Saint Sava of Serbia

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Saint Sava of Serbia
Feast Day	January 27 (Gregorian); January 14 (Julian)
Liturgical Class
Patronage	Serbia; Serbian people; education
Birthplace	Deževa, Raška (modern Serbia)
Death Place	Tarnovo, Second Bulgarian Empire
Cause of Death	natural causes
Primary Shrine	Temple of Saint Sava, Vračar, Belgrade, Serbia

Saint Sava of Serbia (Serbian: Свети Сава / Sveti Sava; c. 1174 – 14 January 1236), born Rastko Nemanjić (Растко Немањић), was the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church, diplomat, legislator, and patron saint of Serbia. Youngest son of Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja (Saint Simeon) and Princess Anastasia, Rastko abandoned royal life at 17 to become a monk on Mount Athos, taking the name Sava. With his father (who abdicated and followed him as monk Simeon), he co-founded Hilandar Monastery in 1198, the spiritual centre of Serbian Orthodoxy. Returning to Serbia in 1207 after the death of his father, he reconciled his warring brothers, translated his father’s relics to Studenica, and quelled unrest by preaching and healing.

In 1219, Sava secured autocephaly for the Serbian Church from Emperor Theodore I Laskaris and Patriarch Manuel I of Constantinople-in-exile, being consecrated the first Archbishop of Serbia at Nicaea. He crowned his brother Stefan the First-Crowned in 1221, wrote the Zakonopravilo (nomocanon), founded hospitals and schools, and organised the Church hierarchy.

Venerated immediately after death, Sava was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church; his feast is 27 January (Gregorian) / 14 January (Julian). Patron of Serbia, education, and Serbian schools, his relics were burned by the Ottomans in 1594 but remain a national symbol. The monumental Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, is dedicated to him.

Biography

Birth

Saint Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić c. 1174 in Deževa near modern Podgorica or in Ras, to Stefan Nemanja and Anastasia.

Early Life

Educated in court, appointed prince of Hum at 16; fled to Mount Athos 1191/1192.

Occupation

Monk on Mount Athos; co-founder of Hilandar; first Archbishop of Serbia 1219–1233.

Vocation

Sava’s vocation was monastic and ecclesiastical: founding Serbian Orthodoxy, securing autocephaly, and educating the nation.

Death

Saint Sava died peacefully on 14 January 1236 in Tarnovo, Bulgaria, after illness following pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Saint Sava met his end peacefully in old age.

Significant events

• Fled to Mount Athos and took monastic vows, 1192.
• Co-founded Hilandar Monastery, 1198.
• Translated Saint Simeon’s relics to Studenica, 1207.
• Consecrated first Archbishop of Serbia, 1219.
• Died in Tarnovo, 1236.

Significant locations

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Legend

• Birth location: None
• Death location: Tarnovo, Second Bulgarian Empire
• Notable location: Co-founder of Serbian monastery (Hilandar Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece)
• Notable location: First seat of Serbian archbishopric (Žiča Monastery, near Kraljevo, Serbia)
• Notable location: Endowment of his father Saint Simeon (Studenička Monastery, Studenica, Serbia)
• Notable location:
• Notable location:

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Parishes

Saint Sava of Serbia
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Shrines

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Canonization

As founder of the Serbian Church, Saint Sava was venerated immediately after death without formal canonization.

Miracles

Traditions include:

• Healing spring at Hilandar.
• Myrrh-streaming relics (before 1594 burning).

Patronage

Saint Sava is patron of Serbia, Serbian schools, and education.

Feast day

January 27 (Gregorian); January 14 (Julian)

Veneration

Saint Sava is celebrated with “Savindan” school ceremonies across Serbia on 27 January. Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade is the largest Orthodox church in the Balkans.

External links

• Orthodox Church in America: Saint Sava
• Catholic Online: St. Sava of Serbia