[1] Sokolović was born in Prijepolje,[2] at the time part of the Sanjak of Herzegovina of the Ottoman Empire (now in Serbia).

He was a son of Vukašin, the "knyaz of Rudići",[3] and was part of the notable Sokolović family, being a fraternal nephew of Patriarch Makarije (s. 1557–71),[4][5] and relative to many other archbishops, and even Ottoman statesmen.

[3] Russian historian Aleksandr Fedorovich Gilferding (1831–1872) said that the monastery was the greatest and most beautiful building in all of Herzegovina.

[10] He remained the Metropolitan of Herzegovina until his enthronement as the Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch in 1585,[1] and served until his presumed death in 1586[1] when the last mention is made of him, regarding the finished construction of Piva.

[11] Savatije proved himself more energetic than his predecessors, and boldly and persistently, with the help of Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (Mehmed-paša Sokolović) and other Islamized Sokolović family members, and other Viziers of Serbian origin, to work for the strengthening of Church autonomy.