The day sun shined on Orthodox Christianity: Stefan Nemanja and monk Sava started to build Hilandar

On this day in 1198, Byzantine Emperor Alexios III Angelos gave the right to Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja (1113-1199) - who was by then already for a while know as monk Simeon, and his son, monk Sava (1175-1236), to build a new monastery on Mt. Athos, on the ruins of the ancient Chilandarion. The new monastery was the Serbian Hilandar.

Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, a year after he founded it with his son Rastko (Sava), died in 1199 in this very monastery. Stefan Nemanja and Rastko were the ones who created an independent medieval Serbian state and an autocephalous Serbian Church.

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Hilandar is the fourth terms of hierarchy of Orthodox monasteries on Mount Athos and one of the most important spiritual and cultural centers of the Serb nation. The monastery has been continuously inhabited since the 12th century and today has more than 50 monks, according to its portal.

The richest collection of original old manuscripts, icons and frescoes has been preserved in Hilandar, representing today the most important treasure of Serbian medieval culture in general.

Since 1988, Hilandar, together with the other 19 monasteries on Mount Athos, has been included in UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the medieval monuments united under the protected area of Mount Athos.

(Telegraf.rs)