Written by: Catechist Branislav Ilić, Editor of the “Kinonia” Portal
At the very beginning, a fundamental question arises: what is liturgical worship? Is it merely an obligation for us Christians? Sacred worship is not, nor can it ever be, a simple religious ritual-it is life itself. As the Body of Christ, the Church manifests, realizes, and conveys Christ Himself through its worship. Thus, sacred worship is both an expression and fulfillment of the assembly of the faithful in faith and in new life, which is founded upon and culminates in the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Sacraments, or the all-encompassing Mystery of Christ.
Saint Sava, the faithful servant of God, deeply understood this great truth regarding the significance of worship and communion with God through it. His entire life was a continuous Liturgy, a perpetual service to God.
Saint Sava and His Liturgical Evolution
From his youth, Saint Sava lived among monastic communities and deeply revered prominent monastic centres. Spending time in Constantinople, Nicaea, and Thessaloniki, he became familiar with urban (parish) liturgical practices. Although he resided in monasteries such as Evergetis in Constaninople and Philokalos in Thessaloniki, he was also in direct contact with urban liturgical traditions.
His early years coincided with the significant development of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, where services were often conducted bilingually. However, upon entering Mount Athos, he encountered a different liturgical order, one based on the Athonite-Studite Synaxarion.
This Synaxarion was formed from the second edition of the Studite Synaxarion, originating in Thessaloniki, between the late 10th and 12th centuries. It laid foundation for the Typikon of the Great Lavra of Saint Athanasius the Athonite, influencing other monastic communities and shaping the entire liturgical order of Mount Athos.
Introduction of the Hilandar Typikon
Since Saint Sava grew spiritually within this liturgical tradition, he introduced the same order in the newly restored Hilandar Monastery. Over time, he replaced it with Hilandar Typikon, based on the Evergetis Typikon, which was itself an evolution of the first Constantinopolitan edition of the Studite Synaxarion, strongly influenced by the Jerusalem tradition.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Saint Sava brought these liturgical books and practices to Serbia, where he implemented them at the Studenica Monastery and later across the Serbian lands. His hagiographers, Theodosius and Domentian, emphasize the profound transformation of church life following the introduction of this Typikon.
As the first Archbishop of Serbia, Saint Sava continued his efforts in shaping the liturgical order of the Serbian Church. His pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1230 played a crucial role in developing the liturgical life in Serbia.
There, he encountered the newly synthesized Jerusalem Typikon, which Palestinian monks had developed by modifying the first Constantinopolitan edition of the Studite Synaxarion. Upon returning, he enhanced Serbian liturgical life by incorporating elements of both the Studite and Jerusalem Typika.
A Monastic Model for Serbian Worship
Saint Sava’s reforms included a notable shift in church organization, as he established new dioceses centred in monasteries rather than urban centres. This unconventional decision led to a lasting monastic influence on the parish life of the Serbian Church.
Unlike the traditional coexistence of monastic and parish liturgical orders, Saint Sava chose a unified, monastic Typikon for the Serbian Church. This was not merely a result of his personal monastic commitment, but a strategic decision for the unity of worship across the Serbian lands.
The Lasting Impact of Saint Sava’s Liturgical Legacy
Thanks to his profound liturgical and prayerful experience, Saint Sava was not only a witness and participant in liturgical transformations, but an active contributor to their development. His time on Mount Athos and his travels to the Holy Land enriched his understanding, allowing him to integrate new liturgical experiences into the Serbian Church.
Thus, his role in shaping the liturgical life of the Serbian Church remains one of his greatest contributions.
As the spiritual children of Saint Sava, we are called-especially in the light of this great jubilee of 800 years of the fully organized Serbian Orthodox Church-to preserve the sacred experience he left us. We are invited to root our entire existence in the liturgical way of being, foreseeing here and now the heavenly reality of eternal communion with our Lord-thus growing into the full stature of Christ (Eph. 4:13).