Smilja Marjanović-Dušanić

This article examines the history of the Serbian Orthodox Church from its medieval origins to the Ottoman conquest. Drawing on a historical and ecclesiological approach, the study traces the founding stages of the Serbian ecclesiastical institution, placing particular emphasis on the role of Saint Sava in establishing the first autocephalous archbishopric in the thirteenth century. The article then analyzes the institutional evolution of this Church, from the Archbishopric of Žiča to the establishment of the Patriarchate of Peć in 1346, in connection with the assertion of Nemanjid dynastic sovereignty. The contribution of this study lies in shedding light on the interactions between political power and ecclesiastical authority in the construction of medieval Serbian identity, thereby offering a structured perspective on a defining period in the formation and influence of Serbian Orthodoxy before Ottoman domination.