Stevan Nemanja, the great ruler of the Serbian people, unifier of the
Serbian lands, creator of an independent Serbian government, defender
of Orthodoxy, driver-out of heresy, was first baptised in the Latin
Church, but later became a member of the Orthodox Church. In its Organisation,
it was at first dependent on Greece, but later shook off this dependence
and became completely autonomous. When he had strengthened the state
and the Orthodox Church within the state he then, following the example
of his son Sava, received the monastic habit at the monastery of Studenica
in 1195, being given the name Simeon. His wife Anna also received the
monastic habit and the name Anastasia, and retired to a women's monastery.
After two years' monasticism at Studenica, Simeon went to the Holy Mountain.
There he stayed at first in the monastery of Vatopedi, together with
Sava. Father and son spent days and nights in prayer. They built there
six chapels: to the Saviour, the Unmerce naries, St George, St Theodore,
the Forerunner and St Nicolas. They bought the ruins of Hilandar and
built a beautiful monastery, in which Simeon lived only eight months
before his death. When he was at his last breath, Sava, according to
his wish, plac ed him on a simple rush mat. With his eyes fixed on the
icon of the Mother of God with the Saviour, the blessed elder pronounced
these words: 'Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.' And
he went to the Lord, on February 13th, 1200.
* His relics have, through the ages, given
off a healing myrrh.
Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic,
"The Prologue from Ochrid", February 13th.
