SAINT SAVA TEMPLE - INTERESTING FACTS

03.04.2023.

The Church of St. Sava is one of the greatest sights of the Serbian capital not only because of its size and beauty, but also because of its great religious and traditional, as well as cultural and historical significance. The Temple of St. Sava is not only the largest Orthodox temple in the Balkans, but also one of the largest in Europe.

The temple itself is surrounded by a pleasant promenade, greenery, as well as a beautiful fountain.

1. THE STRUGGLE FOR BUILDING

The construction of the temple began as early as 1935. The construction was interrupted by the beginning of the Second World War, because of the check, permission to continue the work was waited for a long time after that. The temple was opened at the beginning of the XXI century, more precisely in 2004. However, all works were officially completed only in 2020.

2. MOSAIC

Mosaic decoration on an area of 15,000 square meters makes this temple particularly interesting. It contains more than 50 million pieces. 300 mosaic artists worked on this mosaic, and if we include those who glued it, more than 600 people worked on this mosaic. It is considered the largest mosaic in Christian sanctuaries.

3. CAPACITY

The size of this building is evidenced by the fact that up to 10,000 worshipers can fit on the ground floor and in the galleries of the temple.

4. THE BIGGEST CHANDELIER IN THE WORLD

The central part of the interior of the temple has no pillars, which made it possible to place the largest chandelier in the world in the temple. Symbols of faith are written on the chandelier, and when you look through it, you see a cross and Christ in the ascension.

5. CRYPT - underground room

Seven meters below the foundation of the temple, you can reach the underground room by marble stairs. By visiting these temples, you must not miss to see where each patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church will be buried. The central position in the crypt is occupied by the burial Church of St. prince and martyr Lazar.

6. PRAYER IN 24 LANGUAGES

How acceptable and open Orthodoxy is to all people is shown by the fact that at the central entrance there is the famous prayer "Our Father" written in as many as 24 languages. On the door at the north entrance is a prayer to the Virgin in 8 languages.

7. WHY AT VRACAR?

In 1594, the Turkish occupiers burned the relics of Saint Sava, the founder of the autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church. In eternal gratitude for everything that Saint Sava did, this beautiful temple was built for him.