Gomirje Monastery

Gomirje

Gomirje monastery
Monastery information
Full name	Manastir Gomirje Манастир Гомирје
Order	Serbian Orthodox
Established	1600
Dedicated to	John the Baptist
Diocese	Eparchy of Gornji Karlovac
Site
Location	nearGomirje,Croatia
Public access	Yes

Gomirje Monastery(Serbian:Манастир Гомирје,romanized:Manastir Gomirje) is aSerbian OrthodoxmonasteryinCroatia.It is the westernmost Serb Orthodox monastery, located in the western part of Croatia near the village ofGomirje,near the town ofOgulin.The monastery is thought to have been founded in 1600. The monastery includes the church of Roždenije saintJohn the Baptist,built in 1719.

History

Congregation's and Monastery's early years

Gomirje Monastery was built in the period of the first larger Serb settling in the villages of Gomirje,VrbovskoandMoraviceat the end of16thand the beginning of the 17th century.In 1600 nobleman Juraj Frankopan, brother of theVuk II Krsto Frankopan,have granted right of "the eternal procuration" of depopulated village of Gomirje to the 325 Serb refugees fromUdbinaandKorenicawhich at the time were under the control of theOttoman Empire.One monk arrived together with settlers and in the 1600-1602 period settlers have build one small wooden chapel for him to serve religious services which will serve as the corner stone of the future monastery.The first conflict with the members ofFrankopan familysurfaced in the following years when Frankopan's wanted to turn settlers intoserfswhile settlers claimed rights of theGrenzeror 'Frontiersmen' of theCroatian Military Frontier.In 1602 settlers' mission asked for protection from theArchduke Ferdinand,and in 1608 they asked once again either for protection or resettlement.In 1615 most of the settlers moved away to theSlavonian Military Frontierwith only 40 families remaining in Gomirje.In 1621 Vuk II Krsto Frankopan erected one observation tower beside the monastery to control Ottoman movements in the region.In 1617 Gomirje's remaining settlers complained once again through their emissaries inGrazand the entire conflict was not resolved until the year of 1657 when settlers redeemed rights on land of the Gomirje area and defined its boundaries in return for four years of annual fee of 15,000 Forints.1657 Agreement granted part of the land to the Gomirje Monastery and it was confirmed by theHoly Roman Emperor Leopold I.

As the old monk could not work as the military chaplain settlers invited 6 or 7 new monks from the Krka Monastery who established first wooden Monastery of John the Baptist surrounded with a small property which was increased over the years through purchasing and endowments.At one point Monastery even owned a port inSenjska Draganear the town ofSenj.Its monks served in the Gomirje, Vrbovsko, Moravice,Drežnica,Ponikve,Ravna Gora,Jasenak,Tuk,Mrkpolje,as wellMarindolandBojanciin modern-daySlovenia.They served around Žumberak at the times when there was no orthodox priests, but in this they faced resistances from the mid 18th century.In 1719 wooden church was replaced with the one built by stone which was completed in 1730.

Resistance to Uniatism

Uniatistefforts of the Roman Catholic Church supported by the authorities intensified in the later part of the second half of the 17th century after decision was taken to transfer seats of eparchies from monasteries to towns.Monks at the Gomirje Monastery provided resistance to the efforts of pro-unitarist bishop Pavle Zoričić resulting in arrests, mistreatment and dungeon sentences.In 1672 group of 14 monks from Gomirje,MarčaandLepavina Monasterywere clipped and sentenced to heavy work in shackles as reptiles on galleys or stone carriers in the project of erection ofMalta Fortress.In 1750 Gomirje monks were expelled from theŽumberak Mountains.At the time Gomirje resisted unitarist efforts through the activities of the bishop Danilo Jakšić and the generous help in secular and religious books which it received from theRussian Orthodox Church.

1781 Patent of Toleration

Main article:Patent of Toleration

In 1789, the monastery was devastated by fires and subsequently rebuilt in 1791.In 1810, futuremetropolitan of Sremski Karlovci,Serbian Patriarchand administrator ofSerbian VojvodinaJosif Rajačićbecame a monk in Gomirje.In 1811,Sava Mrkaljjoined the monastic order for two years until he decided to leave Gomirje Monastery in 1813.

20th century

DuringWorld War I,Austria-Hungaryturned Gomirje Monastery into concentration camp for Serbian Orthodox priests from theTriune Kingdomand areas ofVojvodina.The monastery library and collections were professionally organized in 1938 with the expert advice from theMuseum of Arts and Crafts, Zagreb.During theWorld War II,theUstašegovernment of theIndependent State of Croatiakilled monastery monks and took all of the monastery's valuable possessions to Zagreb, while the complex itself was burned in 1943.The monastery was reopened in 1967.

See also

• List of Serbian Orthodox monasteries
• Serbs of Croatia

Further reading

• Ćirković, Sima(2004).The Serbs.Malden: Blackwell Publishing.
• Mileusnić, Slobodan (1997).Spiritual Genocide: A survey of destroyed, damaged and desecrated churches, monasteries and other church buildings during the war 1991-1995 (1997).Belgrade: Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
• Miller, Nicholas J. (1997).Between Nation and State: Serbian Politics in Croatia Before the First World War.Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
• Вуковић, Сава (1996).Српски јерарси од деветог до двадесетог века (Serbian Hierarchs from the 9th to the 20th Century).Евро, Унирекс, Каленић.

External links

• Manastir Gomirje(in Serbian)