Jelena Vujanovic (3 years ago)
The road to the monastery itself is in the form of a waterfall. Very steep and unsuitable for smaller and weaker cars.
Rocky (4 years ago)
Because I grew up there as a child
Ведран Петровић (4 years ago)
In the Bijela monastery near Šavnik, preparations are underway for the celebration of a great event. According to tradition, the monastery was built by Prince Vulović with the contribution of Saint John Vladimir.
It has been a millennium since the bell of the monastery church dedicated to Saint George rang in the canyon of the Bijela River near Šavnik. Located in an area overgrown with forest, surrounded by rocks and a small piece of sky, the shrine is visible only when one steps in front of it. These days, the last preparations are underway for the celebration of a great event - a thousand years of existence of the monastery, which is a witness to the turbulent past of Drobnjak, but also of Montenegro.
According to tradition, the monastery was built by Prince Vulović from Bijela, Ban Kozlin from Tušina, with a rich contribution from St. John Vladimir. The foundation of the monastery is linked to the battle against the Bulgarians (between 997 and 1002), who, as historians state, "overran all the Serbian lands, reached the Tara River, where the Drobnjaci awaited and killed them" and in memory of this battle, a monastery dedicated to Saint George was built. Previously, the monastery was called Tunjomirski, after the nearby hill Tunjomir, then Biovski, which is still used quite a bit on some maps today. According to legend, Bijela got its name from the inhabitants who immigrated from Bijela near Herceg Novi or after the Bijela river. As a memorial of antiquity, a pine tree planted by Saint Sava still stands near the monastery.
- This shrine has suffered a lot in history, but we are obliged to remember all the benefactors, contributors, and especially the one who founded this shrine, St. John Vladimir, who a thousand years ago laid down his head for the holy Orthodox faith, he said recently in to the archpastoral homily by the Reverend Bishop Joanikije of Budimlja-Nikšić. - It is not the time for big and excessive celebrations, but it is for remembering, marking, not forgetting. We will celebrate the Great Jubilee together with Father Archimandrite Isaiah, the restorer of this holy family, the new founder of this sanctuary.
The monastery had a great role throughout time, and the books mention that St. John Vladimir managed Drobnjak for a time, as well as that St. Lazar Kosovski richly endowed the sanctuary, and Princess Milica presented the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the temple. Over time, the monastery was a great spiritual center, and a meeting place for many important events. When they went to battle in Kosovo, the warriors took communion here before leaving. Major decisions were made under the vaults of the sanctuary, oaths were taken before the battles against the Turks. That is why the monastery was destroyed several times to the ground, only to be resurrected anew.
Since 1992, with the blessing of Metropolitan Amfilohi, the care of the Bijela monastery has been taken over by the brother of the Ostrog monastery, Hieromonk Isai and mother Anastasija. It was then that worship services began to revive for the first time since the war, after almost half a century. Life is back in the monastery, faithful people flock to this sanctuary where they receive the holy mysteries of baptism and marriage.
The jubilee celebration will begin on the evening of June 4, when an academy will be held, attended by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral. The sermon on St. John Vladimir will be delivered by retired bishop Atanasije Jevtić. The following day, the Liturgy and the central celebration will take place.
Nikola Cmiljic (6 years ago)
Beautiful Monastery. Must visit.