ULOGA I ZNAČAJ SVETOGA SAVE U RAZVOJU CRKVENOG PRAVA KOD SRBA
ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF SAINT SAVA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERBIAN CHURCH LAW

Summary/Abstract: The heritage of St. Sava is the basis of the Serbian church and the basis of the national identity. In the eve of the 800th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church celebration, this article makes a modest contribution in revealing the significance of St. Sava and his work on the development of Serbian culture and church law. The Nomocanon of St. Sava marked the entry of Serbs on the stage of culturally advanced people of the Middle Ages, alongside the mighty Byzantine Empire and Holy Roman Empire. It helped the young Serbian kingdom and the Church to strengthen and start the „golden age“ of Serbian history. Also, by organization of the monastic life, inspired by Constantinople, St. Save has enabled the Byzantine culture to be easily transposed and reinforced in Serbia. By illuminating the heritage of St. Sava and its importance, primary for the Serbian medieval state, we can only speculate on which political and economic level Serbia would be today, without the latter Ottoman captivity. What is also important, it was not limited to the borders of Serbia, but it has been spread beyond them, through Bulgaria to Russia. In that sense, Serbia, by its contribution to culture and history, should rightly be regarded as co-founder of today’s Europe. Eight centuries after St. Sava, the Serbian Church and its people are building their lives and the future on the foundations of his work.

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