Eparchy of Žiča is one of the eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church

Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...

, and is seated in Kraljevo

Kraljevo

Kraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...

, in the Žiča monastery.

History

In 1208, Saint Sava

Saint Sava

Saint Sava was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law and literature, and a diplomat. Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić , the youngest son of Serbian Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja , and ruled the appanage of Hum briefly in...

 establishes the Archbishopric of Žiča (Archiepiscopal see), the monastery being built by his brother Stefan Nemanjić with work by Greek masters. In 1219 it becomes part of the autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church

Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...

, and Sava becomes the First Patriarch of the Serbs, the church serving for the coronations of the Nemanjić dynasty. The seat of the Serbian Church was moved in 1253 to the Patriarchate of Peć

Patriarchate of Pec

The Patriarchate of Peć is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Peć. The complex of churches is the spiritual seat and mausoleum of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs....

. The "Nomocanon of Sava" was copied at the monastery and was for several centuries influential in the Balkans and Russia.