Saint Stefan Stiljanovic

Life

A Serbian despot. By origin from Pastrovici. He governed the Serbian people in the most difficult circumstances, fighting bravely against the Turks and the Latins. A righteous man of God and a patriot, this wondrous prince can be compared to Saint Alexander Nevsky or to the holy King Jovan Vladimir. He reposed at the beginning of the sixteenth century (according to some, in 1515). A light appeared at night over his grave, by which his holy relics were discovered. They rested for a long time in the Fruska Gora Monastery of Sisatovac, and during the Second World War were transferred to Belgrade and placed in the Cathedral Church beside the body of Prince Lazar. His wife Jelena, seeing the incorrupt relics of Stefan and the miracles wrought by them, took monastic vows and gave herself to ascetic labor until her death.