Despot Stefan Lazarević
The Charter of Despot Stefan to Vatopedi Monastery
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The Athonite monastery of Vatopedi was the monastery in which, for a time at the end of the 12th century, before the founding of Hilandar Monastery, Saint Sava, later the first Serbian archbishop, and his father Saint Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming lived as members of the monastic community. At Vatopedi, the sources state, the two of them restored deserted sketes and raised new buildings, cells and lodgings. When somewhat later the two of them left Vatopedi and founded a new, independent monastery - Hilandar - strong ties between these two monasteries endured, and they last to this day. The ties of the Serbian rulers and the Serbian people with Vatopedi also remained strong. After Saint Simeon and Saint Sava, significant benefactors of Vatopedi Monastery were Emperor Stefan Dušan (two of his chrysobulls issued to Vatopedi Monastery have been preserved), Despot Jovan Uglješa Mrnjavčević (two of his charters to Vatopedi have been preserved), Despot Stefan Lazarević, Despot Đurađ Branković and the čelnik Radič, a nobleman from the time of the Serbian Despotate.
A group of Vatopedi monks, led by Abbot Hieromonk Genadije, came to the pious Serbian Despot Stefan. On that occasion, the Despot decided to cede to the monastery every year a part of the revenue from the customs at Novo Brdo - sixty litrai of silver (about 20 kg), divided into two parts: thirty litrai for Christmas and thirty litrai for the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In addition, he granted Vatopedi Monastery the village of Koprivnica, freeing its inhabitants from state obligations. The Despot decreed that this gift should remain in force until the end of his life and called upon his successors to confirm and preserve it without alteration. And indeed, some ten years later, Despot Đurađ Branković, by his charter issued after the repose of Despot Stefan in 1427 or 1428, confirmed the Vatopedi revenues that had been bequeathed to the monastery by “the Christ-loving Despot Stefan, who reposes among the saints,” as he says, after the Vatopedi monks had brought him “the chrysobull of the lord who reposes among the saints” concerning the annual revenue from the Novo Brdo customs in the amount of 60 litrai of silver, as well as the village of Koprivnica.
The charter of Despot Stefan to Vatopedi Monastery of 1417 was written on parchment. The original of this charter is in the treasury of Vatopedi Monastery. There is also a Greek translation of this charter, likewise from 1417. The charter was first published by Vasily Regel (Василий Эдуардович Регель, 1857–1932), and after him the text of this charter was studied and published by Michel Lascaris (Michel Th. Lascaris, 1903–1965),
