ДЕСПОТ СТЕФАН ЛАЗАРЕВИЋ И МАНАСТИР СВЕТОГ ПАВЛА НА СВЕТОЈ ГОРИ
DESPOT STEFAN LAZAREVIĆ AND THE MONASTERY OF ST. PAUL ON MOUNT ATHOS

Summary/Abstract: During his rule as Knez (Prince), Stefan Lazarević (1389‒1402) issued four charters to the monasteries of Mount Athos together with his mother, nun Eugenia and his brother Vuk (two to the St. Panteleimon Monastery, one to the Great Lavra of St. Athanasios Monastery and one to the Chilandar Monastery). Out of totally nine charters that Stefan Lazarević issued as a Despot (1402‒1427), six were issued to the monasteries of Mount Athos (three to the Great Lavra Monastery, two to the Chilandar Monastery and one to the Vatopedi Monastery). This testifies to the fact how important it was to maintain good relations both for the Serbian ruler and for the most important center of Orthodoxy. Despite the fact that during his rule Despot Stefan Lazarević did not issue a single document in favor of St. Paul Monastery, the second most important endowment of medieval Serbian aristocrats and rulers on Mount Athos, he seems to have played a very important role in its further development. As is attested by certain documents in the archive of St. Paul Monastery, Despot Stefan Lazarević may also be regarded as its benefactor. It is possible that already the Serbian translation of the document issued by the Protos Neophytos in November 1399, gave the space to the Despot to act in that manner. The translation differs at some points from its Greek original, the former stressing that the monks will retain the Monastery for as long as “the Serbian power would dominate and prevail”. Although originally the foundation of the Branković and the Bagaš family, St. Paul Monastery for a short time lost its immediate connection with one of its main ktetors with the death of Gerasimos Branković († December 1399). If the Serbian translation of the Greek act is to be understood as a call for the new Serbian ktetors of St. Paul, the only one who could have answered it would undoubtly be Stefan Lazarević as the most powerful Serbian lord of the period. Furthermore, the document of Protos Malachias from 1423 testifies that Despot Stefan Lazarević played a key role in persuading the Athonite authorities to grant independence to the so-called ‘Kellion of Philogonios’, which was later appropriated by the Monastery. On the other hand, the document of Protos Serapiōn from 1456 shows that the ‘Kellion of Philogonios’ was handed over by the monks of St. Paul Monastery to another abbot and five monks who were supposed to take care of it. After their death, the Kellion was to come under the authority of the Protaton. In other words, as long as St. Paul Monastery had powerful protectors, its possessions also expanded. When their political support disappeared, the Monastery was not in position to flourish further and, as is shown by the document of protos Serapiōn, was forced to relinquish some of its possessions.

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