Sokolović was born in Prijepolje,[2] at the time part of the Sanjak of Herzegovina of the Ottoman Empire (now in Serbia). He was a son of Vukašin, the "knyaz of Rudići",[3] and was part of the notable Sokolović family, being a fraternal nephew of Patriarch Makarije (s. 1557–71),[4][5] and relative to many other archbishops, and even Ottoman statesmen.
He succeeded his relative Antonije as the Metropolitan of Herzegovina in 1573, who then became the Serbian Patriarch;[1] the Sokolović bishops were obviously succeeding each other as metropolitan of Herzegovina, then as coadjutor to the Serbian Patriarch, and finally as Serbian Patriarch.[6] That same year, Savatije founded (as ktitor) the Piva Monastery, dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God,[1][7][8] located by the Piva river[9] in the historical Piva region (the former župa of Piva, in modern-day western Montenegro). The construction workers were brothers named Gavrilo and Vukašin.[3] Russian historian Aleksandr Fedorovich Gilferding (1831–1872) said that the monastery was the greatest and most beautiful building in all of Herzegovina.[10]
He remained the Metropolitan of Herzegovina until his enthronement as the Archbishop of Peć and Serbian Patriarch in 1585,[1] and served until his presumed death in 1586[1] when the last mention is made of him, regarding the finished construction of Piva.[6] He died before Gerasim.[6] Historian S. Novaković (1842–1915) concluded that his death place was in the Ubožac- or Božac Monastery, although this has since been refuted.[11]
Savatije proved himself more energetic than his predecessors, and boldly and persistently, with the help of Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (Mehmed-paša Sokolović) and other Islamized Sokolović family members, and other Viziers of Serbian origin, to work for the strengthening of Church autonomy.[12] Unfortunately, chronicles have no further information on his life, as is the case with many other Serbian patriarchs.[13] Both Savatije and Sokollu Mehmed Pasha are depicted on the interior frescoes.
