 Rakovica monastery | |
 Interactive map of Rakovica monastery | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Манастир Раковица |
| Order | Serbian Orthodox |
| Established | 14th century |
| Dedicated to | ArchangelsMichael andGabriel |
| Diocese | Archbishopric of Belgrade and Karlovci |
| Site | |
| Location | BetweenResnik andRakovica |
| Public access | Yes |
TheRakovica Monastery (Serbian:Манастир Раковица,romanized: Manastir Rakovica) is themonastery of theSerbian Orthodox Church, within theArchbishopric of Belgrade and Karlovci, located in the municipality ofRakovica inBelgrade, the capital ofSerbia. It is dedicated to thearchangelsMichael andGabriel.[1]
Mentioned in the 16th century, the Rakovica Monastery is the oldest holy object in Belgrade, where the regular service is still being held.[2]
The central part of thecoat of arms of the Rakovica municipality is occupied by the representation Rakovica monastery.
The Rakovica Monastery is located at 34 Patrijarha Dimitrija Street. It is situated on the eastern slopes of the 209-metre-high (686 ft)Straževica hill, 11 km (6.8 mi) south from downtown Belgrade. The monastery is in the valley of theRakovički Creek, between the Straževica, on the west, and Pruževica hills, on the east. It is surrounded by the neighborhoods ofResnik (south),Sunčani Breg (east),Miljakovac III (northeast),Miljakovac (north) andKneževac andKijevo (west).[3][4][5][6]
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According to thefolk tradition, the monastery named Rakovica was built in the early 14th century, during the reigns of either kingDragutin orking Milutin, who allegedly were also thektetors. However, there are no historical records that can confirm that. The earliest written mention of the monastery was found in the travel accounts ofFeliks Petančić from 1502, under the title of "Ranauicence monasterium". Later on it is also mentioned in theOttoman sources, in the census register from 1560, among other churches and monasteries around Belgrade.[1][3] The Memorial, written much later by the monks, mentions king Dragutin as the ktetor.[7]
However, it was predated by an older monastery which was not called Rakovica and which celebrated theDormition of the Mother of God. The monastery apparently was a big one, having church,konaks and ametochion. It seems to be an important religious location as the monks from other monasteries often gathered here. The church was calledCrkva Prevelika. The monastery named Rakovica was located further to the east, above the village of Rakovica (modern Belgrade's neighborhood ofSelo Rakovica, not to be confused with the neighborhood of Rakovica where the monastery is today, which is also part of Belgrade). It was situated on the foothills of theAvala mountain, between the villages of Rakovica andVrčin. The monastery celebrated Holy Archangel Michael.[1][2] The location of the old monastery in 1560 was confirmed by the Ottoman sources as being near the "village of Hrčin" (Vrčin). It is believed that on this new location, there was a prior church, called the Magnificent Church. According to the myth, the icons themselves selected the new location, as at night they would leave the old monastery on their own, and move to the new location.[7]
Located on the unfavorable place, in the vicinity of the major crossroads and settlements, the monastery was destroyed during the Ottoman advances towardsVienna in 1592 and the national riots in 1594. Because of that and due to constant robbing, the monks relocated to its present location, deeper into the forest. The remains of the old building on its original location in Selo Rakovica (the traces of the walls, the column of the honorable table, etc.) were found.[1][2] The location is across the modern IKEA department store. People still gather on the location during the churchslavas, or major feast days likeDormition of the Mother of God orArchangels' Day [sr], even though there is no cross on the lot. No archaeological survey has been done to explore what is located below the ground.[7]
The original Rakovica monastery was mentioned in the charter of theWallachian DukeConstantin Brâncoveanu Besaraba, from 1701,[8] which says that the monastery was erected and built from the scratch by a good Christian, the late duke Radula, who was the lord of this country (Wallachia). It is assumed that it was thevoivodeRadu I of Wallachia,Prince Lazar's son-in-law.,[1][9] which would place the period of the rebuilding in the 1370s or the 1380s,[3] as Radul ruled from 1377 to 1385. Besaraba donated 100 "large chunks" of salt to the monastery.[7]
There is also a myth that the original monastery was founded byMiloš Obilić in the late 14th century. After theBattle of Kosovo in 1389, the Ottomans burned the monastery down. Only in the 15th century, a local resident named Raka reconstructed the monastery, which was then named after him.[7]
Around year 1600, construction of the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael began. Later, the entire monastery complex developed around it.[7]
Part of the monastic brotherhood joined their fellow Serbs in territories now part of Austria during theGreat Migrations of the Serbs in 1690, bringing with them relics and books. Monk Grigorije, from the monastery, played an important role in the diplomatic efforts bringing to theTreaty of Karlowitz in 1699, between Austria and Ottoman Empire. Doing various favors to the Russian side, the monastery received numerous gifts, including money, church books, icons, etc. The monastery had a joint administration with theTresije Monastery on theKosmaj mountain, and apparently was quite affluent at the time, as it was able to finance the reconstruction of the Tresije.[3]
Soon, more wars broke out (Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718),Austro-Turkish War (1737–1739)) and the clergy supported the Austrian side. As Serbia remained under the Ottoman rule after 1739, as a result, the clergy and the local population fled to Austria, with almost all relics from the monastery because the monastery was destroyed once more. They settled in theVelika Remeta Monastery, in theSyrmia region. The Ottomans later allowed for a group of monks to return to Rakovica. On 14 September 1739, the merger of Rakovica and Veliki Remeta under one administration was proclaimed. However, as the two monasteries were in two different states, the union never came through and Rakovica continued as a sole monastery. In 1768Amvrosije Janković painted numerous icons. The wars ended with theAustro-Turkish war of 1788–1791, when the monastery was destroyed again, as the clergy again supported Austrians, so the Ottomans burned it inretaliation, while the abbot of the monastery of that time, Sofronije, was hanged on the elm tree in front of the monastery. The process of slow renovation began.[1][3]
The monastery was damaged in both theFirst and theSecond Serbian Uprising, 1804–1813 and 1815, respectively. The monks took active participation in the rebellion against the Ottomans.[6]
The most important for the reconstruction of the monastery was the ruling princeMiloš Obrenović (1815–1839; 1858–1860), who buried his infant son in Rakovica. The prince financed construction of themonastic cells, the grand dining room and one of the konaks. The monastery was also helped by Miloš' wifeLjubica Obrenović and his sister-in-law, Tomanija Obrenović.[3] It is now that Tomanija financed construction of the belfry and one of the konaks. Due to he heavy involvement of the royals, Rakovica was called "court's monastery".[7]
In 1905 theMonastic school started to work in the monastery, the first of that kind in Serbia. For its needs in 1925 the new building was erected, the so-called "Plato's konak". The building was designed by the Russian architect Valery Staševski in theSerbo-Byzantine Revival style. The school was active until 1932, when it was transferred to theVisoki Dečani monastery inMetohija.[3]
The monastery avoided the damaging in bothWorld Wars. During World War II,Patriarch Gavrilo for a short period was held in detention in Rakovica by the occupational German army.[6] Until the war, area around the monastery was one of the main excursion sites of the Belgraders. Partially because the area was heavily forested with an old ("ancient"), thick forest, and partially because of theartificial Lake Kijevo. During the war both the forest and the lake disappeared: the forest was cut while the lake was drained from 1941 to 1947.[10]
From 1947, Rakovica was the seat of the Orthodox theology faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In 1958 the faculty was relocated to the newly finished educational facilities, including the campus, in the part of theKaraburma neighborhood, which today became known after the Serbian name for the seminary,Bogoslovija. As the new location of Bogoslovija was previously a hospital for the children with mycosis, the children were relocated to the Rakovica monastery. The hospital was later moved out but during the existence, the church was fenced by the wire from the konak.[2]
Patriarch German decided to turn the monastery into a female one, orconvent, in 1959. He acquired thesewing machines so the abbesses sewed the clothes and garments to support the monastery.[2]
During theNATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, in the process of constant, everyday heavy bombing of the Straževica hill, the monastery was damaged, especially the front wall of the old church, that is, its front wall was damaged again.[6][11][12]
In 2002, the church of theDormition of the Mother of God was built within the complex.[6]
In 2007 at the old building location, the archaeological researches were done, and then again from 16 July till 16 August 2008, with the aim of confirming the assumption that the building in question is actually the old monastery building. The report states that the required results "were missing", and that the "existence ofmedievalnecropolis in this area, as well as the remains of the honourable table...indicate the existence of the sacral object in that area, although its material remains have not been asserted so far."[13]
Though open for visits, after the burial of Patriarch Pavle in 2009, in order to preserve the peace in the complex, the weddings and baptisms are no longer performed in the monastery.[2]
As it comprises a growing number of religious edifices, the religious complex has been referred to as the RakovicaAthos. Within the yard of the monastery are the churches of Archangel Michael and Dormition of the Mother of God, while other objects are located just outside of it.[14]
Central church, around which complex developed in time.[7]
Nowadays within the monastery complex are located facilities made in different historical periods, from the 15th to the 20th century. Certainly, the most important facility is the Church of Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel. The period of the construction of the monastery church cannot be precisely dated, but it is placed in a wider interval between the restoration of the Serbian Orthodox church as theSerbian Patriarchate of Peć in 1557, and the Great Migrations of the Serbs in 1690. It was designed as a one-nave building in a three-conched plan, with the visible influence of theMorava architectural school. The church has twodomes, the larger one over the central arcade of thenave, and the smaller over thenarthex. Basically, the nave is resolved in the form of a reduced inscribed cross, although this form is not visible in the external treatment. Interventions on the church from the 18th and 19th century altered substantially the authentic look of the upper part of the building. During the 1861 reconstruction, the upper section was added while theroof tiles were replaced with thesheet metal. Horizontal division on the facade, was performed using cordonedcornice, separating upper and lower zone into two unequal parts. In general, the church façade resembles little its original structure especially since it has been covered with plaster.[3][15]
Iconostasis was originally made of the wall partition with two central icons ofJesus Christ andMother Mary, whereas on other places varies wooden and canvas icons were hanged. However, in 1862, the new iconostasis was set up, of the smaller dimensions, whose construction was financed by thePrince of SerbiaMihailo Obrenović.[1] The iconostasis has elements ofClassicism and theBaroquewoodcut. The icons were replaced in the early 20th century. They were painted by Rafailo Momčilović. Old icons, gift from the Russian emperorPeter the Great after 1699, were in the monastery at least until 1737. They were then taken by the monks to the Velika Remeta Monastery. DuringWorld War II, theUstaše forces plundered the monastery and took, among everything else, the icons toZagreb. Today, they are kept in the Galery ofMatica Srpska.[3]
Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, or as it is calledVelika Gospojina among Serbs, was added to the complex in 2002.Velika Gospojina, observed on 28 August, is the officialslava of the monastery. Thus, the church was officially opened on 28 August 2002.[6] It is located across the old church.[2]
As monastery was searching for the solution for its steady water supply, hegumenia Mother Evgenija said that if they found the sufficiently abundant water source, the church would be built on the location. Water was discovered at the depth of 100 m (330 ft), on the slopes of the Zmajevac Hill in the neighborhood ofMiljakovac. The source supplies the entire monastery with water, and the small church dedicated to theAnnunciation was finished in 2015 next to it.[14]
In March 2018 a construction of another church within the complex began. Located 100 m (330 ft) from the monastery gates, it will be dedicated to theSaint Nicholas of Myra. It is expected that the construction will be finished by October 2018 and the interior by 19 December, which is when the Saint Nicholas feast day is observed by the Serbian Orthodox Church. As numerous ill and old visit the monastery, it was decided to build a church at the foothill and close to the road (crkva krajputašica, "road church").[2][16]
The small church covers an area of 110 m2 (1,200 sq ft) and was projected by architect Olivera Dobrijević. One of the conditions by the clergy was that the church could be built only from the natural materials which can be obtained in Serbia. Hence, it is mainly built with bricks, the windows are made of oak, the floor is paved with the natural stone while the roof is covered with copper sheets. The grayish granite from theBukulja mountain and white marble fromVenčac (for the altar) have been used. The façade of the church is predominantly in the Moravian style, with influences from theRaška architectural school. The interior is partially covered in mosaics, work of Đuro Radlović, representing Saint Nicholas, Jesus Christ, Mother of God, Saint Sava and Saint Petka. The sculptural ornaments (rosettes, etc.) are done by Miloš Komad, also from white marble.[14][2][16]
First service in the church was held on 19 November 2018,Saint Nicholas Day. The still unfinished church was opened for the congregation forEaster, on 21 April 2019. It was consecrated by theSerbian Patriarch Irinej on 23 November 2019. Wedding ceremonies will be allowed in the church, as opposed to the other parts of the complex.[14][16]
Across the monastery, there is a natural water springSvetka Petka, named after theParascheva of the Balkans, with small chapel.[2] The chapel is sometimes simply calledSvetinja ("holy relic"), and the folk myths claim the water has healing powers.[7]
Until the early 20th century, there was a smallhermitage oranchorite cell (isposnica) above the monastery. It was a small chapel, called the Hermitage ofSaint Sava.[3]
The monastery includes the konaks (Knežev,Ljubičlin,Platonov).[1][3] There are also a minute park and a drinking fountain within the complex.[6] The drinking fountain was designed byJovan Ilkić.[7] The complex also contains a vineyard.[2] There is monument toVasa Čarapić, along the north outer wall. It was dedicated in 1910, and sculptured by Kosta Jovanović. On the western wall, there is a memorial plaque with the names of soldiers who died in the 1912-1913 Balkan wars.[7]
A number of important historical and religious figures or the members of the royalObrenović dynasty are buried within the monastery complex.
Son of the ruling prince Miloš Obrenović, Todor, who died as a baby in 1830, was buried in the monastery. It was the reason why Miloš supported the renewal of the monastery during his reign, so as his successor, and Todor's brother, Mihailo Obrenović.[1] One section of the monastery was named after Miloš' wife Ljubica, the so-calledLjubica's konak,[1] which is not to be confused with her quarters with the same name in downtown Belgrade'sKosančićev Venac neighborhood, thePrincess Ljubica's Residence. Members of the royal family are mostly buried in the chapel, in the right section of the churchyard. Others include Miloš' brotherJevrem Obrenović, his wife Tomanija Bogićević Obrenović (1796–1881) andMilivoje Blaznavac, a military general and prime minister of Serbia, who was married to Jevrem's and Tomanija's granddaughter Katarina. Simka Obrenović (1818–37), Jevrem's and Tomanija's daughter, is buried next to the church dedicated to the archangel Michael.[2] The monastery became a sort of a mausoleum for Jevrem's family, as his and Tomanija's children and grandchildren were also buried there.[7]
On the other, northern side of the church, one of the leaders of the First Serbian Uprising, Vasa Čarapić, was buried. Also close to the church are the tombs of two Serbian Orthodox Church patriarchs,Dimitrije (in 1930) andPavle (in 2009). Patriarch Pavle specifically asked to be buried in the Rakovica Monastery and his tomb became sort of a pilgrimage site as it is toured by numerous visitors.[1][2][17] The tombstone is in the shape of the cross made of white marble with the inscriptions "Patriarch Pavle" on one, and "I await the resurrection of the dead" on the other side.[6]
The monastery also keeps the holy relics of the Saint hieromartyrsProcopius of Scythopolis and Theodore of Tyre, SaintNectarios of Aegina and the particle of theTrue Cross. They were donated to the monastery by the Patriarch German who brought them from his visit toJerusalem in 1959.[6]
On 19 December 1909, the Saint Nicholas feast day,Nikolaj Velimirović took hismonastic vows in the monastery. Elder Tadej (Thaddeus) ofVitovnica, better known asElder Tadej Štrbulović was sent to the school oficonography in the monastery right after he became amonk. He was ordained into the rank ofhieromonk on 3 February 1938 in the Rakovica monastery.[3]
Today, Rakovica is a female monastery. As of 2018, thehegumenia is Mother Evgenija. Both the abbesses and thenovices live in the complex.[2]
44°43′49″N20°26′49″E / 44.7304°N 20.4470°E /44.7304; 20.4470
