Sava was the son of Stefan Nemanja, the great Serbian leader, who was born in 1169. As a young man Sava yearned for the spiritual life, which led him to flee to the Holy Mountain Athos, where he became a monk and with rare zeal followed all the ascetic practices. Stefan Nemanja followed his son's example and himself went to the Holy Mountain Athos, where he lived and ended his days as the monk Simeon.

Sava obtained the independence of the Serbian Church from the Byzantine emperor and the patriarch, and became its first archbishop.Sava together with his father, built the Serbian monastery of Hilandar on the Holy Mountain of Athos, and after that many other monasteries, churches and schools throughout the land of Serbia. Sava travelled to the Holy Land on two occasions, on pilgrimage to the holy places there. He made peace among his brothers Vukan and Stefan, who were in conflict over their rights, and also between the Serbs and their neighbours.

In creating the Serbian Church, Sava created the Serbian state and Serbian culture along with it. He brought peace to all the Balkan peoples, working for the good of all, for which he was venerated and loved by all on the Balkan peninsula. Sava gave a Christian soul to the people of Serbia, which survived the fall of the Serbian state.

Sava died in Trnovo, Bulgaria, during the reign of emperor Ivan Asen II, having become ill following the Divine Liturgy on January 14 1235 A.D. King Vladislav translated Sava’s body to Monastery Mileseva, from which  Sinan Pasha removed it and burned it on Vracar in Belgrade on April 27 1594 A.D.

          The Grave of Saint Sava             The Cathedral of Saint Sava

             Monastery Mileseva                        Vracar Belgrade