Сербский храм св. Стефана Дечанского (Колумбус)

St. Stevan of Dechani
Stevan was the son of Milutin and Helen. Stevan’s father Milutin was a king who ruled Serbia (which at that time was known as Rascha) in the period of 1282-1321.  Stevan’s youth as well as his entire life was very tragic.
As a young man, Stevan was taken as a hostage to the court of the Tartar ruler Nogay. Upon his return from the Tartars, Stevan married Teodora, the daughter of Smilac, a former Bulgarian emperor. Ill-advised and misled by some noblemen who were staying at his princely court,  Stevan participated in an uprising against his father Milutin in 1314.
The rebellion was soon crushed and Stevan was severely punished: at the order of his father, he was first blinded and then, together with his family, exiled to Constantinople. There he won the respect and sympathy of the Byzantine Emperor and many monks because of his modesty, wisdom and friendliness. In 1321, Milutin died and a struggle for his throne ensued.
Vladislav, the son of Milutin’s brother Dragutin, and Constantine, Stevan’s  half brother, were rivals for the throne. Stevan, being blind, was not considered. However, unexpectedly. Stevan’s  sight was miraculously restored. This was interpreted as God’s will that Stevan, the legimate heir of the throne, be accepted as the ruler of Rascha.
One year later, in 1322, Stevan was crowned as the king of Rashka.  The nobility and generosity of Stevan were manifested on many occasions, but especially after the battle of Velbuzhd. The battle was fought on July 28th, 1330. The Bulgarian emperor Michael led his troops against Rashka.
The Bulgarians were defeated and Michael, retreating, fell off his horse and died. Stevan, contrary to the cruel customs of that time, when even the body of a rival was mutilated and dishonored, buried Michael, his enemy, with all honors in St. George’s  Church at Nagorichane.
During his reign, Stevan generously helped churches and monasteries. He founded Dechani Monastery, one of the most beautiful medieval monasteries in Serbia.
The end of Stevan’s life was as tragic as his youth. His son Stefan Dushan, who later became the mightiest Serbian emperor, rebelled against his father and, according to some sources, he first ordered his father to be imprisoned in Zvechan and then to be strangled.
Stevan’s  martyrdom did not remain unrewarded. The Church canonized him and he joined the hosts of martyrs, the saintly sufferers who endured injustice and suffering firmly believing that it is better to accept suffering than to make others suffer.

Адрес:
St Stevan of Dechani
Serbian Orthodox Church
1840 N. Cassady Avenue
Columbus, OH 43219

Источник: www.ststevanofdechani.org