- Address: Manastir Župa Nikšić (svetog Luke), 81400, Niksic, Crna Hora
- Tel: 8-10-381- (0) 83 / 250-751
Modern Montenegro has in its borders a large number of monasteries and temples of various denominations. Orthodoxy is the state religion of Montenegro. There are many Christian Orthodox churches and more than 50 monasteries in the country, some of which are chronicled from ancient times. Let's talk about one of them - Zhupa-Nikshichka.
Acquaintance with the monastery
Zhupa-Nikshichka is the working convent of the Apostle Luke, located on the left bank of the Gracanica River, at the very foot of the Vodochka Vrch mountain range. Territorially it is 12 km from the city of Niksic in Montenegro.
The date of the foundation of the monastery dates back to the Middle Ages, as no more accurate information was found. According to local legends, originally the monastery was located on the opposite side of the river, but it was destroyed by a rockfall from the mountain Gradac. The restored monastery also did not last long.
Under the guidance of a local architect named Yovitsa in the beginning of the XVII century, the locals dismantled all the buildings, moved them over the stones and rebuilt the church with the cells where we see them today.
During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, the monastery suffered greatly: Zhupa-Nikshichka was the place where the rebels gathered against the Turkish oppression. The monastery burned repeatedly, the last time in the fire was lost the famous Chupa chronicle.
Zhupa-Nikshichka played a special role in the liberation struggle of the Montenegrin people. The monastery belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church, its Budimlyansk-Nikshich diocese. The Serbian name of the monastery is Manastir Župa. After World War II, the monastery was emptied, and only in 1997 it was reborn again as a woman.
What is interesting about the monastery?
Sisters-nuns in addition to the usual monastic obediences are also engaged in sewing and knitting, icon painting and translations from Russian into Serbian creations of the Holy Fathers. Sisterhood of the monastery has 20 nuns and 10 novices. At the monastery a children's choir named after St. Luke the Apostle was organized.
During the construction of the new church building, the image of the Assumption Church of the Monastery of Morac was taken, possibly that of the old Zhupsky Temple, too. In the church there is one nave with a dome and a peculiar transverse transept. An inscription in the Serbian language is immortalized above the entrance to the building. On the west side the facade is decorated with a petal-rosette window.
The stone slabs of the floor are made with a decorative pulpit, this indicates a similarity to the church in Morac. The oak iconostasis together with the crystal of the chandelier are the main decorations of the interior decoration. In the left part of the choir is an ark with part of the foot of St. Luke the Apostle. Here many pilgrims come from different countries with requests and prayers.
North of the building of the Zhupa-Nikshicha Monastery is a cemetery where the martyr Gabriel (Dabić) is buried. Many famous residents of the Župy Nikshechskaya are buried here too: they are monks, fighters for the freedom of the country, architects. Nearby there is a concrete belfry. To the south of the church is a fresh spring. In the monastery courtyard in its south-western part is a cell building.
How to get to the monastery?
Geographically, the monastery Zhupa-Nikshichka was built near the village of Livoverichi. Parishioners, pilgrims and tourists come to the monastery from the town of Niksic . It is convenient to do this by taxi, a passing bus or a rented car on the coordinates: longitude 19.0714 latitude 42.7437.
Schedule of services: morning and evening services - at 5:00 and 17:00 respectively, on holidays, liturgies are held at 9:00.
Tourist excursions on the territory of the monastery are not conducted, pilgrims are allowed to visit the service and stroll through the monastery yard.