01/15/2026
It's a rare thing to find a Saint who lived after the Great Schism that is venerated in both the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, yet St. Sava is one of those gems.
In honor of his feast day today January 14 (R.C. Church), here's a little bit about him:
In the 12th Century, Rastko was a prince of Serbia. Surrendering his title and perks, he became a monk at Mount Athos ( ), took the name Sava, and later founded the monastery at Hilander.
His great accomplishments in life were not fame, wealth, or power, but rather the power he had in being a peacemaker. Prioritizing the maintenance of the monasteries in Serbia as well as facilitating the Serbian constitution, he had a strong hand in securing both political and religious independence for the nation. Sava became the first Archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church and is widely regarded as its founder.
It's a bit of an enigma why he is venerated in the Catholic Church, as well, since once Serbian Orthodoxy became the state religion, Sava is reported to have worked to suppress Roman Catholic influence. This is, however, largely due to political influence more than likely.
His veneration in both Churches is a testament to his own personal holiness and asceticism, which we could all strive to emulate.
Why talk about someone so confusing? Well, we love obscure saints here with unusual stories. And though he is obscure to us Catholics, there is actually a lot of biographical information available about him!
Plus, one of our founders is of Serbian heritage and today's her mom's birthday too, so enjoy.
Do you know a quote from St. Sava? We'd love for you to share in the comments!
