St. Nicholas of Serbia (Velimirović, 1880-1956) is certainly the most brilliant and large-scale personality in the modern history of the Balkans. The greatest Serb of the 20th century, he reminds us of the old truths, today, unfortunately, forgotten by many, with his entire life steadily testifying that true love for the Lord and service to Him are unthinkable without familiarization with the God-given values of national life. Contemporaries called his sermons “heaven-opening” and said that “since the time of Saint Sava, the Serbian land has not known a shepherd of such intellectual and moral strength.” Long before the official canonization (May 2003), veneration of the saint became widespread among the people, marked by many miraculous phenomena. Believing in the special mission of the Slavs, Saint Nicholas, following St. Seraphim, predicted the future greatness of the Orthodox Kingdom, in which there would be a place for both the “kingdom of Holy Rus'” and the “kingdom of the Balkan peoples.” And he expressed the hope that their example would inspire and restore fallen and desecrated Europe, once the beloved daughter of the Savior. The eighth volume of the works of St. Nicholas (Velimirović) included: “God is with us” and “To the Serbian people - from the window dungeons." Source: