The Hagiography of St. Simeon (Serbian: Житије светог Симеона, romanized: Žitije svetog Simeona), or Life of Stefan Nemanja, is a hagiography (or biography) of Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja (St. Simeon), authored by Archbishop Sava, his son, in 1208.
[1] Hagiographies were written to create or spread the cult of the saint, and communicated the qualities of and virtues of the person in question.
[1] The work focused on the monastic character of Simeon, using biographical information as a subset to his renouncing of the throne, power and size in the world for the Kingdom of Heaven.
[2] Simeon is portrayed as a dramatic example of renouncing earthly life, as a representative of basic evangelical teachings and foundations of these, especially of monastic spirituality.
[2] The language is direct and simple, without excessive rhetorics, in which a close witness and companion, participant in the life of St. Simeon, is recognized (in Sava).