St. Sava of Serbia

St. Sava (or Sabbas) was the first Archbishop of Serbia. Sava is known for translating and writing ecclesial texts, for founding Serbian law and literature, and for his diplomatic contributions between Serbia and other states. Sava was born Prince Rastko Nemanjic; his brother, Stefan Nemanjic, was the first Serbian king. In the early 1190s, "Rastko" became a monk in Mount Athos and received the name "Sava." In 1197, his father Stefan also came to Mount Athos and together they restored the abandoned Hilandar monastery. At Hilander monastery, Sava was ordained a deacon and then presbyter. When Sava came to Serbia in 1207, his two brothers—Vukan and Stefan—were fighting over territory.  Through Sava's intervention, the civil war in Serbian territory stopped and a peace agreement was established, thus restoring the kingdom of Serbia.
The relics of their father, Stephen Nemanja (St. Symeon), were placed in the Studenica Monastery which, under Sava's guardianship, would become the political, cultural and spiritual center of medieval Serbia. Sava petitioned the Patriarch of Constantinople (who was residing in Nicea since Constantinople was occupied by the Latins) for Serbian bishops to elect their own Archbishop. At Nicea in the year 1219, Patriach Manuel consecrated Sava as the first Archbishop of Serbia.
Sava guided the Serbian Church until 1233 when he abdicated power, installing St. Arsenius of Srem (1233-1263) as his successor. Sava took many pilgrimages around the world (including the Holy Land and Egypt) and eventually came to Trnovo, Bulgaria. While participating in a ceremony called Blessing of the Waters he developed a cough that progressed into pneumonia. Sava died in 1236 from the pneumonia. He was buried at the Cathedral of the Holy Forty Martyrs in Trnovo, Bulgaria. He remained in Trnovo until May 6, 1237, when his sacred bones were moved to the monastery Mileseva in southern Serbia.

360 years later the Ottoman Turks dug out his bones and burnt them on the main square in Belgrade; this occurred during the Banat Uprising of 1594. The Cathedral of St. Sava in Belgrade (Serbia) was built on the place where his holy bones were burned. St. Sava is the patron saint of Serbia, especially of schools and education.

St. Sava is commemorated on 12 January and 14 January (Byzantine and Roman Churches). His name is sometimes written as Savvas or Sabbas.

"You were a guide to the Way of Life, a first Hierarch and a teacher; you did come and enlighten your home country, O Sava, and give it rebirth by the Holy Spirit. You have planted your children like olive trees in the spiritual Paradise. O Equal-to-the-Apostles and Saints, pray to Christ our God to grant us His great mercy" (Troparion of St. Sava)