The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-01-27
sHRvIAN CEIlIEBHATE
FESTIVAL OF THEIR
PATRON SAINT TO-DAY.

IN trenches along the battle line,
in military camps and hospitals. In
cities and towns and rural districts,
and IN distant lands far from the
war-worn fatherland where Servians
have vande Tered the festival of St.
enthusiasts OF Ireland on st. Pat
rfclss Day is but q dim reflection OF
the great popular celebration by the
Serbs of the holiday dedicated to
their patron saint, The many Ser
vians in this country will today fol-
low the example or their countryKnen
at home and seek the intercession Of
st. Sava for their devastated and dis
tracted fatherIand. While St Sava
was a Servfans and prince Of the
royal house Of that country. ne Is
revered all over the Balkans
Sava lived in the thirteenth cen-,
fury, when the country was tnde-
pendent, and had not vet fallen UNI
der the yoke Of the Turks. He was
the eldest SON Of the reigning prince,
but he renowned his right to the
throne in order to spread religion
and education among his people. His
travels extended all through the Bal
kans, and he instilled by his preach
ing the first desire for a higher civil
cation and a fuller education. He
tematic basis and fostered education
and religion in many ways. AL.
though a prince of the royal family
he travelled about in the simplest
style from village to village, living
among the people and sharing their
Joys and SORROWS. He made q pill
grimage to Jerusalem. and on his re-
turn paid a visit to Bulgaria, where
he died.
The bones of the piol1s prince were
later transp orted with all due reyer-
ence to Servia and placed IN the
- - IL
There they remained. as a nation
shrine, until the Servians, after
long stru ggle, were finally subdued
by the Sultan Mahomet H., i n1459.
When the Turks captured that capt.
tai the remains Of St Sava. were torn
from the tomb and burned on a. pyre
that held all OF the sacred relics of
the conquered Serbs. Ever since then
the Serviaas have celebrated st.
Savass day with religious ceremonies
and popular festivities.
st. Saya planted. the seeds of en-
1ightenment which ushered in the
golden era OF Servian history. In the
following century Seryia had made
such great progress that it became
the center of a great Balkan empire.
The Seryia of that glorious period in
cluded not only the country now
held by the Serbs, but all OF Mace
donia, Albania, Bulgaria. Thessaly
and Northern Greece. The empire
lasted only about a half a century,
when the Turks. captured the coun-
try and executed the emperor. The
Servians continued their resistance
for many years, but in 1859 they
were completely conquered. AL
though they were completely con-
quered. Although they often rebell-
ed, the Serbs were not entirely freed
from Turkish domination until
1878
On st. Sava's Day every loyal Ser
Wan recalls the long vanished glory
Of his country, and dreams of a time
when Servia may again become the
center of a Balkan empire. Many
Serbs. believe that hope may be
realized as q result OF the present
war. in which Servia has played so
heroic part. Rut Greece and Bull
gar1a, too, have memories Of past
grandeur and high aspirations for
the FUTURE and, even though the
Turk is driven from Europe, mutual
jealousy and distrust will probably
prevent the organization Of a Bal
kan empire.
The Japan Peace society organized q
COMMITTEES of fifteen members to in
vestigate the causes of friction be-
tween the United States and Japan.
and take the necessary steps to re-
Al f