Serbian medieval tradition and Serbs under Ottoman occupation

Abstract

Vows and myths have a big role in forming national identity. For the Serbian people, there are two vows of crucial importance for the preservation of identity. Those are vows about St. Sava and Kosovo. These vows are especially put to the fore in critical historical periods. They affect the development of collective affiliation, the standards of behavior, they promise solidarity as well as the people’s connection as a whole. Also, the vows influence the preservation of tradition, culture, and customs. They play a big role in the development of collective cultural memory, its preservation and its transfer to the future generations.