Sava (or Sabas) a.k.a.'The Enlightener', was a Serbian prince, 3rd son of Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja of Serbia. In 1191 he secretly went to Mount Athos and became an Orthodox monk. Three years later, his father abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Stefan the First-Crowned (1st King of Serbia) and joined Sava as a monk on Mount Athos. Together they founded the Monastery of Chilandari for Serbian monks. In the Middle Ages it was a centre for Serbian culture and religion and it still exists today. As an abbot, Sava was famous for his kind yet firm way of training his young monks. While at Chilandari he began the translations of religious books into the Serbo-Croat language, a task which was to be an important part of his life’s work.

Sava returned to Serbia about 1208, because of civil unrest and the rivalry of his brothers. The country and church were in crisis. Clergy were few, and the Christianity of most people was nominal. He established himself as archimandrite of the monastery of Studenitsa, and then set about organising the Serbian church. He used monks who came with him from Mount Athos for missionary and pastoral work. He set up an independent local hierarchy, and was elected the 1st archbishop, consecrated in 1219. He contributed to the unification of the Serbian state under his brother King Stephen II. His translations together with his building and embellishment of churches, integrated the church into the cultural life of the Serbian people.

Always a monk at heart, Sava used to retire from time to time to a hermitage near Studenitsa for spiritual refreshment. He was also greatly interested in pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai. In both places he organised accommodation for Serbian monks and pilgrims. He made 2 pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and died on the journey home from his second.

Revered by both the Orthodox and Catholics of the Balkan area, he is the patron saint of Serbia. The cathedral in Belgrade is dedicated under his name. An icon of the Saviour copied from a Chilandari original is the centre-piece of the ecumenical chapel in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Christchurch.

BORN: c.1176, Stari Ras, Sebečevo, Serbia

DIED: 14 January 1236, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria