Bishop Sava (Saraсeviс)
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Bishop Sava (Saračević) (1902-1973)
Sava may be spelt Savva, Sabbas.
Early life of Jovan Saračević
On 22 February, 1902, Jovan (John) Saračević was born in the Serbian village of Ljutovnica, near Belgrade, Serbia.
He was raised an Orthodox Christian in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
A good student, he finished his secondary education (high school, "gymnasium") in the cities of Čačak and Kragujevac.
Higher education ; career
Jovan entered the Faculty of Law at the University of Belgrade.
Since he excelled beyond his colleagues, he was appointed to be a judge in the cities of Trelog, Čačak, Gnjilane, and Belgrade. Worldly success, however, could not satisfy his soul ; and in the intervals between his duties as a judge, he pursued a programme of studies in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Belgrade.
During these years, he was politically active (without belonging to any one party), and he promoted Orthodox Christian mentality in everything he said and did.
Jovan also received spiritual formation through both Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirović) and Bishop John (Maximovitch). He maintained a lifelong spiritual bond of Christian love and respect with them both.
World War II was followed by anarchy and instability. Because he was an educated Christian and a "member of the old regime", and a supporter of it, he was undoubtedly a target for the communists who were taking power. It is known that he spent some time incarcerated during and/or immediately after World War II. In addition, there was some sort of association with the radical politician Dimitrije Ljotić, a strong anti-communist. Therefore, Jovan decided to emigrate. He would have done this, however, after having first received a blessing to do so.
Dimitrije Ljotić and Jovan Saračevič
Emigration to exile : Argentina, 1948
Jovan arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in early 1948. Shortly after his arrival in South America, he decided to join Bishop Leonty (Filippovitch) of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in Paraguay, and he went to the monastery that the bishop had established there. Seeking to offer his talents in the service of the Heavenly King, the former judge of men abandoned his secular way of life in favour of the monastic life.
Monastic tonsure, 1948
On 25 March, 1948 (the Feast of the Annunciation), Bishop Leonty (Filippovitch) tonsured Jovan Saračević to be a monk, and he gave him the name Sava.
Diaconal ordination, 1948
In 1948, Bishop Leonty (Filippovitch) ordained Monk Sava (Saračević) to the Holy Diaconate.
From Paraguay, Hierodeacon Sava (Saračević) later returned to Buenos Aires.
Presbyteral ordination, 1949
After Hierodeacon Sava (Saračević) had returned to Buenos Aires, on 15 August, 1949 (the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos), Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk) of Buenos Aires and Argentina ordained him to the Holy Priesthood.
Pastoral service
Hieromonk Sava (Saračević) was assigned to the Holy Trinity Cathedral (some report the name as Holy Resurrection Cathedral) in Buenos Aires, and he served there for more than 6 years.
In 1956, Bishop Athanasius (Martos) of Argentina assigned him to care for the flock of the Temple of the Holy Protection in Temperley, in the Buenos Aires province, where he served until his departure for New York City in 1958.
By a decree of the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR, Hieromonk Sava (Saračević) was elected to be the Bishop of Edmonton (in Alberta), Canada, a Vicar-Bishop of the Canadian Diocese under Archbishop Vitaly (Ustinov) of Montréal, the future Metropolitan of the ROCOR.
Episcopal ordination, 1958
In 1958, Archimandrite Sava (Saračević) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Synodal Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Sign in New York City.
Episcopal service ; transfer to Canada, 1958
Bishop Sava (Saračević) was assigned to serve as a Vicar-Bishop in Edmonton, Alberta, and to oversee Western Canada. He was an assistant of Archbishop Vitaly (Ustinov) of Montréal, Québec.
Although he was the bishop of an isolated and distant region (as some mistakenly describe it), and although he lived in very modest monastic conditions, Vladyka Sava was an active and influential hierarch.
From the pages of “Orthodox Russia”, Bishop Sava (Saračević) called the Russian-speaking people to be aware of their Faith, and he warned them about the impending apocalyptic times and the danger of losing the Holy Orthodox Faith through negligence and carelessness. In his first years as a bishop, he called for the formation of “Brotherhoods of Spiritual Renewal” to revivify the spirit of Holy Russia. In his later years, he called all to pray and redouble their prayers for suffering Russia. Although the turbulent and difficult conditions of life for the Russian emigration dampened the prospects for any substantial immediate response, Bishop Sava preserved, through his appeals, a light of hope for the future resurrection of the Russian land.
Serbian Canadians living in Edmonton embraced Saint Vladimir’s Church as their parish, and Bishop Sava (who lived at the church) as their wise and beloved pastor.
Bishop Sava recognised that Christ is the salvation of mankind and he did not keep Orthodoxy as a secret treasure for Slavic peoples alone, but worked for the salvation of new converts as well.
Vladyka Sava maintained a wide correspondence with English-speaking converts across Canada and the USA.
Bishop Sava knew Archbishop John of San Francisco very well, and he recognised the qualities of saintliness in this holy bishop. Following the repose of Archbishop John, he was determined to proclaim his virtues and sanctity, and to this end he undertook the holy labour that he is primarily remembered for – that is, he worked for the glorification of Saint John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco. In “Orthodox Russia”, he pointed out that it was a Serbian, Bishop Saint Nikolai (Velimirović), who largely motivated the glorification of Saint John of Kronstadt by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Because of God’s blessing, and largely through the labours and dedication of Bishop Sava to Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Saint John the Wonder-worker was glorified in 1994.
Repose, 1973
Bishop Sava (Saračević) reposed in the Lord in Edmonton, Alberta, on 30 January, 1973, after having served as a bishop for 15 years, all of it in Canada.
After the Funeral Services for the Burial of a Hierarch, his body was interred in the cemetery of the Bluffton Monastery of the Protection of the Theotokos south of Edmonton.
Grave-marker of Bishop Sava
Holy Protection Monastery Cemetery
— Vicar-Bishop of Edmonton (ROCOR) 1958-1973. Preceded by : ___. Succeeded by : ___.
Reflections
Writings
• Saračević, Sava, “Blessed John : The Chronicle of the Veneration of Archbishop John Maximovich” (Platina, CA : Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1979). [in Russian : “Летопись почитания архиепископа Иоанна (Максимовича)”].
• Saračević, Jovan, ‘Suicide as a Consequence of the Moral Responsibility of the Priests - Answer to the Priest Milutinović’in “Čačanski glas”, no. 12, Cacak, 25, March, 1934, p. 4. [in Russian : ‘Самоубиство као последица моралне одговорности свештеника — одговор свештенику г. Милутиновићу’, «Чачански глас», бр. 12, Чачак, 25].
References
Russian Wikipedia biography (in Russian)
Biography on Russian Persons Abroad web-site
Biography on the Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Academicians web-site
Additional information :
(Martos), Athanasius, Archbishop of Argentina, ‘The Necrology of Bishop Sava’ in “Nasha Strana”, no. 1198 (Feb. 6, 1973). [published in Buenos Aires]
Roglić, Miroljub, “Destiny crossed three Bishops”
Rose, Seraphim, “Blessed John the Wonderworker : A Preliminary Account of the Life and Miracles of Archbishop John Maximovitch” (Platina, CA : Saint Herman Press, 1987) pp. 12–19. ISBN : 9780938635017
Suboti, Dragan, ‘From our spiritual Tower: Bishop Sava of Edmonton (Govan Sarachevi, 1902-1973) in “ZRNM”, no. 28, Chachak, 1998, pp. 251–259.
Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.
Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia web-site
Wikipedia article about the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
Orthodoxwiki article about the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
ROCOR Studies about the parishes in South America
Saint Vladimir's Russian Orthodox Church, Edmonton, Alberta
Article about Holy Protection Monastery, Bluffton Alberta
Drevo Encyclopaedia article about the Diocese of Edmonton
Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)
Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral)
Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk)
Canadian Orthodox Church History Project, no. 41, pp. 149-150.