s the Christian faith was officially introduced and
established among them.

In the time of the Conquest, when the Norman and Danish kings disputed
the possession of England, the Serbian provinces were fought over by the
Greek, Bulgar and Avar rulers. But the belief in Christ grew more and
more uninterruptedly.

When Richard the Lion-hearted sailed from England to the Holy Land, not
to fight for the national existence, as we to-day speak of it, but to
fight for the most unselfish and idealistic aim, for Cross and Christian
Freedom, Serbia was already opening a great epoch of physical as well as
spiritual strength. Our king Nemanja, the founder of a dynasty which
ruled in Serbia for nearly 300 years, had heard tales and songs about
the English king with the lion's heart, and had helped the same cause,
the cause of the Crusades, very much. His son, Saint Sava, organised the
Christian Church wonderfully, and wonderfully he inspired the
educational and scholarly work in the state created by his father. This
Saint Sava, the Archbishop of Serbia, after he had travelled all over
Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria, preaching the Gospel of the Son of God,
died in Bulgaria. His body was transferred to and buried in a monastery
in Herzegovina. Afterwards, in times of national hardships and slavery,
great pilgrimages took place to the grave of the Saint, which became the
comforting and inspiring centre for the oppressed nation; the Turks
destroyed the tomb, carried the body over to Belgrade and burnt it, in
order to lessen the Serbian national and religious enthusiasm. The
result was just the contrary. On the very same place where Saint Sava's
body was burnt there is now a Saint Sava's chapel; close to this chapel
a new Saint Sava's seminary is to be erected, and also Saint Sava's
cathedral of Belgrade. And over all there is an acknowledged protection
of Saint Sava by all the Serbian churches and schools, and a unifying
spirit of Saint Sava for all the Serbian nation.

Saint Sava's belief was the same as the belief of Saint Patrick and
Saint Augustine. His hopes were the same as theirs too. He believed in
the one saving Gospel of Christ, as they did. He hoped men could be
educated by this divine Gospel, to be heroic in suffering and pure and
holy in the enjoyments of life, just as the great saints of this island
doubtless hoped and worked.

THE BELIEF AND HOPES OF THE SERBIAN KINGS

represented almost throughout our history the mod