This week, the Serbian Orthodox Church observed the feast of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher, the medieval prince Stefan Nemanja, revered as the patron saint of all Orthodox Serbs.

In Montenegro, the homeland of the saint, festivities took place on February 24, as reported by the Serbian Orthodox Church website. The main cathedral in Podgorica hosted the liturgy led by hierarchs of the Serbian and Macedonian Orthodox Churches. Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro (Serbian Orthodox Church) co-officiated with Metropolitan Petar of Prespa and Pelagonia (Macedonian Orthodox Church). Following the service, clergy, monastics, and the laity participated in the Simeon Procession through the streets of Podgorica, from the cathedral to Nemanja-Grad, where the blessing of the Slava bread—a traditional festive bread—occurred.

In Belgrade, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije officiated a service at the Church dedicated to St. Simeon the Myrrh-Gusher. Addressing the faithful in his sermon, the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church urged everyone to follow the example of St. Simeon and "live by the tradition of Christ, the tradition of the Church, the tradition of holiness." He emphasized that the values bequeathed to modern people by the holy fathers—evangelical virtues, following Christ in everything, and striving to resemble His saints—are not outdated but are related to eternity, thus remaining relevant.

Stefan Nemanja, also known as St. Simeon, lived in the 12th century and is renowned as the founder of a unified Serbian state and the Nemanjić dynasty. His sons include St. Sava of Serbia, the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and St. Stefan II, the First-Crowned, the first all-Serbian king, crowned according to Orthodox tradition.

Seeking to transform Serbia into an Orthodox kingdom, Prince Stefan Nemanja built and supported numerous churches within Serbia and throughout the Christian world. The culmination of his life was his abdication at the age of 82, passing the rule to his son Stefan II, and later entering a monastery, taking the name Simeon. Alongside his other son, St. Sava, Simeon engaged in asceticism on Mount Athos, founding the Serbian Hilandar Monastery there.