for use by a country's military forces when on land. The nautical equivalent is a naval ensign. Under the strictest sense of the term, few co ...
s; the church is one of the largest church buildings in the world. In order to distinguish him from other saints and canonized Serbian archbishops of the same name, he is also posthumously titled Saint Sava I of Serbia.


Biography


Early life

Rastko Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Растко Немањић, ), a diminutive of '' Rastislav'', was born in 1169 or 1174, in Gradina (modern-day
Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...
). As the youngest son of Grand Prince
Stefan Nemanja Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince (Grand Župan#Serbia, Veliki Župan) of the Grand Principality of Serbia, Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška (region), Raš ...
and his wife Ana, Prince Rastko belonged to the first generation of the
Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
, alongside his brothers Vukan and Stefan. His biographers mention that he was born after a hiatus in the couple's childbearing and was therefore especially dear. At the Serbian court the brothers received a good education in the
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
tradition, which exercised great political, cultural and religious influence in Serbia. He grew up in a time of great foreign relations activities in Serbia. Rastko showed himself serious and
ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...
; as the youngest son, he was made Prince of Hum at an early age, in . Hum was a province between
Neretva The Neretva (, sr-Cyrl, Неретва), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four Hydroelectricity, hydroelectric power plants with Dam, large dams (higher than 15 metres) provide flood ...
and
Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
(''Ragusa''). Having his own court with magnates (''velmože''), senior officials and selected local
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
, the governance in Hum was not only an honorary title but constituted a practical school of state administration.
Teodosije the Hilandarian Teodosije the Hilandarian or Theodosije of Hilandar (; 1246–1328) was a Serbian Orthodox clergyman and one of the most important Serbian writers in the Middle Ages; the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts named him one of the 100 most prominent ...
said that Rastko, as a ruler, was "mild and gentle, kind to everyone, loving the poor as few others, and very respecting of the monastic life". He showed no interest in fame, wealth, or the throne. The governance of Hum had previously been held by his uncle Miroslav, who continued to hold at least the Lim region with
Bijelo Polje Bijelo Polje (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бијело Поље, ) is a town located in the Northern Montenegro, Northern Region of Montenegro, situated along Lim (river), Lim River. It has an urban population of 12,900 (2011 census). It is the ad ...
while Rastko held Hum. After two years, in autumn 1192 or shortly afterwards, Rastko left Hum for
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
. Miroslav may have continued as ruler of Hum after Rastko had left. Athonite monks were frequent visitors to the Serbian court – lectures perhaps made him determined to leave.


Mount Athos

Upon arriving at Athos, Rastko entered the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery where he received the monastic name of ''Sava'' (
Sabbas Sabbas is an Aramaic masculine given name. Variant forms or transliterations include Sabas, Savas, Savvas, Saba, Sava, Savva, Savo and Sawa. Sabbas may refer to, chronologically: * Sabbas Stratelates (died 272), Roman general, martyr and sa ...
). According to tradition, a Russian monk was his spiritual guide or mentor and was said to have had earlier visited the Serbian court with other Athonite monks. Sava then entered the Greek
Vatopedi The Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi (, ) is an Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos, Greece. The monastery was expanded several times during its history, particularly during the Byzantine period and in the 18t ...
monastery, where he would stay for the next seven years, and became more closely acquainted with Greek theological and church-administrational literature. His father tried to persuade him to return to Serbia, but Sava was determined and replied, "You have accomplished all that a Christian sovereign should do; come now and join me in the true Christian life". His young years at Athos had a significant influence on the formation of his personality, it was also here that he found models on which he would organize monastic and church life in Serbia. Stefan Nemanja took his son's advice – he summoned an assembly at Studenica and
abdicated Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other soci ...
on 25 March 1196, giving the throne to his middle son, Stefan. The next day, Nemanja and his wife Ana took monastic vows. Nemanja took the monastic name ''Simeon'' and stayed in Studenica until leaving for Mount Athos in autumn 1197. The arrival was greatly pleasing to Sava and the Athonite community, as Nemanja as a ruler had donated much to the community. The two, with consent of the
hegumen Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen (, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, or an archpriest in the Coptic Orthodox Church, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of ...
(
abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
) Theostyriktos of Vatopedi, went on a tour of Athos in late autumn 1197 in order for Simeon to familiarize with all of its churches and sacred places; Nemanja and Ana donated to numerous monasteries, especially Karyes, Iviron and the Great Lavra. When Sava visited the Byzantine Emperor
Alexios III Angelos Alexios III Angelos (; 1211), Latinized as Alexius III Angelus, was Byzantine Emperor from March 1195 to 17/18 July 1203. He reigned under the name Alexios Komnenos (; Aléxios Komnēnós) associating himself with the Komnenos dynasty (from whi ...
at Constantinople, he mentioned the neglected and abandoned
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
, and asked the Emperor to grant him and his father permission to restore the monastery and transfer it to Vatopedi. The Emperor approved, and sent a special letter and considerable gold to his friend Stefan Nemanja ( monk Simeon). Sava then addressed the '' protos'' of Athos, asking them to support the effort so the monastery of Hilandar might become a haven for Serb monks. All Athonite monasteries, except Vatopedi, accepted the proposal. In July 1198, Emperor Alexios III issued a charter which revoked the earlier decision, and instead not only granted Hilandar, but also the other abandoned monasteries in Mileis, to Simeon and Sava, to be a haven and shelter for Serb monks in Athos. The restoration of Hilandar quickly began and Grand Prince Stefan sent money and other necessities, and issued the founding charter for Hilandar in 1199. Sava wrote a ''
typikon A typikon (or ''typicon'', ''typica''; , "that of the prescribed form"; Church Slavonic: ') is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the Byzantine Rite office and variable hymns of the Divine Liturgy. Historical de ...
'' (liturgical office order) for Hilandar, modeled on the ''typikon'' of the monastery of Theotokos Euergetis in Constantinople. Besides Hilandar, Sava was the '' ktetor'' of the hermitage at
Karyes Karyes (Greek: Καρυές, before 1930: Αράχωβα - ''Arachova'') is a village of the Peloponnese peninsula, which is located in the southern part of Greece. The Peloponnese is made up of a number of states and Karyes belongs to the state ...
(seat of Athos) for the monks who devoted themselves to solitude and prayer. In 1199, he authored the typikon of Karyes. Along with the hermitage, he built the chapel dedicated to
Sabbas the Sanctified SabasPatrich (1995). (439–532), in Church parlance Saint Sabas or Sabbas the Sanctified (), was a Cappadocian Greek monk, priest, grazer and saint, who was born in Cappadocia and lived mainly in Palaestina Prima. He was the founder of several ...
, whose name he received upon monastic vows. His father died on 13 February 1199. In 1204, after 13 April, Sava received the rank of
archimandrite The title archimandrite (; ), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot ('' hegumenos'', , present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") whom a bishop appointed to supervise several "ordinary" abbots and monaste ...
. As Nemanja had earlier (1196) decided to give the rule to Stefan, and not the eldest son, Vukan, the latter began plotting against Stefan in the meantime. He found an ally in Hungarian king Emeric with whom he banished Stefan to Bulgaria, and Vukan seized the Serbian throne (1202). Stefan returned to Serbia with an army in 1204 and pushed Vukan to
Zeta Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
, his hereditary land. After problems at Athos with Latin bishops and Boniface of Montferrat following the
Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
, Sava returned to Serbia in the winter of 1205–1206 or 1206–1207, with the remains of his father which he relocated to his father's endowment, the Studenica monastery, and then reconciled his quarreling brothers. Sava saved the country from further political crisis by ending the dynastic fight, and also completed the canonization process of Nemanja (Simeon) as a saint.


Enlightenment

Having spent 14 years in Mount Athos, Sava had extensive theological knowledge and spiritual power. According to Sava's biography, he was asked to teach the court and people of Serbia the Christian laws and traditions and "in that way enwisen and educate". Sava then worked on the religious and cultural enlightenment of the Serbian people, educating in Christian morality, love and mercy, meanwhile also working on the church organization. Since his return in 1206, he became the
hegumen Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen (, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, or an archpriest in the Coptic Orthodox Church, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of ...
of Studenica, and as its elder, self-willed entered regulations on the independent status of that monastery in the Studenica Typikon. He used the general chaos in which the Byzantine Empire found itself after the
siege of Constantinople (1204) The sack of Constantinople occurred in April 1204 and marked the culmination of the Fourth Crusade. Crusaders sacked and destroyed most of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. After the capture of the city, the Latin Empire ( ...
into the hands of the Crusaders, and the strained relations between the
Despotate of Epirus The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek Rump state, successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the ...
(where the
Archbishopric of Ohrid The Archbishopric of Ohrid, also known as the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid *T. Kamusella in The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Springer, 2008, p. 276 *Aisling Lyon, Decentralisation and the Management of Ethni ...
was seated, which the Serbian Church was subordinated to) and the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is heade ...
in
Nicaea Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seve ...
, into his advantage. The Studenica Typikon became a sort of ''
lex specialis The ''lex specialis'' doctrine, also referred to as ''generalia specialibus non derogant'' ("the general does not derogate from the specific"), states that if two laws govern the same factual situation, a law governing a specific subject matter (' ...
'', which allowed Studenica to have independent status ("Here, therefore, no one is to have authority, neither bishop nor any one else") in relation to the Bishopric of Raška and Archbishopric of Ohrid. The canonization of Nemanja and the Studenica Typikon would be the first steps towards the future autocephaly of the Serbian Church and elevation of the Serbian ruler to king ten years later. In 1217, archimandrite Sava left Studenica and returned to Mount Athos. His departure has been interpreted by a part of the historians as a reaction to his brother Stefan accepting the royal crown from Rome. Stefan had just prior to this made a large switch in politics, marrying a Venetian noblewoman, and subsequently asked the Pope for a royal crown and political support. With the establishment of the
Latin Empire The Latin Empire, also referred to as the Latin Empire of Constantinople, was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. The Latin Empire was intended to replace the Byzantin ...
(1204), Rome had considerably increased its power in the Balkans. Stefan was crowned by a papal legate, becoming equal to the other kings, and was called "the First-Crowned King" of Serbia. Stefan's politics that led to the events of 1217 were somewhat in odds with the Serbian Orthodox tradition, represented by his brother, archimandrite Sava, who favored Eastern Orthodoxy and Byzantine ecclesiastical culture in Serbia. Though Sava left Serbia while talks were underway between Stefan and Rome (apparently due to disagreeing with Stefan's excessive reliance on Rome), he and his brother resumed their good relation after receiving the crown. It is possible that Sava did not agree with everything in his brother's international politics, however, his departure for Athos may also be interpreted as a preparation for obtaining the autocephaly (independence) of the Serbian Archbishopric. His departure was planned, both Domentijan and Teodosije, Sava's biographers, stated that before leaving Studenica he appointed a new hegumen and "put the monastery in good, correct order, and enacted the new church constitution and monastic life order, to be held that way", after which he left Serbia.


Autocephaly and church organization

The elevation of Serbia into a kingdom did not fully mark the independence of the country, according to that time's understanding, unless the same was achieved with its church. Rulers of such countries, with church bodies subordinated to Constantinople, were viewed as "rulers of lower status who stand under the top chief of the Orthodox Christian world – the Byzantine Emperor". Conditions in Serbia for
autocephaly Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...
were largely met at the time, with a notable number of learned monks, regulated
monastic life Monasticism (; ), also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially ...
, and a stable church hierarchy, thus "its autocephaly, in a way, was only a question of time". It was important to Sava that the head of the Serbian Church was appointed by Constantinople, and not Rome. On 15 August 1219, during the feast of the
Dormition of the Mother of God The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the '' Theotokos'' ("Mother ...
, Sava was consecrated by Patriarch Manuel I of Constantinople in
Nicaea Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seve ...
as the first Archbishop of the
autocephalous Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...
Serbian Church. The patriarch of Constantinople and his Synod thus appointed Sava as the first archbishop of ''"Serbian and coastal lands."'' With the support of Emperor
Theodore I Laskaris Theodore I Laskaris or Lascaris (; 1175November 1221) was the first emperor of Nicaea—a successor state of the Byzantine Empire—from 1205 to his death. Although he was born to an obscure aristocratic family, his mother was related t ...
and "the Most Venerable Patriarch and the whole Constantinopolitan assembly" he received the blessing that Serbian archbishops receive consecration from their own bishops' assemblies without seeking consent from the
Latin Patriarch of Constantinople The Latin Patriarchate of Constantinople was an office established as a result of the Fourth Crusade and its conquest of Constantinople in 1204. It was a Roman Catholic replacement for the Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantino ...
. Sava had thus secured the independence of the Church; in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, the Church was the supporter and important factor in state sovereignty, and political and national identity. At the same time, both Laskaris and Manuel were delighted that Serbian policy was continuously looking towards
Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
's legacy –
Byzantium Byzantium () or Byzantion () was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' continued to be used as a n ...
– rather than Rome. From Nicaea, Archbishop Sava returned to Mount Athos, where he profusely donated to the monasteries. In Hilandar, he addressed the question of administration: "he taught the hegumen especially how to, in every virtue, show himself as an example to others; and the brothers, once again, he taught how to listen to everything the hegumen said with the fear of God", as witnessed by Teodosije. From Hilandar, Sava traveled to
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
, to the monastery of Philokalos, where he stayed for some time as a guest of the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Constantine the Mesopotamian, with whom he was a great friend ever since his youth. His stay was of great benefit as he transcribed many works on law needed for his church. Upon his return to Serbia, he was engaged in the organization of the Serbian Church, especially regarding the structure of bishoprics, those that were situated on locales at the sensitive border with the Roman Catholic West. At the assembly in
Žiča The Žiča Monastery (, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first monarch, King of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani, Stefan t ...
in 1219, Sava "chose, from his pupils, God-understanding and God-fearing and honorable men, who were able in managing by divine laws and by the tradition of the Holy Apostles, and keep the apparitions of the holy God-bearing fathers. And he consecrated them and made them bishops" (Domentijan). Sava gave the newly appointed bishops law books and sent them to bishoprics in all parts of Serbia. It is unclear how many bishoprics he founded. The following bishoprics were under his administration: Zeta (''Zetska''), seated at Monastery of Holy Archangel Michael in
Prevlaka Prevlaka () is a small peninsula in southern Croatia, near the border with Montenegro, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor on the eastern Adriatic coast. Because of its strategic location in the southern Adriatic, in the aftermath of the SFR Y ...
near Kotor; Hum (''Humska''), seated at Monastery of the Holy Mother of God in
Ston Ston () is a settlement and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. History Because of its geopolitical and strategic position, Ston has had a rich history since ...
;
Dabar Dabar may refer to: Places * Dabar (river), a river in the Bosanska Krajina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina * Dabar (Herzegovina), an administrative unit of the medieval principality of Zachlumia, in present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina * Eparchy o ...
, seated at Monastery of St. Nicholas on the Lim; Moravica, seated at Monastery of St. Achillius in the Moravica region; Budimlja, seated at Monastery of St. George; Toplica, seated at Monastery of St. Nicholas in the Toplica region; Hvosno, seated at Monastery of the Holy Mother of God in the Hvosno region; Žiča, seated at
Žiča The Žiča Monastery (, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first monarch, King of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani, Stefan t ...
, the seat of the Church; Raška, seated at Monastery of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in
Peć Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova (region), Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the ...
; Lipljan, seated at
Lipljan Lipjan ( sq-definite, Lipjani) or Lipljan ( sr-Cyrl, Липљан) is a List of cities in Kosovo, town and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality located in the District of Pristina in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Lipjan has ...
; Prizren, seated at
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
. Among his bishops were
Ilarion Ilarion (, , , , , ) is a variant of the Greek given name ''Hilarion'', found in Orthodox Slavic and Romanian languages. It may refer to: *Hilarion of Kiev or Ilarion (11th century), Metropolitan of Kiev * Ilarion Buiuc (1891–1918), Bessarabian p ...
and Metodije. In the same year Sava published the '' Zakonopravilo'' (or "St. Sava's Nomocanon"), the first
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
of Serbia; thus the Serbs acquired both forms of independence: political and religious. The organizational work of Sava was very energetic, and above all, the new organization was given a clear national character. The Greek bishop at Prizren was replaced by a Serb, his disciple. This was not the only feature of his fighting spirit. The determination of the seats of the newly established bishoprics was also performed with especially state-religious intention. The Archbishopric was seated in the Monastery of Žiča, the new endowment of King Stefan. The bishopric in Dabar on the Lim river was situated towards the border with Bosnia, to act on the Orthodox element there and suppress the Bogomil teaching. The bishopric of Zeta was located on the
Prevlaka Prevlaka () is a small peninsula in southern Croatia, near the border with Montenegro, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor on the eastern Adriatic coast. Because of its strategic location in the southern Adriatic, in the aftermath of the SFR Y ...
peninsula,
Bay of Kotor The Bay of Kotor ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Boka kotorska, Бока которска, separator=" / ", ), also known as the Boka ( sh-Cyrl, Бока), is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated a ...
, out of real
Zeta Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
itself, and the bishopric of Hum in
Ston Ston () is a settlement and a municipality in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located at the south of isthmus of the Pelješac peninsula. History Because of its geopolitical and strategic position, Ston has had a rich history since ...
; both of these were almost on the outskirts of the kingdom, obviously with the aim to combat the Roman Catholic action which had spread especially from the Roman Catholic dioceses of Kotor and Dubrovnik. In earlier times, also Eastern Orthodox monasteries were subjected to the supervision of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar The Archdiocese of Bar (; ; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Montenegro.
; after Sava's action that intercourse began to change in the opposite direction. After Sava's organization, Eastern Orthodoxy became the state religion of Serbia. Sava, in that respect, worked consistently and without any regard. The Bogomils had been prohibited already by his father, Nemanja, while Sava, as an Athonite Latinophobe, did his part all to prevent and weaken the influence of Catholicism. Through his clergy, which he directly influenced as an example and with teaching, Sava rose also the general cultural level of the whole people, striving to develop human virtues and a sense of civic duty. The Serbian state thought of the Nemanjić dynasty was created politically by Nemanja, but spiritually and intellectually by Sava.


First pilgrimage

After the crowning of his nephew
Radoslav Radoslav () is a common Slavic masculine given name, derived from ''rad-'' ("happy, eager, to care") and ''slava'' ("glory, fame"), both very common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "eager glory". It is known since the Middle Ages. T ...
, the son of Stefan, Sava left the Serbian maritime in 1229 for a trip to
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
. He visited almost all the
holy places A sacred space, sacred ground, sacred place, sacred temple, holy ground, holy place or holy site is a location which is regarded to be sacred or hallowed. The sacredness of a Sacred natural site, natural feature may accrue through tradition or ...
and endowed them with valued gifts. The Patriarch of Jerusalem,
Athanasius Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...
, along with the rest of the prelates, and especially monks, warmly greeted and welcomed him. Sava asked Athanasios II, his host, and the Great Lavra fraternity, led by '' hegoumenos'' Nicholas, if he could purchase two monasteries in the
Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...
. His request was accepted and he was offered the monasteries of Saint John the Theologian on Mount Sion and St. George's Monastery at Akkon - both to be inhabited by Serbian monks. On the way back he visited
Nicaea Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seve ...
and the Byzantine Emperor John Vatatzes (r. 1221–1254), where he remained for several days. From there, he continued his journey to Mount Athos, Hilandar, and then via
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
to Serbia. While visiting
Mar Saba The Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas, known in Arabic and Syriac as Mar Saba (; ; ; ) and historically as the Great Laura of Saint Sabas, is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the Bethlehem Governorate of Palestine, in th ...
, he had been gifted the '' Trojeručica'' (the "Three-handed Theotokos"), an icon of
Nursing Madonna The Nursing Madonna, ''Virgo Lactans'', or Madonna Lactans, is an iconography of the Madonna and Child in which the Blessed Virgin Mary, Virgin Mary is shown breastfeeding the infant Jesus. In Italian it is called the ''Madonna del Latte'' ("Mado ...
, and the
crosier A crozier or crosier (also known as a paterissa, pastoral staff, or bishop's staff) is a stylized staff that is a symbol of the governing office of a bishop or abbot and is carried by high-ranking prelates of Roman Catholic, Eastern Catho ...
of
Sabbas the Sanctified SabasPatrich (1995). (439–532), in Church parlance Saint Sabas or Sabbas the Sanctified (), was a Cappadocian Greek monk, priest, grazer and saint, who was born in Cappadocia and lived mainly in Palaestina Prima. He was the founder of several ...
, which he brought to Hilandar. After a short stay at Studenica, Sava embarked on a four-year trip throughout the lands where he confirmed the theological teachings and delivered constitutions and customs of monastic life to be kept, as he had seen in Mount Athos, Palestine, and the Middle East.


Second pilgrimage and death

After the throne change in 1234, when King Radoslav was succeeded by his brother
Vladislav Vladislav ( (', '); , ; Russian language, Russian, Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, Bulgarian language, Bulgarian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, sh-Cyrl, Владислав, ) is a male given names, given name of Slavs, Slavic origin. Variatio ...
, Archbishop Sava began his second trip to the Holy Land. Prior to this, Sava had appointed his loyal pupil
Arsenije Sremac Arsenije Sremac (, ''Arsenius the Syrmian''; 1219 – 1266) was the second Archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church (1233–1263) and a disciple of Saint Sava of Serbia. Early life Arsenije was born in the village of Dabar, near Slankamen ( ...
as his successor to the throne of the Serbian Archbishopric. Domentijan says that Sava chose Arsenije through his "clairvoyance", with Teodosije stating further that he was chosen because Sava knew he was "evil-less and more just than others, prequalified in all, always fearing God and carefully keeps His commandments". This move was wise and deliberate; still in his lifetime he chose himself a worthy successor because he knew that the further fate of the Serbian Church largely depended on the personality of the successor. Sava began his trip from
Budva Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...
, then via
Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...
in Italy to
Acre The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...
. On this road he experienced various bad events, such as an organized pirate attack in the rough
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
, which however ended well. In Acre he stayed in his monastery dedicated to St. George, which he had earlier bought from the
Latins The term Latins has been used throughout history to refer to various peoples, ethnicities and religious groups using Latin or the Latin-derived Romance languages, as part of the legacy of the Roman Empire. In the Ancient World, it referred to th ...
, and then from there went to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, to the Monastery of St. John the Apostle, "which he, as soon as arriving, redeemed from the
Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...
, in his name". Sava had a prolonged stay in Jerusalem; he was again friendly and brotherly received by Patriarch Athanasius. From Jerusalem he went to
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
, where he visited Patriarch Nicholas, with whom he exchanged gifts. After touring the holy places in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, he returned to Jerusalem, from where he went to the Sinai, where he spent
Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...
. He returned briefly to Jerusalem, then went to
Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...
ia, and from there across
Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
and the "Turkic lands" he went on the "Syrian Sea" and then returned on a ship to Antiochia. On the ship, Sava became sick, and was unable to eat. After a longer trip he arrived at Constantinople where he briefly stayed. Sava first wanted to return home via Mount Athos (according to Domentijan), but he instead decided to visit the Bulgarian capital at
Tarnovo Veliko Tarnovo (, ; "Great Tarnovo") is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. It is the historical and spiritual capital of Bulgaria. Often referred to as the "''City of the Tsars''", Velik ...
, where he was warmly and friendly admitted by the Bulgarian Emperor
Ivan Asen II Ivan Asen II, also known as John Asen II (, ; 1190s – May/June 1241), was Emperor (Tsar) of Second Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria from 1218 to 1241. He was still a child when his father Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria, Ivan Asen I one of the founders of th ...
(father-in-law of King Vladislav) and Bulgarian Patriarch Joakim. As on all his destinations, he gave rich gifts to the churches and monasteries: " egave also to the Bulgarian Patriarchate priestly honourable robes and golden books and candlesticks adorned with precious stones and pearls and other church vessels", as written by Teodosije. Sava had after much work and many long trips arrived at Tarnovo a tired and sick man. When the sickness took a hold of him and he saw that the end was near, he sent part of his entourage to Serbia with the gifts and everything he had bought with his blessing to give "to his children". The
eulogia The term eulogia (, ''eulogía''), Greek for "a blessing", has been applied in ecclesiastical usage to "a blessed object". It was occasionally used in early times to signify the Holy Eucharist, and in this sense is especially frequent in the wr ...
consisted of four items. Domentijan accounted that he died between Saturday and Sunday, most likely on 1235/6. Sava was respectfully buried at the Holy Forty Martyrs Church. Sava's body was returned to Serbia after a series of requests, and was then buried in the Mileševa monastery, built by Vladislav in 1234. According to Teodosije, Archbishop Arsenije told Vladislav "It's neither nice nor pleasing, before God nor the people, leaving our father avagifted to us by the Christ. An equal to apostles – who made so many feats and countless efforts for the Serbian lands, decorating it with churches and the kingdom, the archbishopric and bishops, and all constitutions and laws – that his relics lie outside his fatherland and the seat of his church, in a foreign land". King Vladislav twice sent delegations to his father-in-law Asen, asking him to let the relics of Sava be transferred to the fatherland, but the Emperor was unappealing. Vladislav then personally visited him and finally got the approval, and brought the relics to Serbia. With the highest church- and state honours, the relics of Saint Sava were transferred from the Holy Forty Martyrs Church to Mileševa on 1237. "The King and the Archbishop, with the bishops and hegumens and many noblemen, all together, little and great, carried the Saint in much joy, with psalms and songs". Sava was canonized, and his relics were considered miraculous; his
cult Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...
remained throughout the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
and Ottoman rule.


Legacy

Saint Sava is the protector of the Serbs: he is venerated as a protector of many churches, families, schools and artisans. His
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
is also commemorated by Greeks, Bulgarians, Romanians and Russians. In
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, his feast day is
holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...
In Russia, he was mentioned as early as 13th century Tver typikon. He is also venerated as
Saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
by
Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, a church hymn about him () was sung in
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
in the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel ( ; ; ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and ...
,
Apostolic Palace The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Papal Palace, the Palace of the Vatican and the Vatican Palace. The Vatican itself refers to the build ...
, official seat of the Pope,
Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...
,
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. The
Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...
was attended and present at the praise. Numerous toponyms and other testimonies, preserved to this day, convincingly speak of the prevalence of the
cult Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...
of St. Sava. St. Sava is regarded the father of Serbian education and literature; he authored the ''Life of St. Simeon'' (Stefan Nemanja, his father), the first Serbian hagiography. He has been given various honorific titles, such as "Father" and "Enlightener". He was among the earliest founders of significant treasuries among the Serbs. During his travels to Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, he obtained valuable artifacts, which he later gifted to the Studenica and Žiča monasteries upon his return. Before his passing, Saint Sava himself compiled the oldest known inventory of a Serbian treasury, documenting the contents of the treasuries in Studenica and Žiča. The Serb people built the cult of St. Sava based on the religious cult; many songs, tales and legends were created about his life, work, merit, goodness, fairness and wisdom, while his relics became a topic of national and ethnopolitical cult and focus of liberation ideas. In 1840, at the suggestion of
Atanasije Nikolić Atanasije Nikolić (Serbian language, Serbian: ; Bački Brestovac, Bačka, 18 January 1803 — Belgrade, 28 July 1882) was a Principality of Serbia, Serbian teacher and writer, the first mathematics professor and Rector (academia), rector at the L ...
, the rector of the
Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Basic science and some introduction to ...
, the feast of Saint Sava was chosen to celebrate
education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
every year. It was celebrated as a school holiday until 1945 when the communist authorities abolished it. In 1990, it was reintroduced as a school holiday. The Serbian Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Sava on . In Serbian, his feast day is widely known as (; ). Despite his undeniable opposition to Roman Catholicism, he is still venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, being commemorated on January 14.


Biographies

The first, shorter biography on St. Sava was written by his successor, Archbishop Arsenije. The transcript is preserved in a manuscript on
parchment Parchment is a writing material made from specially prepared Tanning (leather), untanned skins of animals—primarily sheep, calves and goats. It has been used as a writing medium in West Asia and Europe for more than two millennia. By AD 400 ...
dating to the 13th or 14th century. Domentijan (–after 1264), an Athonite monk, wrote the ''Life of St. Sava'' in 1253. He gifted it to Serbian king
Stefan Uroš I Stefan Uroš I ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош I; 1223 – 1 May 1277), known as Uroš the Great () was the King of Serbia from 1243 to 1276, succeeding his brother Stefan Vladislav. He was one of the most important rulers in Serbian history ...
(r. 1243–76). This biography describes Sava's life from his birth to his burial in Tarnovo.
Teodosije Teodosije ( sr-cyr, Теодосије) is a Serbian variant of the Greek name ''Theodosius'', and may refer to: * Teodosije Hilandarac (1246-1328), cleric and writer * Teodosije, Metropolitan of Zeta (before 1446) * Teodosije, Bishop of Vršac ...
(1246–1328), also an Athonite monk, wrote the ''Life of St. Sava'' at Hilandar at the end of the 13th century. He based it on Domentijan's biography, though, unlike the latter, of which narratives are of thoughtful and solemn rhetoric, Teodosije's biography is warmer, with features of a hagiographic narrative. Teodosije's description of events give the impression of a
novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
, though it does not distort the historical course of events. Roman Catholic bishop Ivan Mrnavić, a contemporary of Serbian patriarch
Pajsije Pajsije of Janjevo (; Janjevo, 1542? – Peć, 2 November 1647) was the Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch from 1614 to 1647, seated at the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć. He was also a writer, poet, composer, educator, and diplomat. The ...
, published a biography of St. Sava in Latin, in Rome in 1630–31, which was later translated into Serbian by
Veselin Čajkanović Veselin Čajkanović ( sr-cyr, Веселин Чајкановић; 1881 in Belgrade – 1946) was a Serbian classical scholar, philologist, philosopher, ethnologist, orientalist, religious history scholar, and Greek and Latin translator. B ...
(1881–1946); this biography has many historical inaccuracies. There are many transcripts preserved of Domentijan's biography, and many more of Teodosije's. Bishop of Bosnia Giovanni Thomas Marnavich wrote about him.


Relics

The presence of the relics of St. Sava in Serbia had a church-religious and political significance, especially during the Ottoman period. No individual among the Serbs has been woven into the consciousness and being of the people as Saint Sava, from his time until the present day. In 1377, Bosnian Ban Tvrtko was crowned King in the presence of Sava's relics. In 1448, '' vojvoda'' Stefan Vukčić Kosača of Hum styled himself "herzog (duke) of Saint Sava". The cult collected all South Slavic peoples, especially the Orthodox Serbs, while his grave was also a pilgrim site for Roman Catholics and Muslims. Foreign 16th-century writers, Jean Sesno (1547) and Catherine Zen (1550) noted that Muslims respected the tomb of Saint Sava, and feared him. Benedicto Ramberti (1553) said that Turks and Jews gave more charity to Mileševa than Serbs.


Burning of relics

When the Serbs in Banat rose up against the Ottomans in 1594, using the portrait of Saint Sava on their
war flags A war ensign, also known as a military flag, battle flag, or standard, is a variant of a national flag for use by a country's military forces when on land. The nautical equivalent is a naval ensign. Under the strictest sense of the term, few co ...
, the Ottomans retaliated by incinerating the relics of St. Sava on the
Vračar plateau Vračar plateau () is a plateau on top of the Vračar Hill in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, with an absolute height of above sea level. It is the purported location of the 1594 Burning of Saint Sava's relics by the Ottomans. The dominant pos ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. Grand Vizier
Koca Sinan Pasha Koca Sinan Pasha (, "Sinan the Great", ; c. 1506 – 3 April 1596) was an Albanian-born Ottoman Grand Vizier, military figure, and statesman. From 1580 until his death he served five times as Grand Vizier. Early life Sinan Pasha, also known ...
, the main commander of the Ottoman army, ordered for the relics to be brought from Mileševa to Belgrade, where he set them on fire on 27 April. Monk Nićifor of the Fenek monastery wrote that "there was great violence carried out against the clergy and devastation of monasteries". The Ottomans sought to symbolically and really, set fire to the Serb determination of freedom, which had become growingly noticeable. The event, however, sparked an increase in rebel activity, until the suppression of the uprising in 1595. It is believed that his left hand was saved]; it is currently held at Mileševa. The
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
was built near the place where his relics were burned. Its construction began in the 1930s and was completed in 2004. It is one of the largest churches in the world.


Divine Services

Divine Service (Eastern Orthodoxy), Divine Services, , were created in his honour following his burial. The earliest service date to the reign of king Vladislav, in which Saint Sava is mentioned along the killed monks on Sinai. In it, he is compared to
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Sergius (or Serge) and Bacchus (Greek: Σέργιος & Βάκχος; ; , also called ) were fourth-century Syrian Christian soldiers revered as martyrs and military saints by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Their f ...
, whose relics are held at the Mileševa monastery. In the service, he is called an illuminator on earth, and the adoration of his icon is mentioned. There are two services dedicated to Saint Sava: one dedicated to his Assumption (death), and the second to the
translation Translation is the communication of the semantics, meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The English la ...
of his relics. Nikola and Radoslav wrote the service on the translation of his relics . Other services dedicated to the translation were also compiled in 1599 by Georgije, and written by protohegumen Visarion of Zavala in 1659–60. These services were superseded by the use of Teodosije's service. The unknown author of the ''Service of the Assumption of Saint Sava'', a monk of Mileševa, speaks to him: "Father of Fathers – fclergy rules, wholewised model, virtue of monks, fortification of the church, lighthouse of love, seat of feelings, source of mercifulness, fire-inspired tongue, mouth of sweet words, a church vessel of God, intellectual heaven become – God-good hierarch of Christ".


Churches dedicated to St. Sava

There are many temples dedicated to Sava. As early as the beginning of the 14th century, Serbian Archbishop Nikodim I (s. 1316–1324) dedicated a church to him.
Helena of Bulgaria Helena of Bulgaria (, ; –7 November 1374) was a Bulgarian princess, and the Queen and Empress consort of Serbia by marriage to Serbian King and later Emperor Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55). She was a regent of Serbia in 1355 and 1356 for her ...
, the wife of Emperor
Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...
(r. 1331–55), founded a chapel on the top of the tower in Karyes, dedicated to St. Simeon and St. Sava. One of the churches of
Rossikon Saint Panteleimon Monastery (, ), also known as Rossikon ( ) or New Russik (, ), is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries on Mount Athos, located on the southwestern side of the peninsula in Northern Greece. It is the Russian monastery o ...
on Mount Athos, as well as a church in Thessaloniki, are dedicated to him. Churches throughout Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro are dedicated to him, as well as churches in diaspora communities all around the world.


Visual arts

There are close to no Serbian churches that do not have a depiction of St. Sava. He is most often depicted as an archiereus (, main priest), or together with his father, St. Simeon. The most notable of his fresco depictions are located in the monasteries of Studenica, Mileševa,
Peć Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova (region), Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the ...
,
Morača The Morača ( cnr-Cyrl, Морача, ) is a major river in Montenegro that originates in the northern region in Kolašin Municipality under Mount Rzača. It meanders southwards for before emptying into Lake Skadar. Its drainage basin covers ...
,
Arilje Arilje ( sr-cyr, Ариље, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of southwestern Serbia. The population of the town is 6,639, while the municipality has 17,063 inhabitants (2022 census). Geography The municipality of Aril ...
,
Sopoćani The Sopoćani Monastery (, ), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built from 1259 to 1270, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is a designated World Heritage Si ...
, Dečani,
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
, Bogorodica Ljeviška, Psača, Lesnovo,
Marko's Monastery Marko's Monastery (Macedonian language, Macedonian and ) is a monastery located in the village of Markova Sušica, from central Skopje in North Macedonia. The monastery bears the name of List of Serbian rulers, Serbian Prince Marko, who reigned a ...
, Matejić, Nagoričano,
Nikita Nikita may refer to: * Nikita (given name), people with the given name, including variants * Nikita, Crimea, a town in Ukraine * Nikita the Tanner, a character in East Slavic folklore Film and television *''Little Nikita'', a 1988 film * ''La Femm ...
, Andrijaš,
Bela Crkva Bela Crkva ( sr-cyrl, Бела Црква, ; ; ; ) is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 7,456, while the Bela Crkva municipality has 14,451 ...
, Baljevac, Pavlica, Ljubostinja, Resava, Koporin, Prohor Pčinjski, Rudenica, Blagoveštenje and St. Nicholas in Ovčar, Ježevica,
Poganovo Poganovo () is a village/town near Jerma river in the Serbian municipality of Dimitrovgrad, near the border with Bulgaria. The 14th century Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна ц ...
and others; he is depicted with the Nemanjić dynasty ('' loza Nemanjića'') in Dečani, Peć and
Orahovica Orahovica is a town in Slavonia, Croatia. It is situated on the slopes of the mountain Papuk and positioned on the state road D2 Varaždin- Koprivnica- Našice-Osijek. History The name Orahovica is derived from the word ''orah'', meaning a ...
. The translation of his relics is illustrated in the church of the
Gradac Monastery The Gradac Monastery (, ) is a Serbian Orthodox Monastery. It lies on the elevated plateau above the river Gradačka, at the edge of the forested slopes Golija. It is an endowment of queen Helen which was built from 1277 to 1282 during the reig ...
, and the Monastery of Peć (in the Bogorodica Odigitrije temple) the scene where Sava appoints his successor Arsenije is depicted. In the Church of St. George, also in the Monastery of Peć, an assembly of Sava is depicted. Iconographer ()
Georgije Mitrofanović Georgije Mitrofanović ( sr-cyr, Георгије Митрофановић; 1550–c. 1630) was a Serbian Orthodox monk and painter, remembered best for his work on the Morača monastery church and the frescoes (wall paintings) inside the Kru ...
illustrated events from the ''Life of St. Sava'' in the dining room of
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
. "The Serbian miracle-workers" Sava and Simeon are depicted in the Archangel Sobor in
Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...
, in Moscow. In the chapel of the
Rila Monastery The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, also known as Rila Monastery ("Sveti Ivan Rilski" (), is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in th ...
in Bulgaria, the ''Life of St. Sava'' is depicted in eight compositions, and in the Athonite monastery of St. Panteleimon Monastery he is depicted as a monk.St. Sava is depicted with St. Simeon on an icon from the 14th century held in the National Museum in Belgrade, and on an icon held in the National Museum in Bucharest. The pair is depicted on tens of icons held in Hilandar. Other icons of them are found in the monasteries of Lepavina and Krka, and on the
triptych A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
of Orahovica. On an icon of Morača, beside a scene from his life, he is depicted with St. Simeon, '' knez'' Stefan and St. Cyril the Philosopher. Graphical illustrations of St. Sava are found in old Serbian printed books: ''Triode'' from the Mrkšina crkva printing house (1566), ''Zbornik'' of Jakov of Kamena Reka (1566), as well as ''Sabornik'' of
Božidar Vuković Božidar Vuković ( sr-Cyrl, Божидар Вуковић, , ; c. 1460 — c. 1539) was one of the first printers and editors of Serbian books in Montenegro. He founded the famous Vuković printing house in Venice. His printing house was opera ...
(1546) where he is depicted with St. Simeon. There are notable depictions of Sava in
chalcography Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an inta ...
, one of which was made by
Zaharije Orfelin Zaharije Orfelin ( sr-Cyrl, Захаријe Орфелин; 1726 – 19 January 1785) was a Serbs, Serbian polymath who lived and worked in the Habsburg monarchy and Republic of Venice, Venice. Considered a Renaissance, Renaissance man, he is var ...
(1726–1785). In Hilandar, there are two wood-cuts depicting St. Sava and St. Simeon holding the '' Three-handed Theotokos'' icon. His person is illustrated on numerous liturgical metal and textile items, while he and scenes from his life are illuminated in many manuscripts and printed books.


Literature

Many Serbian poets have written poetry dedicated to Sava. These include
Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Jovan Jovanović Zmaj ( sr-Cyrl, Јован Јовановић Змаj, pronounced ; 24 November 1833 – 1 June 1904) was a Serbian poet, translator and physician. Jovanović worked as a physician; he wrote in many poetry genres, including Lo ...
's and ,
Vojislav Ilić Vojislav Ilić (Serbian Cyrillic: Војислав Илић; 20 April 1860 – 2 February 1894) was a Serbian poet, known for his finely chiseled verse. His poetry exemplifies a classic example of modern Serbian language and features the stand ...
's and , Milorad Popović Šapčanin's ,
Aleksa Šantić Aleksa Šantić ( sr-Cyrl, Алекса Шантић, (); 27 May 1868 – 2 February 1924) was a Herzegovinian Serb poet and writer from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Šantić wrote about the urban culture of his hometown Mostar and Herzegovi ...
's , and , Vojislav Ilić Mlađi's ,
Nikolaj Velimirović Nikolaj Velimirović (Serbian Cyrillic: Николај Велимировић;  – ) was a Serbian Orthodox prelate who served as Bishop of Ohrid and Žiča from 1920 to 1956. An influential theological writer and a highly gifted orator, h ...
's , and ', Milan Petrović's ',
Vasko Popa Vasile "Vasko" Popa ( sr-Cyrl, Васко Попа; 29 June 1922 – 5 January 1991) was a Yugoslav and Serbian poet of Romanian ethnicity. Biography Popa was born in the village of Grebenac (), Yugoslavia (present-day Serbia) into a Banat ...
's ''St. Sava's Journey'', Momčilo Tešić's ',
Desanka Maksimović Desanka Maksimović ( sr-Cyrl, Десанка Максимовић; 16 May 1898 – 11 February 1993) was a Serbian poet, writer and translator. Her first works were published in the literary journal ''Misao'' in 1920, while she was studying at t ...
's ',
Matija Bećković Matija Bećković ( sr-Cyrl, Матија Бећковић, ; born 29 November 1939) is a Serbian poet, writer and academic. Life Bećković was born in Senta, in the multiethnic province of Vojvodina (then Danube Banate, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) ...
's ', Mićo Jelić Grnović's , and others.


Works

The earliest works of Sava were dedicated to ascetic and monastic life: the Karyes Typikon and Hilandar Typikon. In their nature, they are Church law, based strictly on non-literary works, however, in them some moments came to expression of indirect importance for the establishment of an atmosphere in which Sava's original and in the narrow sense, literary works, came to exist. In addition, characteristics of Sava's language and style come to light here, especially in those paragraphs which are his specific interpretations or independent supplements. * Karyes Typikon, written for the Karyes cell in 1199. It is basically a translation from a standard Greek ascetic typikon. It became a model for Serbian solitary or eremitical monasticism also outside of Mount Athos. * Hilandar Typikon, written for Hilandar in 1199. Compiled as a translation and adaptation of the introductory part of the Greek Theotokos Euergetis typikon from Constantinople. Sava only used some parts of that typikon, adding his own, different regulations tailored to the needs of Hilandar. He and his father had donated to the Euergetis monastery, and Sava stayed there on his trips to Constantinople, seemingly, he liked the order and way of life in this monastery. This typikon was to become the general managing order for other Serbian monasteries (with small modifications, Sava wrote the Studenica Typikon in 1208). The Hilandar Typikon contains regulations for the spiritual life in the monastery and organization of various services of the monastic community (''opštežića''). The organization of the Serbian Church with united areas was set on a completely new basis. The activity of major monasteries developed; caretaking of missionary work was put under the duty of the protopopes. Legal regulations of the Serbian Church was constituted with a code of a new, independent, compilation of Sava – the ''Nomocanon'' or ; with this codification of Byzantine law, Serbia already at the beginning of the 13th century received a firm legal order and became a state of law, in which the rich Greek-Roman law heritage was continued. * Nomocanon () or ', most likely created in Thessaloniki in 1220, when Sava returned from Nicaea to Serbia, regarding the organization of the new, autocephalous Serbian Church. It was a compilation of state ("civil") law and religious rules or canons, with interpretations of famous Byzantine canonists, who by themselves were a kind of source of law. As Byzantine nomocanons, with or without interpretation, the Serbian Nomocanon was a capital source and monument of law; in the medieval Serbian state, it was the source of the first order as a " divine right"; after it, legislations of Serbian rulers (including Dušan's Code) were created. Sava was the initiator of the creation of this compilation, while the translation was likely the work of various authors, older and contemporary to Sava. An important fact is that the choice of compilation in this nomocanon was unique: it is not preserved in Greek manuscript tradition. In the ecclesiastic term, it is very characteristic, due to its opposing of that period's views in effect on church-state relations in Byzantium, and restoring of some older conceptions with which the sovereignty of divine law is insisted on. His liturgical regulations include also ''Psalter-holding laws'' (), which he translated from Greek, or as possibly is the case with the Nomocanon, was only the initiator and organizer, and supervisor of the translation. A personal letter of his, written from Jerusalem to his disciple hegumen Spiridon in Studenica, shows Sava getting closer to literature. This is the first work of the epistolary genre that has been preserved in the old Serbian literature. Theologian noted "With a lot of feeling and longing for the fatherland in a distant world and caring for things in the homeland, Sava wrote this letter to Spiridon, reporting about him and his entourage, of them falling ill on the road, how they donated to the Holy sites, where he intended to travel, and along with the letter he sent gifts: a cross, pleat, cloth and pebbles. The cross and pleat had laid on Christ's grave, and hence these gifts received greater value. Sava perhaps found the cloth in Jordan". The letter has been preserved in 14th-century copies held in the Velika Remeta monastery. The proper literary nature of Sava is however revealed only in his hagiographical and poetic compositions. Each in its genre, they stand at the beginning of the development of convenient literary genres in the independent Serbian literature. In the Hilandar Typikon, Sava included the ''Short Hagiography of St. Simeon Nemanja'', which tells of Simeon's life between his arrival at Hilandar and death. It was written immediately after his death, in 1199 or 1200. The developed hagiography on St. Simeon was written in the introduction of the Studenica Typikon. * Hagiography of St. Simeon, written in 1208 as a ''ktetor'' hagiography of the founder of Studenica. It was made according to the rules of Byzantine literature. The hagiography itself, biography of a saint, was one of the main prose genres in Byzantium. Hagiographies were written to create or spread the cult of the saint, and communicated the qualities of and virtues of the person in question. The work focused on the monastic character of Simeon, using biographical information as a subset to his renouncing of the throne, power and size in the world for the Kingdom of Heaven. Simeon is portrayed as a dramatic example of renouncing earthly life, as a representative of basic evangelical teachings and foundations of these, especially of monastic spirituality. His biographical pre-history (conquests and achievements) with praises are merged in the prelude, followed by his monastic feats and his death, ending with a prayer instead of praise. The language is direct and simple, without excessive rhetorics, in which a close witness and companion, participant in the life of St. Simeon, is recognized (in Sava). Milan Kašanin noted that "no old biography of ours is that little pompous and that little rhetorical, and that warm and humane as Nemanja's biography". Very few manuscripts of the works of St. Sava have survived. Apart from the Karyes Typikon, of which a copy, a scroll, is today held at Hilandar, it is believed that there are no original manuscripts (''authograph'') of St. Sava. The original Charter of Hilandar (1198) was lost in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. St. Sava is regarded as the great of independent
medieval Serbian literature Medieval Serbian literature or Old Serbian literature () refers to the literature written in medieval forms of Serbian language, up to the end of the 15th century, with its traditions extending into the early modern period. During the Middle Age ...
.


''Ktetor''

Sava founded and reconstructed churches and monasteries wherever he stayed. While staying at Vatopedi, even before the arrival of his father in 1197, he founded three chapels (). He had the monastery church covered in
lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
, and was regarded as the second '' ktetor'', also having donated highly valuable ecclesiastical art objects. Together with his father he was the great, second ''ktetor'' of the monasteries of
Iviron The Monastery of Iviron ( ka, ათონის ივერთა მონასტერი , tr; ) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece. History The monastery was built under the superv ...
,
Great Lavra The Monastery of Great Lavra () is the first monastery built on Mount Athos, on the Athos peninsula in geographical Macedonia, northeastern Greece. It is located on the southeastern foot of the Mount at an elevation of . The founding of the ...
and churches in
Karyes Karyes (Greek: Καρυές, before 1930: Αράχωβα - ''Arachova'') is a village of the Peloponnese peninsula, which is located in the southern part of Greece. The Peloponnese is made up of a number of states and Karyes belongs to the state ...
. The most important was
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
, together with his father (1198). He then founded the cell at Karyes, and in 1199 became ktetor of three more Athonite monasteries: Karakallou, Xeropotamou, and Philotheou. In 1197 he gave a large contribution to the Constantinopolitan monastery of the Holy Mother of God Euergetes, and did the same to Philokallou in Thessaloniki; "due to him also giving much gold for the erection of that monastery, the population there regard him the ''ktetor''", according to Teodosije. Returning to Serbia in 1206, Sava continued his work. The Mother of God Church in Studenica was painted, and two hermitages near Studenica were endowed. His most important architectural work was the Home of the Holy Saviour, called Žiča, the first seat of the Serbian Archbishopric. In Peć he built the Church of the Holy Apostles, and he was also involved in the building of the Mileševa Monastery. In
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
, on
Mount Sinai Mount Sinai, also known as Jabal Musa (), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is one of several locations claimed to be the Mount Sinai (Bible), biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the sacred scriptures of the thre ...
, he founded the Monastery of St. John the Apostle, as a shelter for Serbs on
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
. Sava donated gold to many monasteries in Palestine, Thessaloniki, and especially Mount Athos. His ''ktetor'' activity was an expression of deep devotion and sincere loyalty to Christian ideals. *
Hilandar Monastery The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbs, Serbian Serbian Orthodox Church, Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Ser ...
on
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
*
Karyes Karyes (Greek: Καρυές, before 1930: Αράχωβα - ''Arachova'') is a village of the Peloponnese peninsula, which is located in the southern part of Greece. The Peloponnese is made up of a number of states and Karyes belongs to the state ...
monastery cell (see:
Karyes Typicon The Karyes Typikon () was written for the Karyes cell on Mount Athos in 1199 by Saint Sava, at the time a monk and later the first Serbian Archbishop. It is basically a translation from a standard Greek ascetic typikon with some minor changes. It ...
) * Church of
John the Apostle John the Apostle (; ; ), also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he ...
in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
And many other churches across Serbia, as well. File:Manastir Studenica 1.jpg, Studenica File:Monastir Mileseva II.jpg, Mileševa File:Hilan2.jpg,
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...


See also

*
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
*
Serbian saints This is a list of saints of the Serbian Orthodox Church. List The Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) venerates all Eastern Orthodox saints, regardless of ethnic background (e.g. John the Baptist, Maximus the Greek and Nicholas II of Russia). Howe ...
*
Eastern Orthodox saints This is a partial list of canonised saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church. In Orthodoxy, a saint is defined as anyone who is in heaven, whether recognised here on earth, or not. By this definition, Adam and Eve, Moses, the various prophets, a ...
* Order of St. Sava *
Only Unity Saves the Serbs Only Unity Saves the Serbs (, commonly abbreviated as СССС) is a popular motto and slogan in Serbia and among Serbs, often used as a rallying call during times of national crisis and against foreign domination. The phrase is an interpretation o ...
* John the Deacon


Annotations


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * * * * *


External links

*
Istorijska biblioteka: Sveti Sava


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sava 12th-century venerated Christians 13th-century venerated Christians 13th-century Serbian writers 12th-century Byzantine writers 12th-century Christian theologians 13th-century Byzantine writers 12th-century Christian saints 13th-century Christian saints 13th-century Christian theologians Medieval European scribes Byzantine hermits 13th-century Byzantine monks Serbian monks Byzantine theologians Eastern Orthodox theologians Sermon writers 12th-century births 1236 deaths 12th-century Serbian royalty 13th-century Serbian royalty 13th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops 12th-century Byzantine monks Nemanjić dynasty Christian writers Christian hagiographers Eastern Orthodox archbishops Serbian saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church Archbishops of Serbs Serbian theologians Miracle workers Ktetors Founders of Christian monasteries 13th-century jurists Athonite Fathers People associated with Hilandar Monastery People associated with St. Panteleimon Monastery National symbols of Serbia