June 28, Vidovdan, is one of the most important days in the Serbian calendar. The song that carries its name has become one of the best-loved Serbian songs of our time.
The feast
Vidovdan is the feast of Saint Vitus. On this day in 1389, the Serbian army led by Prince Lazar fought the Ottoman army at the Battle of Kosovo, on the Field of Blackbirds (Gazimestan). Prince Lazar fell in the battle and is honored by the Serbian Orthodox Church as a saint.
Over the centuries, Vidovdan became a day of remembrance: of sacrifice, of faith, and of the choice the epic poems call the “Heavenly Kingdom” over the earthly one.
The song
„Vidovdan“ was written by Milutin Popović Zahar and first recorded by Gordana Lazarević in 1989, the 600th anniversary of the battle. Its lyrics recall the battle and the Serbs of Kosovo.
Since then it has been sung at concerts, church celebrations and weddings across Serbia and the diaspora.
Why we sing it
For us, „Vidovdan“ connects the oldest layer of Serbian memory with a melody that every generation in the hall knows. When the audience starts singing along, you can feel the golden thread between past and present.