Holy Right-believing Prince Lazar of Serbia (+1389)

The holy right-believing Prince Lazar of Serbia lived in the fourteenth century. This was the time when the Turks had conquered the neighbouring countries and were preparing to seize Serbia.

Brought up at the court of the holy King Dušan, Lazar was first appointed governor of one of the regions of Serbia, and then, in 1372, was anointed king. The saint laboured tirelessly for the Christian enlightenment of the people; he built churches and supported monasteries and charitable institutions. In 1380 the pious prince built the monastery of Ravanica. At his intercession the head of the Church of Constantinople agreed to recognise the Archbishop of Serbia as patriarch. For ten years of Lazar’s rule peace reigned throughout the country. Then war with the Turks began, and on 15 June 1389, by order of the Sultan Bayezid, Saint Lazar was beheaded. In 1391 Lazar’s incorrupt relics were laid in the monastery of Ravanica, and after the Turks destroyed this monastery they were translated in 1683 to Fruška Gora, to the monastery of New Ravanica.