BOĐANI MONASTERY – Bođani

BOĐANI MONASTERY – Bođani

Bođani Monastery is located 15 kilometres west of Bač, in the direction of the Danube. The complex consists of a church, monastic residential buildings and associated outbuildings. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and during Rákóczi’s uprising it was burnt to the ground.

The first monastery was built by Bogdan, a merchant from Dalmatia, who suffered a loss of sight while returning from Buda on a trading journey. At the site of the present-day monastery, he came across a rare spring, washed his eyes with its water and was healed. On that occasion, he vowed to the Virgin Mary that, in gratitude, he would build a church in her honour. Having obtained permission, Bogdan built the church in 1478. Thus, Bođani Monastery was founded, dedicated to the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple.

The monastery was first destroyed in 1565 during the Ottoman invasion. A second church was built in 1578, this time out of wood, but it too was destroyed. A third church was erected in 1678. During Rákóczi’s uprising, this church was also set on fire. A new church, together with the monastery’s residential buildings, was constructed in 1722. The present church was built in the 17th century by the wealthy Mihajlo Temišvarlija from Szeged, as the fourth church building to occupy the same site, dedicated to the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple.

The main residential building and the church at Bođani were constructed in the Baroque style, and the wall paintings were executed by the renowned icon painter of the period, Christophorus Zefarović. The residential building once housed a rich, professionally arranged museum dedicated to this artist, containing numerous antique engravings, oil paintings, ecclesiastical vessels, a printing press and other rare objects. The museum collection is in need of restoration. Numerous objects brought from Manasija Monastery are also preserved here.

The monastery’s greatest treasure is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Bođani, regarded as one of six canonised Orthodox icons in the world. It is believed to possess miraculous healing powers and is particularly venerated by couples who are unable to have children.

The monastery also owns several hectares of land covered by woodland and orchards, while its courtyard is adorned with numerous flowers and trees. Within the residential buildings, there is a small chapel containing a spring which, according to tradition, was the place where Bogdan, the monastery’s founder, washed his diseased eyes and recovered his sight.

The monastery and its residential buildings house a museum containing a rich collection of paintings, icons, frescoes, antique engravings, manuscripts and liturgical vessels. The carved iconostasis, painted between 1745 and 1748, is of considerable artistic value.

Visiting hours for tourists: from 8.00 am until the end of the evening service, at approximately 6.00 pm.

12 Manastirska Street, Bođani
+381 (0) 21 60 72 222 +381 (0)64 851 19 26 +381 (0)64 800 29 04
[email protected]
www.turizambac.rs/

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