January 14, 2021

Who Is Saint Sava of Serbia? (St. Nikolai Velimirovich)


By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

SAINT SAVA is the spiritual revivalist of the Serbian people.

SAINT SAVA is the founder of the national Church of the Serbian people, its first archbishop and organizer.

SAINT SAVA is the strengthener of the Orthodox faith in the Serbian people. He eradicated and rejected Western and other heresies from the Serbian people and established his people in Eastern Orthodoxy. Thus, he most powerfully influenced the determination of the historical destiny of the Serbian people.

SAINT SAVA is the smartest educator of the Serbian people, who inextricably linked the enlightenment and education of the people with a living faith in Christ the Lord.

SAINT SAVA is the greatest statesman of the Serbian people. He led the state assemblies, crowned the kings in Zica, and saved the Serbian state from enemies and wars in a peaceful way.

SAINT SAVA is the first establisher of monastic life in our country. He built Hilandar on the Holy Mountain with his father Saint Simeon. He acquired and built several Serbian monasteries in Palestine. He planted the seed of monastic life with Studenica and Zica. He is the first and primary rule maker of Serbian monasteries.

SAINT SAVA is the most elegant creator of Serbian folk culture. As the determinant of the Serbian folk religion, he thus became the determinant of the Serbian folk culture. Turning the face of our people to the East, he thus exposed them to Eastern cultural influences.

SAINT SAVA is the first Serbian writer. He wrote not books for entertainment, but only what was necessary and useful for strengthening the faith, for establishing order in the monastery, in society and the state, and what served for the spiritual salvation of the people.

SAINT SAVA was, and still is, the greatest intercessor for the Serbian people before the throne of the Creator during his earthly life.