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Stefan Lazar Hrebeljanovi? (Serbian Cyrillic: ?????? ????? ????????????; 1329 June 28 [O.S. June 15] 1389), also known as Tsar Lazar (??? ?????), was a Serbian noble (knez), ruler of Moravian Serbia, who fought and perished at the Battle of Kosovo, to which his name and life are inextricably tied. He is a heroic figure in Serbia, and a saint of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In Serbian legend, Lazar is said to have been visited by an angel of God on the night before battle, and offered a choice between an earthly or a Heavenly kingdom, which choice would result in a peaceful capitulation or bloody defeat, respectively, at the Battle of Kosovo.
"...Prophet Elijah then appeared as a gray falcon to Lazar, bearing a letter from the Mother of God that told him the choice was between holding an earthly kingdom and entering the kingdom of heaven..." [1]
Lazar opts for the Heavenly kingdom, which will last "forever and ever"[2], but has to perish on the battlefield. We die with Christ, to live forever, tells he to his soldiers. That Kosovos destination and that Testament, it is a union which Serb people made with God and sealed it with martyrs blood. On Kosovo, Serbs voted with their souls for Kingdom of Heaven and that was and has been their right destination. Since then all Serbs truthful to that Testament are becoming people of God, Christs New Testament nation, heavenly Serbia, part of Gods New Israel. This is why sometimes Serbs refer to themselves as the people of Heaven ("??????? ?????").
Serbian Orthodox Church canonised Lazar as Saint Lazar. He is celebrated on June 28 [O.S. June 15] (Vidovdan). Several small Serbian Orthodox churches and missions throughout the world are named after him. His alleged remains are kept in Ravanica Monastery where miraculous cures have been attributed to them.
The Battle of Kosovo was fought on St Vitus' Day 1389(celebrated on June 15 according to the Julian calendar, June 28 by the Gregorian calendar) between the Serbian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
The Battle of Kosovo is particularly notable to Serbian concepts of history, heritage, tradition and national identity.
The Battle of Kosovo came to be seen as a symbol of Serbian patriotism and desire for independence in the 19th century rise of nationalism under Ottoman rule.The Battle of Kosovo, and its meaning in the Serbian national perspective, continues to be relevant, as evidenced during the Kosovo War.
In Serbian legend, Lazar is said to have been visited by an angel of God on the night before battle, and offered a choice between an earthly or a Heavenly kingdom, which choice would result in a peaceful capitulation or bloody defeat, respectively, at the Battle of Kosovo.
"...Prophet Elijah then appeared as a gray falcon to Lazar, bearing a letter from the Mother of God that told him the choice was between holding an earthly kingdom and entering the kingdom of heaven..." [1]
Lazar opts for the Heavenly kingdom, which will last "forever and ever"[2], but has to perish on the battlefield. We die with Christ, to live forever, tells he to his soldiers. That Kosovos destination and that Testament, it is a union which Serb people made with God and sealed it with martyrs blood. On Kosovo, Serbs voted with their souls for Kingdom of Heaven and that was and has been their right destination. Since then all Serbs truthful to that Testament are becoming people of God, Christs New Testament nation, heavenly Serbia, part of Gods New Israel. This is why sometimes Serbs refer to themselves as the people of Heaven ("??????? ?????").
Serbian Orthodox Church canonised Lazar as Saint Lazar. He is celebrated on June 28 [O.S. June 15] (Vidovdan). Several small Serbian Orthodox churches and missions throughout the world are named after him. His alleged remains are kept in Ravanica Monastery where miraculous cures have been attributed to them.
The Battle of Kosovo was fought on St Vitus' Day 1389(celebrated on June 15 according to the Julian calendar, June 28 by the Gregorian calendar) between the Serbian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
The Battle of Kosovo is particularly notable to Serbian concepts of history, heritage, tradition and national identity.
The Battle of Kosovo came to be seen as a symbol of Serbian patriotism and desire for independence in the 19th century rise of nationalism under Ottoman rule.The Battle of Kosovo, and its meaning in the Serbian national perspective, continues to be relevant, as evidenced during the Kosovo War.
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Lives of Saints
