Zočište Monastery
Encyclopedia
Zočište Monastery or formally St. Cosmas and Damian's Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery belonging to the Eparchy of Raška and Prizren
, situated in the village of Zočište, about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Orahovac
, Kosovo
. The church originally of the 13th century, inferred as dedicated to St Nicholas has tombstones of 15th and 16th centuries. It was remodelled in the 16th century and again in 2008 after being ruined in 1999.
The monastery was brought under the list of "Classification of Special Protective Zones" under the title “Zočište Monastery, Zoqishtë/ Zočište , Rahovec/Orahovac” by Law Nr. 03/L-039 dated 20 February 2008.
The Church building has been rebuilt on the existing and consolidated foundations using original building material from the ruins of the old church.
The monastery is famous for the relics of the Saints Cosmas and Damian. The shrine at the monastery was said to provide a miraculous cure for eye diseases and mental and psychosomatic disorders. It is said to be "One of the most important cultural places for Serbian and Christian settlements in the Metohija
region." It was designated as Cultural Heritage of Serbia in 1954.
in 1389. It was visited by Albanian Muslims who used the stones of the original building to construct a mosque in Prizren
. It was rebuilt in the late 16th century following the reinstatement of Patriarchate of Peć
. In the late 17th century, it was mentioned by Nikola Bošković, a merchant from Dubrovnik
.
. The Albanians claimed the monastery to have originally belonged to the Albanian Orthodox Church
and seven monks, a nun and several dozens Serbs sheltering there were taken hostage, although later released. The monastery was destroyed by the KLA during the Kosovan War on September 13/14, 1999, looting and then torching it. The relics of Saints Cosma and Damian were transferred to Sopoćani Monastery, and main monastery bell was thrown in the well.
On November 13, 2007 a bus carrying about 30 students was stoned outside the monastery.
, linear barrel vault
, with an eastern apse
in semicircular shape both in the interior and exterior facade. The material used for construction consisted of dressed stones, lime mortar for binding and stone-slate roofing. The church had two niches of prothesis
and diaconicon
, on the eastern wall next to an altar table. As the church when remodelled functioned as funerary chapel
it had a table to keep a coffin
and seats for people attending the funeral.
Tell tale remains were seen in the vault and in a niche above the western entrance to the narthex
; these were in the form of decorated frescos of a frieze of prophets and of the patrons SS Cosmas and Damian. When the church was destroyed in 1999, icons and liturgical vessels were retrieved and deposited in Velika Hoča
for safe keeping.
The statues and figures seen in the church consisted of: St Nicholas, St Paraskeva and two Holy Warriors and fragment of the fresco of one of the officiating archbishops, on the southern wall; the figures of St Sava and St Simeon Nemanja on the west wall; the north wall had depiction of "The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria"; the east wall had the figure of the Archangel Gabriel from the Annunciation
; and a niche in the prothesis had the figure of an archdeacon
.
Eparchy of Raška and Prizren
Eparchy of Raška and Prizren or Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija is one of the oldest eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church, featuring the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church; the Patriarchate of Peć, as well as Visoki Dečani, which together are part of the UNESCO...
, situated in the village of Zočište, about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Orahovac
Orahovac
Orahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. The church originally of the 13th century, inferred as dedicated to St Nicholas has tombstones of 15th and 16th centuries. It was remodelled in the 16th century and again in 2008 after being ruined in 1999.
The monastery was brought under the list of "Classification of Special Protective Zones" under the title “Zočište Monastery, Zoqishtë/ Zočište , Rahovec/Orahovac” by Law Nr. 03/L-039 dated 20 February 2008.
The Church building has been rebuilt on the existing and consolidated foundations using original building material from the ruins of the old church.
The monastery is famous for the relics of the Saints Cosmas and Damian. The shrine at the monastery was said to provide a miraculous cure for eye diseases and mental and psychosomatic disorders. It is said to be "One of the most important cultural places for Serbian and Christian settlements in the Metohija
Metohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
region." It was designated as Cultural Heritage of Serbia in 1954.
History
The earliest reference to this monastery is as an endowment of a Feudal lord of the Medieval period though not established by confirmatory evidence. However, it was first mentioned in 1327 during the Stefan Dečanski period. It was damaged during the Battle of KosovoBattle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
in 1389. It was visited by Albanian Muslims who used the stones of the original building to construct a mosque in Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
. It was rebuilt in the late 16th century following the reinstatement of Patriarchate of Peć
Patriarchate of Pec
The Patriarchate of Peć is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Peć. The complex of churches is the spiritual seat and mausoleum of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs....
. In the late 17th century, it was mentioned by Nikola Bošković, a merchant from Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
.
Destruction
On 21 July 1998 the monastery was taken by the Kosovo Liberation ArmyKosovo Liberation Army
The Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
. The Albanians claimed the monastery to have originally belonged to the Albanian Orthodox Church
Albanian Orthodox Church
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. It declared its autocephaly in 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937....
and seven monks, a nun and several dozens Serbs sheltering there were taken hostage, although later released. The monastery was destroyed by the KLA during the Kosovan War on September 13/14, 1999, looting and then torching it. The relics of Saints Cosma and Damian were transferred to Sopoćani Monastery, and main monastery bell was thrown in the well.
Reconstruction
In October 2004, monastery reconstruction started, as Zočište was important and historical cultural designation. Old stones and fragments of the destroyed church were used in reconstruction, and monastery is almost identical as it once was. In 2005, KFOR stopped reconstruction, with argument that local population opposes the restoration. When the ban was lifted, construction continued with the reconstruction of dormitories and main church building.On November 13, 2007 a bus carrying about 30 students was stoned outside the monastery.
Description
The church, amidst the old Serbian graveyard, built over rectangular layout with three exterior faces, comprised a single naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, linear barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
, with an eastern apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
in semicircular shape both in the interior and exterior facade. The material used for construction consisted of dressed stones, lime mortar for binding and stone-slate roofing. The church had two niches of prothesis
Prothesis (altar)
The Prothesis is the place in the sanctuary in which the Liturgy of Preparation takes place in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches....
and diaconicon
Diaconicon
The Diaconicon is, in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches, the name given to a chamber on the south side of the central apse of the church, where the vestments, books, etc, that are used in the Divine Services of the church are kept .The Diaconicon contains the thalassidion...
, on the eastern wall next to an altar table. As the church when remodelled functioned as funerary chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
it had a table to keep a coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
and seats for people attending the funeral.
Tell tale remains were seen in the vault and in a niche above the western entrance to the narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
; these were in the form of decorated frescos of a frieze of prophets and of the patrons SS Cosmas and Damian. When the church was destroyed in 1999, icons and liturgical vessels were retrieved and deposited in Velika Hoča
Velika Hoca
Velika Hoča is a village in the municipality of Orahovac, in the Metohija region of Kosovo. It is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo.-Demographics:...
for safe keeping.
The statues and figures seen in the church consisted of: St Nicholas, St Paraskeva and two Holy Warriors and fragment of the fresco of one of the officiating archbishops, on the southern wall; the figures of St Sava and St Simeon Nemanja on the west wall; the north wall had depiction of "The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria"; the east wall had the figure of the Archangel Gabriel from the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
; and a niche in the prothesis had the figure of an archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
.
External links
- Манастир Зочиште и црква Св. Врача Бесребреника Кузман и Дамјана, with images of the monastery before and after destruction.
- Reportage about Zočište, with images of destroyed monastery and reconstruction
- Video of the Zočište Monastery