Sainted Daniel of Serbia
Commemorated on December 20
Sainted Daniel of
Serbia, the only son of rich and reknown parents, was a close associate of
the Serbian king Stefan Urosh Miliutin. Having renounced a secular career, he
took monastic vows under the hegumen of a monastery named for Saint Nicholas in
the locale of Konchul on the banks of the River Ibro. The ascetic life of the
Monk Daniel was an example for all the brethren. The Archbishop of Serbia
Evstathii ordained him presbyter and took him into his cell. When it became
time to choose the hegumen for the Khilendaria monastery on Holy Mount Athos,
Saint Daniel then received the appointment. The saint was hegumen at a most
difficult time for the Holy Mount, when the crusaders were expelled from
Palestine, and having mingled together with the Arabs, they plundered and
looted the Athonite monasteries, "not sparing anything sacred". Saint
Daniel bravely dwelt at the Khilendaria monastery, which underwent storming and
siege and hunger. When peace came to the Holy Mountain, the saint resigned
being hegumen and withdrew into complete silence in the cell of Saint Savva of
Serbia (at Karea). During the time of an internecine war of Urosh Miliutin with
his brother Stefan Dragutin, the ascetic was summoned to Serbia, where he
reconciled the brothers. In his native land Daniel was made Bishop of Bransk
and head of the reknown monastery of Saint Stefan – a royal treasury. Having
finished at Bansk the construction of a cathedral church in the name of the
holy Disciple and ArchDeacon Stephen, Saint Daniel again returned to his
monastic efforts on the Holy Mountain.
The saint was
summoned from Athos yet another time in 1325, for his elevation to Archbishop
of Serbia, taking place on the feastday of the Elevation of the Cross of the
Lord. The "protos" ("head") of the Holy Mountain,
Garbasios, and other Athonite elders took part in the solemnities. Archbishop
Daniel was a model of piety, and a wise archpastor. Complete non-covetousness,
incessant concern and toil for the needs of the Church and the flock along with
the appearance of holy temples distinguished his service as bishop. In 1335 at
Dechakh the saint erected a church in honour of the Ascension of the Lord –
one of the finest Christian monuments in Serbia. Having gathered accounts about
the Serbian past, the saint compiled the "Rodoslov" (Account about
the Native-land"), writing about the lives of Serbian rulers and Serbian
archpastors. Sainted Daniel even during his lifetime was granted the gift of
wonderworking and healing. After fourteen years as archbishop, Saint Daniel
expired to the Lord on 19 December 1338.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
