Lives of the Serbian Saints

tr. Yanich and Hankey, 1921

The Life of Our Mother, Saint Angelina, Despotitza of the Serbians

This holy saint, Angelina, was the daughter of the godly Orthodox Prince of Albania, the brave Scanderbeg. At this time Albania was called Scanderia, and the people were Christians, and the most part Orthodox, for till those days they were not subject to the Turkish power, and their fatherland was made glorious by their victories in battle for the faith. At the court of the prince who ruled this people the maid Angelina grew up, increasing in the gifts of the Spirit by the help of the Lord God, and her will made strong by the teaching of Christ. The name of her mother is not known, but we can see how she was brought up and how great care her parents gave to the training of her soul in the spirit of the Gospel teaching—and who but her mother would have given so much thought to the growth towards God of her heart and soul? We can see here the finger of the Lord God in His forethought, electing and setting apart Angelina to be the lifelong companion of Stephen,¹ the Serbian despot, who was an exile through no fault of his own, a victim of evil, and, through the hatred of the divided Serbian people, was forced to seek a sure refuge where he might. So the will of the Lord was done, and God kept the fugitives safe; indeed, Prince Scanderbeg received the Serbian despot, Stephen, when he came to him, like a friend, a kinsman, a brother. He was neither proud, nor did he blame him. And because his exile with this prince was long, so that he became as an inmate of the house, by the help of the Lord it was not strange that these two hearts came very close together, and for their perfect union there was only needed the blessing of the Church. So, when the parents, despite his blindness, gave their consent to this marriage between their daughter and Stephen, and when Angelina agreed to share the lot of the young despot, who was not only without country but also without eyes, there followed the rites of the blessing of the Church.

Some time after there were born from this marriage two sons, George and John. It was when these had come to man’s estate and had been trained in the godly virtues and all things needful, that the misfortunes of their father began again—those misfortunes which were not to end with the father. The Turks invaded this land of faithful Christians, showing no mercy to age or sex. Wherefore Stephen, with his wife Angelina and his two sons, fled to Italy, where he lived till the day of his death. From which town he set out for Italy—Alessio or Durazzo—is not known, nor is it known to which he went when he came there. Moreover we cannot tell the place where he lived, the day of his death, or where his tomb was. It must suffice us to know for our peace of mind that the godly Angelina, now a widow, was a Serbian despotitza and very poor. She prayed the Hungarian ruler to help her, that the lot of her sons might be made more easy, and he showed mercy to them in their poverty and gave them the town of Kupinovo in Sirmie. So she came from Italy with the uncorrupt body of her husband, which she placed in Kupinovo. When Almighty God had established her where she might use her gifts, He set her sons also in high positions where they could be of service. The first-born, George, gave his title of despot to his younger brother John and was made monk, receiving the name Maxim. Afterwards he was called to be archbishop, and built the monastery Krushedol. The younger brother John was married, but he had no children; and after a short time he died, and his pure soul went to the Lord. With him ended the Serbian despots on the left bank of the river Sava.

Both these sons died during the life of their mother. Stricken in years, and having drunk the cup of sorrow to the dregs, she took upon her “the angel way of life,” and followed the rule of prayer as a nun for the salvation of her soul. When her time came she died quietly in the Lord, and was buried in one tomb with her sons in the church of the monastery of Krushedol, in Frushka Gora, where to this day there is a service every year in her memory.

In the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord, to Whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all power and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Notes

Vide supra the Life of St. Stephen, Serbian despot.