 In 1774, Sava was proclaimed the patron saint of all Serbs.In the 19th century the cult was revived in the context of nationalism with the prospect of independence from the Ottomans, "representing and reproducing powerful images of a national Golden Age, of national reconciliation and unification, and of martyrdom for the church and nation".After Serbia gained full independence, a cathedral dedicated to the saint was planned, part of modernization plans of Belgrade.