Saint Sava

Saint Sava, also known as the Enlightener, was a Serbian prince, an Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autonomous Serbian Church, the creator of Serbian law, a diplomat and one of the most important historical figures in Serbia. He lived from 1169 or 1174 to 14 January 1236. The youngest son of Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, Sava was born as Rastko Nemanji and temporarily governed Zachlumia between 1190 and 1192. He subsequently departed for Mount Athos, where he took the name Sava and became a monk (Sabbas). He founded the Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos, which the Serbian people used as one of their most significant religious and cultural centers. In addition to writing the Zakonopravilo nomocanon, the first known Serbian constitution, in 1219, he was also recognized as the first Serbian Archbishop by the Patriarchate exiled in Nicea, ensuring Serbia's complete political and ecclesiastical independence. The author Sava is credited with starting Serbian medieval literature.

He is regarded as one of Serbia's most significant historical personalities. In actuality, Sava is to the Serbs what Maimonides and Averroes are to the Jews and Muslims, respectively. The Eastern Orthodox Church honors Saint Sava on January 27. His career has been represented in several artistic creations from the Middle Ages to the present. He serves as Serbia's, Serbs', and Serbian education's patron saint. One of the greatest churches in the world, the Church of Saint Sava is located in Belgrade and is dedicated to him. The Ottomans burned his ashes there in 1594 during a rebellion in which Serbs flew Sava icons as their battle flags.