Lives of the Serbian Saints

tr. Yanich and Hankey, 1921

1. The Life of Saint John Vladimir, Serbian Prince

The holy and glorious prince and martyr John Vladimir was sprung from a noble family of the town Alba, which town he ruled together with Illyricum and Dalmatia. Hvalimir, his grandfather had three sons, Petrislav, Dragomir and Miroslav. Petrislav ruled over Zeta, Dragomir over Trebinje and Hlevna, Miroslav over Podgorye. When Hvalimir was dead, and Miroslav had died without children, the Serbian state fell to Petrislav, whose son and successor was the blessed Vladimir.

From his youth this prince was full of the gifts of the spirit, gentle, quiet, pious and pure in life; hating all evil pleasures, he kept himself from them and gave thought rather for his subjects, ruling them wisely. Wherefore he was beloved of all. And it happened that the Bulgarian king, Samuil, began to make war with a great host against the state of this blessed king. Vladimir, that the blood of his country might not be shed, went with his army into the mountains, where the host of Samuil soon encompassed him. Now, they were in the place called Kosogor, and the serpents were many in number and very poisonous, so that no little harm was done to the soldiers. But the saint prayed unto the Lord, and straightway the serpents ceased to bite; and from that time unto this day they will vex no man.

When Samuil saw that he could not take Vladimir by force of arms, he determined to do this by guile. And so he gave fair promises of safety to Vladimir, who came down then to this breaker of oaths. But the treacherous Samuil sent him to his capital and put him in prison and pillaged all his country, laying waste with fire Illyricum, Ragusa, Kotor, Bosnia and Rascia, returning with his army laden with spoil.

Now Samuil had a daughter, Kossara by name, who had a great love for the poor and the prisoners, and went often to visit and comfort them. And when she saw Vladimir, who was young and wise, straightway she loved him. But he was always fasting and praying. One night, however, there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, who told him that the time of his deliverance from prison drew near, and that afterwards he would be martyred. But Kossara was praying her father that he would give to her this prisoner to be her husband; and since he could not refuse this to his daughter, Samuil brought Vladimir from prison and gave him Kossara his daughter to be his wife. Moreover, he returned into his hand all his estates and sent him back with all honour and many gifts. And when Vladimir came back to his people bringing his wife with him, he was received with great gladness. Then did he tell his wife that she must keep herself ever virgin, because that life is the life of the angels: and she was obedient to him, so that they lived in chastity and every virtue.

And it came to pass at this time that the autocrat, the Greek Emperor, Basil Porphyrogennatos, came with a great host against Samuil, the Bulgarian tsar, and, vanquishing his army, pressed on even to Ochrida. Samuil died from sorrow of heart, and after him Radomir his son came to the throne. But after he had reigned one year he was killed by his brother, the son of his mother by a former marriage, Vladislav by name, through the counsel of the Emperor Basil. And so Basil, having overcome the whole Bulgarian state, came with his army against the Serbian country. But St. Vladimir gathered his army and defended himself with great might, so that the Emperor had to return again homewards.

Now it happened that the king, the holy Vladimir, was in the forest which was nigh unto the town, with three of his voievodes. And there came an eagle flying through the forest bearing a shining cross upon its back. And it let the cross fall to the ground and flew away leaving it lying upon the earth. They got down from their horses and bowed themselves before Jesus crucified upon the cross. Then St. Vladimir gave orders and built on that place a church. And when at great cost the church had been built, he kept there the hallowed cross and went to it by day and by night to pray. Then he understood that he was come near to the time when he should receive the crown of the martyr, which he himself desired with all his heart.

Now the Bulgarian king, Vladislav, doubted in his heart of the holy Vladimir, and he was counselled by the Greek Emperor to slay him by craft. Therefore Vladislav came to the capital of Vladimir and pitched his tents before the town, and called Vladimir to come out to him that they might speak together of the needs of their peoples. But Vladimir did not will to go, and delayed. Then Vladislav sent unto him two bishops and made an oath on the Holy Gospels and the venerated Cross. And Kossara, because she would not that her husband should go, went herself to speak with her brother: and he, like a second Judas, with kisses and soft words, lied unto her. Kossara then, believing the word of this murderer, went back again and sent her husband to him, for she could not see “the sword dipped in honey.” When Vladislav saw Vladimir coming to him straightway he fell upon him and struck him with his sword. But he was not harmed, nor did he fear, but said to him, “It is your will to kill me, my brother, but you cannot.” Then he took his own sword and gave it to Vladislav, saying unto him, “Take it and kill me, for I am ready to die, as were Isaac and Abel.” And the murderer, blinded and terrible with fury, took the sword and cut off his head. Then did St. Vladimir take his head into his hands and go quickly to that church where the eagle had come with the cross, and he sang as he went, “I was glad when they said unto me, we will go unto the house of the Lord.” And when he came to the church he said, “Into Thy hands, O my Lord, I commend my spirit.” Then the murderer, full of shame and afraid because of this glorious wonder, fled away with his men.

And so the blessed Vladimir received the crown of the martyr and passed from the kingdom of this world to the Kingdom of Heaven on the twenty-second day of May in the year 1015. Kossara his wife buried the body of the holy king in the church with great splendour in the presence of the bishops and all the clergy and the people: then, for the true love she bore her blessed husband, she shut herself up in his church and never left it again all the rest of her days, giving herself to fasting and prayers.

But the murderer Vladislav, while he hoped to keep his Bulgarian state still in peace, thought to add to it also the Serbian country. So he came with an army before Dyrrachium, and in high hope surrounded the town. But as he sat alone in his tent taking meat, suddenly, while his thoughts dwelt on other things, he saw Vladimir seeking to behead him. Being in very great fear of him, he called upon his guard for help; and in their presence an invisible hand slew him, and, like Herod Agrippa, he gave up his sinful soul in the year 1017. His army, being afraid because of this punishment which had fallen upon its leader, fled to their own country. Thus, he who purposed to rob another of his home lost his own in this life and that other which may be ours in the life everlasting.

Holy oil arose from the relics of St. Vladimir, and he healed divers ills, which indeed he does to this day, and he tamed not a little the barbarous ferocity of the Turks.

Through his prayers may the All Merciful God look upon his people, bring their martyrdom to an end, and save us from the heavy yoke of the cruel Turks, who are as the wild beasts. To the glory of God in Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one in essence and unchanging for ever and ever. Amen.

Notes

The exact dates are uncertain, but he lived during the end of the ninth century and the beginning of the tenth.