The Life of the Holy and Right-Believing Stefan the Tall, Despot of Serbia

Philosopher further compares Saint Stefan with many other Old Testament judges and kings, and even with holy David himself and wise Solomon. For as the Lord "found David a man after His own heart" (Acts 13:22; Ps. 88:20), so He truly found this memorable Stefan, who, like David, abhorred pride and haughtiness, and loved always God-like humility and Christ-like meekness, as much as he was able to contain these divine and God-making virtues within himself. And he was like Solomon in that he too, as once the all-wise Solomon (cf. 3 Kings 2:12 and 1 Kings 10), subdued the mightiest lands around him in the north and south and in the east and west, so that, as once the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon, kings and rulers came to him from all sides, marveling at his wisdom and riches and seeking his friendship. For he too, like Solomon, received from the Lord heavenly wisdom and riches of both kinds, so that he was both better and more virtuous than all the rulers of that time in the East and in the West. Having gathered within himself the wisdom of the Divine writings of Holy Scripture and of the Holy Fathers, and having amassed the riches of his golden and fruitful land, Stefan was in faith, wisdom and almsgiving like no other. Not even from of old had there been among rulers such a ruler, so exceedingly loving toward mankind and well-pleasing to God. He lived together with those of the East and those of the West, with Christians and with unbelievers, and taking from all that which is best, he was honored by all, while he surpassed them all in his virtues and integrity. His wise biographer Constantine also compares Despot Stefan with the prophet Daniel and with the holy Three Youths of the Babylonian furnace, for he too, like them, was in the jaws of lions and passed through fire and water, that is, through many trials, through struggles and wars on all sides around him. But like them he too preserved unharmed his Orthodox faith in the one true God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and through this also the faith of his Serbian people as Christian and Orthodox. For he neither bowed his knees nor his head to the godlessness of Muhammad, that is, to the Muslims - the Hagarenes, nor was he led astray by the false Christianity of the Latins and the Pope. To speak generally, the biographer of this holy and God-crowned Serbian Despot, in describing his life and labors, would wish to compare him with all the other righteous of the Old and New Testaments, but before this holy and righteous man of God he feels so unlearned and incapable that he considers his life "a boundless and immeasurable sea," and therefore says that "it is not possible for the unlearned to sail upon that sea." Nevertheless, submitting to the "command and demand" of the then "most holy patriarch of the Serbian land, kyr Nikon," he undertakes to describe the life of Christ's servant well-pleasing to God, Despot Stefan, prompted to this also by "the vision of a thrice-holy appearance," that is, by the appearance to him in a dream of this very Saint Stefan. Therefore with faith and hope he approaches this renowned Saint, believing that he, like a ship, will take him up and, sailing across the sea, bring him to the desired haven. Here is what Constantine the Philosopher himself says about receiving the command to write the life of the Despot: "Although we received a command beyond our strength from the all-sanctified patriarch of the Serbian and Coastal lands, kyr Nikon,1 who had come there at that time, and also from the commander of the whole army