Cetinsky Monastery is perhaps the most famous spiritual relic in Montenegro. Every year, thousands of pilgrims from all over the world flock to its gates. Such popularity is due primarily to the fact that it is here in the vaults of the monastery that the greatest shrines of the Christian world are located, and, of course, the atmosphere of deep faith and asceticism that has survived to this day attracts.
From the history of the monastery
The Christian shrine is located in the historical capital of the country - the city of Cetinje. The Cetinje Monastery, also known as the Monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built by Ivan I Chernoevich, ruler of the Principality of Zeta. After that, it housed the chair of the Zeta diocese.
The monastery was repeatedly destroyed. For the first time, to the very foundation, it was demolished as a result of the invasion of the Turks in 1692 and rebuilt again by Bishop Danila. The place was chosen a little away fromoriginal. However, the stones of the old monastery and a plate with the seal of I. Chernoevich were used during the construction.
The Turks burned the Cetinje Monastery (Montenegro) in 1714 for the second time. After that, it was repeatedly restored and rebuilt. The last reconstruction of the temple complex was made in 1927. Now several iconic shrines of Christianity are stored in the monastery at once.
Architecture of the monastery
Historians suggest that the temple was built with the help of masters from Primorye, which is confirmed by the peculiarities of the architectural style. In the middle of the monastery, presumably, there was a church surrounded on three sides by cannonade. Along the perimeter of the site were monastic buildings and the Church of St. Peter. The outer walls of the complex had loopholes, and behind them there was a deep ditch and a fence of stakes. The modern Cetinje Monastery (Montenegro) has partially preserved some fragments to this day.
Now the central element of the complex is still the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. It is built of hewn natural stone and inside it keeps the greatest Montenegrin shrine - the relics of St. Peter of Cetinje, as well as the relics of the Order of the Knights of M alta. In addition, it has a rich carved iconostasis, the work of Greek masters of the 19th century.
The treasury of the monastery has collected a unique and rich collection of old printed books and manuscripts, personal belongings of Montenegrin metropolitans, church utensils and much more. Many exhibits were received as a gift fromRussia.
Hand of John the Baptist
For several decades, the Cetinje Monastery (Montenegro), the photo of which is presented in the article, has been the place of storage of the right imperishable hand (right hand) of the prophet John the Baptist. It is one of the most revered shrines in the Christian Orthodox world. The Bible indicates that John the Baptist laid his right hand on the head of Christ during the rite of baptism.
The right hand does not have two fingers: the little finger, which is now kept in the museum of Istanbul, and the ring finger, located in Italian Siena. The shrine is enclosed in an ark of gold, made by order of Paul I.
The Evangelist Luke transferred to Antioch the right hand of John the Baptist, where it was kept for ten centuries. During the time of Julian the Apostate, the relics of the saints were removed from the graves and burned. The townspeople hid their hand in one of the towers, in the 10th century it was transported to Chalcedon, and then to Constantinople. When the city was captured by the Turks, in 1453 the shrine was transported to the island of Rhodes and further to M alta. The right hand came to Russia from the Order of M alta during the reign of Paul I, when he became their Grand Master.
After the beginning of the revolution, the ark made a long journey from our country to Belgrade in order to save. It is difficult to say how she got to the Cetinje Monastery in Cetinje, but after many years during which the shrine was considered lost, she was found there in 1993.
Relics of St. Peter Zetinski
In the world Peter I PetrovichNegosh was the ruler and metropolitan of Montenegro, he was canonized under the name of Tsetinsky, was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Born in Negushi in 1748, the priest became a deacon at the age of 17 and was sent to Russia for training. After the death of the anarchist Arseniy Plamenac in 1784, he was chosen by the Montenegrin Cathedral to the throne.
The saint died at the age of 81 and was buried in the monastery church. Four years later, by decree of Peter II, the coffin and incorruptible relics were opened. At the same time, he was canonized as a saint. Now the Cetinje Monastery of the relics of St. Peter Tsetinsky is kept in an open reliquary along with a posthumously made troparion and kontakion.
Particles of the Holy Cross
The Life-giving, or Holy Cross, is the cross on which, according to the Bible, Jesus Christ was crucified. It belongs to the most important Christian relics. There is a whole cycle of legends telling about its creation and subsequent acquisition by believers. The latter, in particular, speak of it as newly found from 326. It is believed that he was discovered in Jerusalem by Queen Elena during her pilgrimage. In addition to the cross, 4 nails were also found. In honor of these events, one of the most significant church holidays was established - the Ex altation of the Holy Cross. It has different calendar dates for Catholics and Orthodox.
Particles of the Holy Cross are stored separately. One of them ended up in the Tsetinsky Monastery. History connects all this with the same Order of the Knights of M alta. From them, the particles got to the Russian Empire, where they were until the revolution of 1917. Then,like the right hand of St. John the Baptist, parts of the Holy Cross ended up in Montenegro.
Crown of King S. Dečanski
Stefan Decansky was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church as a holy king. During his reign, at the expense of the Byzantine Empire, Serbia expanded its borders, flourished and became the strongest state on the Balkan Peninsula.
Regarding his mysterious death, two versions are always put forward. According to the first, at the end of his life, the king succumbed to the influence of his young wife and decided to pass the throne to his youngest son from his second marriage. The eldest son made such a decision and did not argue, but retired to Constantinople. Some time later, the king died in the Zvechan fortress of natural causes, it is assumed that of a heart attack.
According to the second version, S. Dechansky was strangled by his angry son. It was she who was accepted by the church, canonizing the king as a martyr. However, there is no documentary evidence of this or that version, each of them could happen with the same degree of probability. The crown of the great king of Serbia is kept by the Cetinje Monastery to this day as one of the sacred relics.
St. Sava's stole
The epitrachelion is a characteristic part of the liturgical vestment for an Orthodox priest and bishop. It looks like a long ribbon that wraps around the neck and descends to the chest with both ends in front. It is worn on top of a cassock or underdress. According to the canons of the church, it is impossible to serve without it.
Cetinsky Monastery is the placestorage of the stole of St. Sava - one of the most revered saints in the Serbian Orthodox Church, a cultural and religious figure who lived approximately in 1169-1236. He is considered the patron saint of schools.
Cetinje
Speaking of the Cetinje Monastery, one cannot fail to mention the wonderful city in which it is located. The Constitution of Montenegro equalizes it in rights with the official capital of Polgorica. The city has the official residence of the President and the Ministry of Culture of the country. It is small in area, the population (according to 2011) is almost 14 thousand people. It is located in a picturesque region: an intermountain basin, at the foot of the Lovcen mountain range.
According to the statistics of meteorologists, is one of the rainiest cities in Europe. The history of its existence presumably begins in 1440, 44 years later the Tsetinsky Monastery was founded in it, where, as already mentioned, one of the main shrines of the Orthodox Church is located.
A trip to it can be associated with a resort vacation, because the Adriatic Sea coast is only 12 km away, and Skadar Lake, the largest in the Balkans, is 15 km away. The city belongs to a seismically active zone with the possibility of earthquakes with an amplitude of up to 8 points. A visit to this Cetinje will be of interest to everyone. The city has been the cultural and political center of the country for five centuries. Numerous festivals and celebrations are held here every year, doors are open for guestsmuseums and open the gates of beautiful parks.
Cetinsky Monastery (Montenegro): how to get there
The city of Cetinje is connected with the rest of Montenegro only by roads. The distance to the second Podgorica is 33 km, Budva - 32 km, and Kotor - 35 km. You will have to drive a little more to the international airport called Podgorica, namely 48 km.
The road is a two-lane national highway. The bus station in the city of Cetinje is not operational, however, all buses on the Podgorica-Budva route and back make a stop there.
The quality of the roads, according to travelers, is average, and sometimes it becomes quite scary, especially when the mountain serpentine and sharp turns begin. But it is at this moment that you can see stunning natural landscapes outside the window of a car or bus, from which the heart stops.
After you reach your destination, finding the temple will be easy. If you do not have a map, then the easiest way is to ask any city dweller where the Cetinje Monastery is, how to get to it and where to find accommodation if you plan to spend the night. With hotels, hotels and other accommodation options in these places, according to tourists, not everything is going smoothly.
Rules for visiting the complex
Before you go to this holy place, it is enough to remember one fair proverb that one does not go to a strange monastery with its charter. Therefore, you need to prepare in advance. According to the pilgrims, they are more demanding in terms of appearance. Polite monks will remind you ofthat you have come to the temple of God and must follow certain rules.
Regarding clothing, you should remember that the shoulders and knees must be covered, for women a skirt and a scarf are obligatory. If for some reason you weren't able to dress appropriately, then don't worry. The monks in the courtyard offer to take everything you need (pareos, scarves and even trousers for men who came in shorts). Provides everything for free, the main thing - do not forget to return everything after visiting the monastery.
Cetinsky Monastery: reviews of tourists
Pilgrims and ordinary tourists do not tire of emphasizing that it is the monastery in Cetinje that has the closest and, so to speak, native history for the Russian people, not to mention the sacred relics that the whole country knows about. Many heard about them even before the trip to Montenegro.
In their reviews on travel portals, travelers note not only the amazing atmosphere of the monastery, but also the magnificent nature around. The town lost in the mountains is beautiful, peace and tranquility reign in it.
Pilgrims say that, whether it is the Cetinje Monastery, churches in other cities, it is imperative to follow the established rules regarding appearance when visiting them. They were discussed in more detail above.
Reviews of the Cetinje Monastery often mention a church shop, which is located on its territory. Here pilgrims can buy candles, icons, as you might guess, the face of John the Baptist, whose right handkept within the walls of the temple. Do not forget to write two notes (for he alth and peace of mind) and give them to the priest. Only the closest people should be indicated and preferably no more than 5 people.
Travelers who have visited the Cetinje Monastery as part of a tour say that very little time is given to inspect the temple, the tour turns out to be fluent. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, come to these places for at least one day. Be aware that during the summer the flow of pilgrims is very high.
The city itself is of great interest. Beautiful architecture, old streets and friendly people - all this is conducive and remains in memory for a long time. Bright and original Montenegro has always been close to our country, but this is not only a beach holiday on the Adriatic coast. In order to get to know the country better, you should look at it from the inside, visit small villages in the mountains, rural churches and ancient monasteries, admire the picturesque views and "taste" it. Excellent Balkan cuisine with an abundance of meat dishes, vegetables and homemade cheeses deserves no less attention than history and culture.
