The Zakonopravilo () was the ecclesiastical code of law of the Serbian Church, a nomokanon (collection of canon- and civil law) compiled between 1204–1219 by priest-monk Sava, the Serbian prince of the Nemanjić dynasty who became the first Serbian Archbishop ( 1219–1233). It is made up of 70 chapters, a compilation of several books and works, of various content and origin, on Eastern Roman (Byzantine) basis. The work shaped legislation among the medieval Slavic peoples, and is regarded one of the most important books of Serb cultural tradition. It is the oldest known constitution of Serbia and is today designated an official legal code of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Background Nomocanon
The nomocanon is a collection of church laws and canons, of civil law and ecclesiastical law., The word nomocanon was first used in 451 as a Church journal of the Council of Chalcedon, in which summaries of regulations are included, compiled by Stephen of Ephesus. The Canon collection which include systematic presentation of laws depending on legal problems in both church- and civil law, was first compiled by Antiochian jurist John Scholastikos.
Scholastikos compiled the Nomocanon in Fifty Titles prior to his ordination in 550; it was compilation of canon law divided into 50 titles which was in use until the 12th century. Scholastikos' other collection, from Justinian's Novellae in 87 Titles, was included into one collection in the second half of the 6th century.
The Canonical Syntagma, a Church journal compiled during the reign of Patriarch Sergius ( 610–638), was coupled with the Collectio tripartita compilation of Justinian's laws by the jurist Julian in the early 7th century to become the Nomocanon in 14 Titles, later revised in 883 and declared an official legal document of the Eastern Church in 920.
With the Christianization of Slavs, the first translations of Greek nomocanons into Old Slavic were made by Methodios in 865–885. The Nomocanon of Methodius was based on the 6th-century nomocanon of Scholastikos, and the compilation also included a secular part, Zakon Sudnyi Liudem ("Court Law for the People"), which was based on the 8th-century Ekloge ton nomon. This first Slavic nomocanon was used in Bulgaria, which became increasingly politically strong in the late 9th and 10th centuries. After the Byzantine reconquest of the Balkans, the Slavic nomocanon was suppressed. In the Kievan Rus, however, manuscripts of this Slavic nomocanon survived, most importantly in the Efremovskaia Kormchaia from the 12th (or late 11th) century. The early Slavic nomocanons had the intention to regulate religious life of the baptized Slavs and also subject them to secular Byzantine law. At this time, the Balkan Slavs worked on establishing their own autonomous churches with Slavic liturgy.
Serbia and Archbishop Sava
During the Nemanjić dynasty (1166–1371), the Serbian state flourished in the spheres of politics, religion and culture. Monasteries were built, far more than in previous centuries. The country was expanding and urban life emerged. Trade, mining and manufacturing expanded. The ruling family became prosperous and was known for piety. Formal establishment of a kingdom (1217) and religious independence (1219) came after political efforts by Stefan Nemanja (founder of the dynasty) and his sons, Stefan Nemanjić (the first Nemanjić king) and Sava Nemanjić (the first Serbian archbishop). A legal system established regulations for the Serbian kingdom and Serbian church. During this period, only the Byzantine emperor could establish legal acts and laws to fill the gaps in common law.
The monk-scribe Domentijan wrote in the Life of St. Sava how Archbishop Sava returned from Nikaea, where he received autocephaly for the Serbian Church, and stayed at Philokalou in Thessaloniki where he had transcribed many legal- and canonical works for the Church organization. Sava most likely presented a nearly finished code to Patriarch Manuel. He had begun working on a code many years prior, perhaps in 1204 when becoming an archimandrite at Hilandar, and continued on it between 1206–1217 while at the hermitage near Studenica. Sava collected and translated Greek works for many years. With the Zakonopravilo, Sava authored the legal code of the Serbian Orthodox Church and organized church- and civil law in the Serbian state. The work was a symbol of Serbian autocephaly and its safeguard and judicial foundation. His nomocanon is unique in its selection of works., He gave each of his bishops' a copy for them to organize their bishoprics.
Content The Zakonopravilo is in fact a compilation of several books and works, of various content and origin, on Eastern Roman (Byzantine) basis for the usage by Orthodox Slavs. It includes content from more than hundred articles of canonical, civic, liturgical and morality content, from church councils, synods, works by Byzantine emperors, patriarchs, bishops, hegumen and priests.
The work is made up of 70 chapters, the first six are part of the introduction, and then there are 64 chapters, of which 44 are of canonical nature, and 20 are of civil law., Church law is mainly adopted from two 6th-century Greek Canon law collections, the Synopsis of Stephen of Ephesus with commentary by Alexios Aristenos, and the Canonical Syntagma of 14 Titles of unknown authorship with commentary by John Zonaras. There were 859 canons included, out of which 700 were taken from the Synopsis and Zonaras' commentary. Regarding Civil law, based on Roman–Byzantine law, notable excerpts were taken from Justinian's Novellae in 87 Chapters edited by John Scholastikos, the whole of the Procheiron (known in Serbian as Zakon gradski), and three Novellae of Alexios Komnenos regarding marital law.
Sava chose the sources, translated them, and also edited laws, in order for them to be used in the Serbian church and state.
Introduction The introduction includes six introductory chapters:
A word about the Seven Holy and Ecumenical Councils. Interpretation of the line that follows: "Jesus Christ, have mercy on us." Interpretation of the Nicene Creed: "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible." Interpretation of the prayer which the Lord Jesus Christ taught the apostles, and us along with them, with which to pray, saying: "Our Father who art in heaven." Prologue of those who reduced the sacred rules to 14 chapters. Nomocanon in 14 Titles.
Then follows the introduction to the work with commentary on the content of the sacred canons, seven councils, and some local ones, the rules compiled by certain Holy Fathers, and the number of rules of each council.
Chapters
Chapter 1: The rules of the Apostles and Church fathers with commentary of Alexios Aristenos (85 laws). Chapter 2: The rules of Saint Paul (17 laws). Chapter 3: The rules of both Saints Peter and Paul (17 laws), somewhat different from Greek original manuscripts. Chapter 4: The rules of All Holy Apostles (2 laws). Chapter 5: The rules of the First Ecumenical Council. Chapter 6: The rules of the holy Synod of Ancyra (25 laws, minus rule #1). Chapter 7: The rules of the holy Synod of Neo-Caesarea (15 laws). Chapter 8: The rules of the holy Synod of Gangra (20 laws). Chapter 9: The rules of the holy Synod of Antioch (25 laws). Chapter 10: The rules of the holy Synod of Laodicea (59 laws). Chapter 11: The rules of the Second Ecumenical Council, including a shortened text of Stephen of Ephesus on hierarchy. Chapter 12: The rules of the Third Ecumenical Council. Chapter 13: The rules of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (30 laws). Chapter 14: The rules of the holy Synod of Sardica (21 laws). Chapter 15: The rules of the holy Synod of Carthage (138 laws). Chapter 16: On events in Constantinople, the dispute between Agapius and Gabadius regarding the seat in Bosra. Chapter 17: The rules of the Sixth Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople. Chapter 18: The rules of the Seventh Ecumenical Council held in Nikaea (22 laws). Chapter 19: The rules of the First and Second Councils, held in Constantinople, in the Church of the Holy Apostles (17 laws). Chapter 20: The three rules of the council in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Chapter 21: The rules from the epistles of Saint Basil the Great addressed to Amphilochius, Diodorus, and others (91 laws). This is perhaps the only chapter that Sava transcribed in Philokallou in 1220. Chapter 22: The 26 rules of Saint Basil the Great about penance for sinning. Chapter 23: The rules of Saint Basil the Great about the size and looks of the places for those who do penance. Chapter 24: A lesson about the divine service, Holy Communion, and those who take care of those who do penance, which Basil the Great dedicated to the presbyter. Chapter 25: A letter of Basil the Great to Gregory of Nazianzus about the structure of monasticism. Chapter 26: The epistle of Saint Tarasios to Pope Adrian I, forbidding ordination through payment. Chapter 27: Saint Dionysius on Great Saturday and fasting. Chapter 28: The rules of Saint Peter regarding those who left during persecution and then felt remorse (14 laws). Chapter 29: Gregory Thaumaturgus of Neocaesarea on events during Barbarian attacks. Chapter 30: Epistle of Athanasius the Great to monk Amon, and another epistle regarding lawful books. Chapter 31: The rules from the epistle of Athanasius the Great to bishop Ruphinianus. Chapter 32: The speeches of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus and Amphilochius of Iconium on those lawful books. Chapter 33: The rules of Gregory of Nyssa given to the bishop of Mytilene (8 laws). Chapter 34: The rules of Saint Timothy (15 laws). Chapter 35: Theophilos of Alexandria on the Epiphany when it falls on a Sunday (14 laws). Chapter 36: The rules from epistles of Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Chapter 37: Cyril's rules about Orthodoxy, 12 chapters against Nestorius. Chapter 38: The rules from the epistle of Gennadios of Constantinople and the Holy Council to all bishops. Chapter 39: The rules from the epistle of the Council in Constantinople to Martyrius of Antioch, on how to accept heretics. Chapter 40: The rules of the great church Hagia Sophia, sealed with Justinian's golden stamp, regarding slaves who seek refuge in the church. Chapter 41: The rules of Demetrios of Cyzicus on Jacobites and . Chapter 42: The rules about the Messalians now called Bogomils and Babuni. Chapter 43: The epistle of Peter of Antioch to the Venetian archbishop. Chapter 44: The epistle of beatified monk Nilos to priest Hariklios. Chapter 45: Collection of John Scholastikos in 87 chapters, with excerpts from Justinian's Novellae regarding church questions. The relation between church and state, the balance known as Symphonia, is included in this chapter. Chapter 46: Novellae of pious Alexios I Komnenos (35 laws), Novellae of Alexios I Komnenos from June 6592 presented by palace guard and judge Bardas. Chapter 47: Various laws, a branch of Justinian's Novellae. Chapter 48: Regulations of Moses' legislation. Chapters 49–54: The epistles of monk Niketas against the Latins, dispraise for introducing fasting on Saturdays (chapter 49), dispraise for introducing celibacy for the clergy and other novelties (50), about Franks and other Latins (51), followed by the faulty teachings of the Roman church. Chapter 55: Translation of the Procheiron, known in Serbian as Zakon gradski ("Urban law"). It is the oldest known Slavic translation of the work. Chapters 56–57: On forbidden and permitted marriages. Chapters 61–64: Articles about heresy, including Islam.
Church and state