The Orthography of Saint Sava’s Writings

A re-evaluation of Saint Sava's orthographic influence challenges the long-held belief that he reformed Serbian Cyrillic writing based on Mount Athos principles. Analysis of his 1208/1209 inscription at Studenica Monastery reveals a secular orthography consistent with Raška court scriptorium practices, aligning instead with the Charter of Ban Kulin (1189) and early Hilandar monastery charters. This suggests that the 'Zeta-Hum' or 'Hum-Bosnian' orthography was actually an earlier phase of 'Rascian' orthography, necessitating a redefinition of the term. While Saint Sava did not impose his personal pattern, his link to Hilandar and Karyes likely facilitated Serbian cultural integration with broader Cyrillic traditions, independent of Glagolitic influences.

Savić, V.,. (2022). The Orthography of Saint Sava’s Writings. Palaeoslavistica-4, 203–241. https://doi.org/10.31168/2658-3372.2022.22.11