Saint Blessed Stephen the Blind
of Serbia.

Stefan Branković was born c. 1417 into the princely house of Branković. He was the son of Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene. His father gave his daughter Mara to marry Sultan Murat II, as a sacrifice for the salvation of the people and the homeland. In his youth, Stephen lived during a period of increasing Ottoman pressure upon the Serbian Despotate.

The turning point came in 1441. Stefan was blinded alongside his brother Grgur in 1441 by Sultan Murad II with hot irons while held as a political hostage at Tokat fortress. Since he was innocent, he bore his affliction with courage. This blinding, intended as a political instrument to remove him from succession, paradoxically set the stage for his later role as a leader of his suffering people.

Stephen's brief rule as Despot came through family succession rather than electoral choice. In 1458, Lazarus died without leaving a male heir, and the country was ruled by a triumvirate of regents: Stephen Brankovic, the widow Elena Palaiologίna, and Michael Angelovic (Angelović), the governor of Raska (Raška). The blind Stephen Brankovic became the ruler.

He immediately entered into diplomatic relations with the Hungarian court, seeking help. However, his governance proved difficult. On April 8, 1459, Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and Stjepan Tomaš Kotromanić, King of Bosnia and father of Tomašević, dethroned Stefan. Though his rule lasted only months, it represented the last attempt by a legitimate Branković to govern the Serbian lands before Ottoman conquest.

After his deposition, Stephen entered a long exile that became a spiritual pilgrimage. After his deposition from the throne, Blessed Stephen the Blind lived in Buda for some time (his younger sister Katherine was the widow of the Hungarian nobleman Ulrik Tsilley), then in Dubrovnik. Then he went to Albania to the ruler of the principality of Kastrioti Skanderbeg, where in 1460 he married Saint Angelina (July 30 and August 12), the daughter of the Albanian prince George Arianiti.

The couple wandered in exile through Buda, Dubrovnik, Albania, and Venice, enduring poverty sustained by alms while supporting monastic foundations and Orthodox institutions. He gained (c. 1462) the Castle Belgrado, in the region of Friuli (northern Italy), where he lived with his family, until his death in 1476. Often ill, he spent his days in poverty and begging for help. He wrote letters to lords in Italy. Until his death, he lived on alms sent to him by the Venetians, the Ragusans, and the Pope.

He died on October 9, 1476 in the same castle. His death marked the end of an era, yet his faithfulness endured.

Stephen's greatest legacy lies not in his brief rule but in his faithful endurance and the holiness he transmitted to his family. After eight years of lying in the grave, Stefan's body was exhumed and found to be intact, and exuded a sweet, heavenly fragrance. Many miracles were manifested from his holy relics. He is venerated as a Saint Stefan the Blind by the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Djordje, who later took the monastic vows and took the name of Maksim, brought the remains of his father Stefan and his uncle Jovan Branković to the Krušedol monastery. He also intended a crypt where he would later be buried. Thus it is considered that he intended for this monastery to be the family mausoleum of the Branković family. The monastery was founded between 1509 and 1514 by Saint Maksim Branković, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Srem, and his mother Saint Angelina of Serbia.

Saint Stephen is also commemorated on December 10 with Saint Angelina and Saint John, underscoring that the entire holy family—husband, wife, and son—have been glorified by the Church. His story demonstrates how suffering, poverty, and exile, borne with faithful patience, become instruments of grace and sanctity in God's economy.

Saint Stephen the Blind was a Serbian Despot who ruled the Serbian Despotate between 1458 and 1459 and remains one of the most poignant figures in Serbian Orthodox history. Born c. 1417, he was the son of Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene, and belonged to the distinguished Branković dynasty, the last sovereigns of medieval Serbia.

Stephen's life was marked by profound suffering and martyrdom. He was blinded alongside his brother Grgur in 1441 by Sultan Murad II with hot irons while held as a political hostage at Tokat fortress. Yet despite his blindness, he was called to rule: In 1458, Lazarus died without leaving a male heir, and the blind Stephen Brankovic became the ruler. His brief rule, however, was troubled: On April 8, 1459, Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and Stjepan Tomaš Kotromanić, King of Bosnia, dethroned Stefan.

After his deposition, Stephen lived in exile for the remainder of his life. At the end of 1459 Stefan decided to travel to Albania, where in mid-1460 he married Angelina Arianit Komneni in November 1460. Angelina was the daughter of the Arianiti Principality's ruler, Prince Gjergj Arianiti and Princess Maria Muzaka. He gained (c. 1462) the Castle Belgrado, in the region of Friuli (northern Italy), where he lived with his family, until his death in 1476. Often ill, he spent his days in poverty and begging for help. He wrote letters to lords in Italy. Until his death, he lived on alms sent to him by the Venetians, the Ragusans, and the Pope.

He died on October 9, 1476 in the same castle. After eight years, Saint Steven's relics were uncovered and were found to be incorrupt and fragrant. Many miracles took place at his tomb. He is venerated as a Saint Stefan the Blind by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Saint Stephen is also commemorated on December 10 with Saint Angelina and Saint John.