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Life of our Saint and God-bearing father Vasilie of Ostrog, Metropolitan of

Celebrated April 29 (12th May according to the New Calendar)

To every nation and in every era the philanthropic Lord gives to His Church His Saints, who will educate and sanctify His faithful people, and guide them on their earthly path to the Kingdom of Heaven. And to the Serbian nation also, since it became Christ’s, the Lord has been continuously giving his Saints, by whom God was celebrated and testified and through which orthodox people were seeking salvation and divine enlightenment. Many great Saints the Lord gave to every corner of the Serbian land at all times throughout its history, in the first era of freedom and in the later era of servitude. Likewise in Zachlumia, a Serbian land, and through it to all the spiritual descendants of St. Sava [1], God gave in the difficult times of the Ottoman occupation this holy 1 and God-bearing father Vasilie newly appeared miracle worker of Ostrog and Zachlumia.

Our Holy Father Vasilie of Ostrog, was born in Hum country, today's , which was previously ruled by St. Sava before his departure to the Holy Mountain of Atos. And returning from , when he founded a Serbian Archbishopric, St. Sava in that country founded the bishopric of Zachlumia, which later was governed by our Holy Father Vasilie as Metropolitan. But we ought firstly to present his sacred hagiography from the beginning.

St. Vasilie was born in the village Mrkonjic in plains on December 28th 1610, of pious and devout Orthodox parents Petar (Peter) Jovanovic and his wife Anastasia. Parents at baptism named the child Stojan, and then they taught him the fear of God and every useful wisdom. Blessed Stojan since childhood was bright and very smart, and with a soul completely turned to God by virtue and piety. The first lessons of virtue and piety Stojan received in his home, because his family thought more about God and the soul than about materialistic and transient things. Another school of his piety was his fasting, prayer and constantly attending worship services at the church. Although young, the future saint regularly attended holy church services. Stepping on the threshold of the temple of God, he prostrated himself and reverently kissed firstly the church floor and then the holy Cross and the sacred icons in the temple. At the Holy Liturgy he was standing with divine fear, faith and love, like he was standing before the throne of God. He distinguished himself always with calmness and seriousness, and also with gracious heart and soul. His family was poor and hardly had bread for their needs. But he, even with the little bread that he ate, he never ate

2 it alone, but always shared with others, especially while as a shepherd he went herding sheep along with other shepherds.

His parents were hated by some malicious neighbors, apostates from the faith and Turkish converts, and their hatred turned against the young Stojan as well because of his piety and wisdom. These were the first temptations for a young soul, which later would have to suffer many more such ordeals. To shelter a child from the enemy and also wanting to introduce him to books and literacy, parents took him to the nearest monastery in that region, called Zavala [2], dedicated to the Presentation of Mary, where the abbot was Stojan’s uncle Serafim. The monastery was well known in the region of Herzegovina and had a sizable fraternity. At the monastery there were erudite monks, and also they had a lot of books there. Here prudent young Stojan learned the wisdom of the Holy Scriptures and of the Holy Fathers, but also useful worldly science. Reading books and words of the Holy Fathers his soul was kindled by love toward God and the holy ascetic life, and therefore he wished to become a monk.

In the Zavala monastery he stayed for a while, and then moved on to the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, called Tvrdoš in region [3], which was the seat of the Diocese of Trebinje. While living in this monastery, the blessed one was attracted even more to the monastic life, and therefore he now finally decided to receive there the holy and angelic monastic rank. All the time there he spent in fasting, vigil and prayer, and in physical labor. When he then became monk, he was given the monastic name of Vasilie. This name was a sign that in his future asceticism and episcopacy he should look upon the holy and great hierarch of the Church of God, Basil the Great. After a while the saint was honored by the diaconal and priestly rank. Henceforth he was

3 serving before the throne and the altar of God with every devotion and purity. Having spent some time in the monastery, he went to to the then Metropolitan of Cetinje Mardarije, who kept him by his side in Cetinje. But soon between the two there was a disagreement about a very important matter, about which we will speak now.

At that time, through western Orthodox regions, propaganda was spreading. Roman clerics, known as the Jesuits, sent from Rome by the to use the difficult situation of the enslaved and suffering Orthodox under the Turkish yoke in order to convert them to their Latin heresy and bring them under papal authority, were swarming at that time, through the coastal regions of Montenegro and Herzegovina. To their devious operation against the Orthodox Metropolitan Mardarie was alerted by zealous Orthodox, Blessed Vasilie, but the Metropolitan wasn’t concerned about that and was lenient towards Uniate propaganda. Thanks to their faith and devotion to Orthodoxy, but also to diligent work of Venerable Vasilie against the Uniats, the Orthodox people and priests were not succumbing to the Latin propaganda. The saint was advising the Metropolitan to fiercely come forth against the enemies of the Church and that he shouldn’t be afraid of anything when it comes to defending the faith and truth of Christ, but the Metropolitan was not listening. What's more, he began to plot against the St. Vasilie and to falsely accuse him in front of people. The people did not believe the Metropolitan's slanders because they knew the holy and God- pleasing life of Vasilie, and he was very respected and loved, but, wanting to move away from evil and scheming, he went back to his monastery of Tvrdoš. But even there he did not cease to fight for the preservation of the Orthodox faith and to protect his people from the vicious foreignness. That’s why he was called by people ,,Zealot of Orthodoxy”.

4 Living in Tvrdoš, the Saint continued his feats, not only for the salvation of his soul, but even more for the salvation of his Orthodox people. From his prayerful monastic cell at the monastery he could perceive all the hardships and misery suffered by his people, choking on the heavy yoke of Turkish slavery, poverty, fearful of Turkish tyranny and lawlessness, bullied by the Uniate propaganda. And that’s why he constantly raised warm prayers to God for the salvation of his people. Although at that time he was already Archimandrite, he hadn’t been staying only at the monastery, but had also undertaken an evangelical mission amongst the people, so that he, as a priest and shepherd, visited Herzegovina villages and houses to preach the Gospel of Christ. Traveling through his nation like his predecessor St. Sava, he was holding all the Holly Services and offering the Sacraments amongst the people, and comforting them to be brave in faith and suffering, and helping the afflicted and bereaved. Under the name "Rayah’s[4] Prayer", as the Turks called him, he was serving as a shepherd of God's people and its evangelical enlightener.

His apostolic work provoked against him local Muslim converts, and they sought to kill him. In order to move aside from these dangers, and to do more for his people, the Saint set of for Orthodox Russia. Returning after some time from Russia, he brought with him many valuable gifts for the church, sacred vestments and books, and also some money for his people. With these gifts he provided for the impoverished church throughout Herzegovina, and he was helping also the unfortunate and needy. Furthermore, he started on renovating many derelict and dilapidated temples, and setting up national schools in Tvrdoš and in the parish churches. For this labor worthy of the Nemanjic’s[5] he called for help from fellow Tvrdoš monks and parish priests. However, neither did the wily devil and enemy of mankind this

5 time leave him alone. The earlier hatred of his enemies again was flaring up. On the one hand, there were Muslim converts, and on the other agents of the Latin Union. His fearless and tireless apostolic zeal and shepherding was only increasing the hatred and violence of God’s enemies so that the Saint was again forced to move away from the region.

This time he decided to travel to the Holy Mountain of Athos, to that beacon of the Orthodox faith and saintly life. Therefore he headed from Tvrdoš over Onogost (Nikšić) and the Župa of Nikšić, and came to the Morača monastery[6]. From Morača he crossed the Vasojević lands and Budimlje and arrived to the monastery of Đurđevi stupovi (Pillars of St. George)[7], and from there proceeded all the way to Peć. In Peć, he contacted Patriarch of Peć Paisie Janjević (1614-1647) and told him in detail about the sad and bitter condition of Orthodox in Herzegovina, about their suffering under Turkish violence and oppression and deceitful propaganda of . Then he expressed to the Holly Patriarch his desire to travel to the Holy Mountain, and asked for his blessing. The wise patriarch Paisie immediately realized that Archimandrite Vasilie has great spiritual virtues and abilities, and admiring his former pastoral work, he began thinking of raising him to the rank of bishop. But instead, he firstly let him depart for the Holy Mountain and advised him not to stay there, but to return to him to Peć. The Patriarch appraised Godly Vasilie accurately and concluded that only such a person could help to severely endangered Orthodox people in Zahumska regions.

Vasilie arrived peacefully at the Holy Mountain and remained there for a year. He had visited there many monasteries and sketes and learned much from the many ascetics and hermits of Mount Athos. But

6 most of his time he spent at the Serbian monastery [8,9], among the Serbian monks. On his return journey from the Holy Mountain he stopped by again in Peć and contacted the patriarch. The Holy Patriarch then assembled fellow hierarchs and on the day of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord 1638, he ordained Vasilie as a Bishop and designated him Metropolitan of Trebinje based at the monastery Tvrdoš. Although still young, less than thirty years of age, he was graced with episcopal rank because of the holiness of his life and because of the great need of the Church in those overly difficult times.

From Peć he departed by the same route back to Tvrdoš where he was joyfully received by all Orthodox people. Immediately upon arriving in his bishopric he continued his previously started pastoral work. Despite all the dangers that started to threaten again from everywhere, he traveled around the diocese and performed his service as a shepherd unwaveringly. The main weapon in his work was the Word of God and prayer. The power of his prayer was so great that it had already begun to perform miraculous healings and, in general, show miraculous powers. The people was already perceiving him as a Saint, because many times they were convinced of his holy life and prayer and the gift of foresight which he had received from God. In fact, not only was he going amongst the people but the people also started coming to him, asking him for help and comfort in a variety of troubles and temptations of every kind that beset them. And the Saint was graciously helping everyone with his holy prayers and spiritual lessons, but often also with charity. He urged one and all to show charity and also donate for the restoration of holy shrines and monasteries. In such a way he moved wealthy benefactor Stefan Vladislavić and, with then abbot of Tvrdoš Veniamin, he repaired and put in order the Tvrdoš monastery where he was residing.

7 At that time, the Turks killed East Herzegovinian Metropolitan Paisie Trebješanin, whose seat was near Onogost (Nikšić). Serbian patrijarh at Peć at that time was holly Gabriel Rajić (1648-1656), who later suffered as Hieromartyr. He then appointed St. Vasilie, until then Metropolitan of Zahumlie, as a Metropolitan of this vacant eparchy, and about this he wrote his Patriarchal gramata (letter). In the gramata he wrote: "My humbleness is writing to your blessed diocese, called Nikšić, Plana, Kolašinović and Morača, to you Venerable abbots, hieromonks and monks, pious archpriests and honorable priests, and to all in our God Christ pious Christians, the grace of God and the help of the Holy Serbian enlighteners be with you all! With this let it be known to all that I have given and blessed aforementioned Diocese of Zahumlie, to kir Vasilie, which used to be governed by the late Bishop Maksim and Hieromartyred Bishop Paisie. Receive earnestly the aforementioned Bishop and pay him honor as befits your lawful Metropolitan to get the blessing and grace of the Lord God and protection of Immaculate Mother of God for you and for your children and Orthodox homes".

The Metropolitan lands of eastern Herzegovina, which was also called Mileševska or Petrovska, to which was now appointed the Saint of God, Vasilie, is in fact the eastern part of the ancient Diocese of Zahumlie. The Patriarch Macarius Sokolović (1557-1574) in his reconstruction of the Peć Patriarchate divided the Diocese of Zahumlie into the eastern part - Mileševska and the western part – Trebinjska, based in Tvrdoš. So, St. Vasilie was to take over this eastern, also called metropolitanate of Onogošt, but he did not immediately go to Onogošt (Nikšić), but for some time he governed from the monastery Tvrdoš, where he was residing. After that, he completely crossed to his metropolitanate and continued his archpastoral work.

8 At that time, the Turks started to torture even more the Serbian people and to rob their homes through villages, and to take people into slavery. At the forefront where particularly evil Ali-aga’s soldiers. They plundered churches and monasteries and ravaged whole region. Because of that people escaped with fear to refuges, and all where pressed by such misery that even the Israelites in Egypt where not worse off. In those years haughty Herceg’s regional Begh[10] caught all the national leaders and executed them one by one. Even though he enjoyed to spend time in the Monastery of the Holy Apostle Luke in Nikšić region, and even though he also restored the Monastery of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius in the village of Pope near Onogošt, where he was also spending some time, the Saint was forced to move away from his new seat because of pressure from this and other Turkish crimes. Therefore he found a hidden place, in which he intended to seclude himself. This place was a cave in Pješivci under the mountain Zagarača. There, he arranged for himself a cell and wanted to stay there for longer. Having heard for that, elders from the area came to him and advised him that it was better for him to pass to the Monastery of Ostrog, which Saint immediately abided.

He already heard about Ostrog, and about its venturers, especially for the virtuous Prior of the Ostrog, venerable elder Isaiah. This virtuous elder led rigorous ascetic and divine life in a cave above the Upper Monastery of Ostrog. When he passed from this life, God glorified his holy relics, but the Turks soon found them and burned them on fire. On reaching the Holy Monastery of Ostrog, St. Vasilie first stopped at the foot of the Ostrog Mountains, then went to Upper Ostrog and settled in the cave of this venerable ascetic Isaiah. Since then, he has been governing his metropolitan from this place for full fifteen years.

9 At Ostrog he began to gather round him other monks and ascetics, and with them, he restored the church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, which had been built by Ostrog’s monks earlier. Later on he constructed and ornamented the church of the Holly and life-giving Cross at the Ostrog mountain wall, which was then frescoed and remains preserved to this day. In one word, he tried to turn his Ostrog cave into a real monastery and, like other Orthodox monasteries, make it a cradle of spiritual life for the people. When the fraternity in the monastery became enlarged, he appointed Isaiah, the grandson of that venerable Isaiah from the village of Pope near Onogošt. The Saint had taken upon himself the most strenuous feats, imposing upon himself endeavors, each harder than the previous one. Even though he was building churches, and carrying building stones with his own bare hands, he was also caring about his diocese and flock entrusted to him, while in no way diminishing his labors of constant godliness, prayerful vigil and asceticism. He ate only fruits and vegetables, and practiced prostrations (metanias) [11,12] and other activities of monastic life. His body was dry, and his face was yellow like wax and he was entirely a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, the Saint was not dwelling in his ascetic cave all of the time. From his mountainous spiritual heights he descended amongst the people and he shared with them their sufferings as a true shepherd. People started coming to him from all sides, in large numbers, and sought his help and spiritual and physical comfort. Even during his life people considered him a Saint, and that is why they were pouring to him from everywhere. Many at those times felt the miraculous power of his prayer and celebrated God for that. Persecuted and maltreated Herzegovinian rayah was running for shelter in front of Turkish crimes to a Saint in Ostrog mountains, and many elderly, women and children

10 stayed for longer with their bishop. And their blessed spiritual father and their pleader before God took care of them with help from the surrounding villages.

From his hermit cave, he kept regular contacts with the Serbian patriarchs in Peć by means of written correspondence, and when he could, he was also visiting them. To them, the holy bishop grieved over the great malice of humans who surrounding him. Namely, near the monastery of Ostrog lived a local Knyaz[13], Raic with his six sons, who committed many and great injustices against the Saint and Monastery. About this St. Vasilie wrote in his testimonial letter the following: "I am writing this as confirmation of the truth, so that the Christians know that I spent some time in the Ostrog wilderness, and that I contributed all my efforts there earnestly and all my property, sparing nothing for the sake of the mercy of God and Holy Theotokos. And with some brothers, with God’s help, we reconstructed there what can be seen by all. And many were malicious, but God was helping me in every good deed. And this I write to be known to the church servants who will serve after me God and the Holy Virgin at Ostrog, seeking in the cold stones the warmth of God, and also to the Christians after me".

Due to the violence of Knyaz Raic and the immense evil of some, the Saint was thinking of moving from Ostrog elsewhere, where he could continue his undertakings. He thought at those times to go to the Holy Mountain Atos, but within himself, he felt that this malice was a demonic deed in order to interfere with his virtuous undertakings. Besides that, the neighboring Bjelopavlići, led by their priest, Mihail Bošković, begged him not to leave them alone without his gracious help and prayerful protection. The Saint decided not to leave Ostrog, and to suffer injustice to the end. But nevertheless in 1667. he went to the

11 blessed patriarch Maksim in Peć and told him about his own and his flock’s affairs. The patriarch wrote a letter to the Knyaz Raic and the people of Bjelopavlić, and reminded the people that they should guard and help the Ostrog Monastery, and threatening with a curse anyone who would dare to harm the Saint and the monks.

To this Knyaz Raich Saint Vasilie himself prophesied that, because of the violence that he inflicted upon the monastery, all his sons will die. This prophecy of the Saint has soon fulfilled. Distressed, Knyaz Raich went to holy father Vasilie and told him about unfortunate death of his sons. The saint comforted the Knyaz, and advised him to repent of his sins and the sins of his children. On this occasion he prophesied him that, if he sincerely repents, the Lord will comfort him and will bless him again with much male offspring. This promise of the Saint was soon fulfilled, and the local notable again had several male children. Many other foretellings of the Saint were fulfilled during his lifetime, and also many wonders by his prayers had occurred.

Tireless in his hermitic undertakings of prayer, fasting, physical labor, as well as dealing with many issues for the earthly and heavenly good of his flock, the saint of Ostrog was reaching slowly the end of his earthly life. He left this world calmly without pain and suffering, easily handing over his soul into the hands of his Lord, on April 29th, 1671, in his cell above the Ostrog hermitage. From the rock, standing near the place of his repose, later grew a single grape vine, although there is no soil in the rock at all. At the time of the Saint's blissful repose his cell was glowing with unusual and supernatural light. The body of Saint Vasilie was buried by Ostrog monks in a grave beneath the church of the Holy Presentation of the Mother of God.

12 Soon after the passing of the Saint, the people began to come to his grave and to pray to him, as they have been coming to him during his earthly life. And at the grave a number of miracles began to occur, which haven’t ceased in Ostrog until the present time. Seven years after passing away (1678), the saint appeared in a dream to the head of the St. Luke Monastery in Župa, near Nikšić, abbot Rafail Kosijerevac, and ordered him to come to Ostrog and open his grave. The abbot gave no special significance to this dream, and he did not go. The same dream was repeated for the second time, but the abbot again did not obey. For the third time, St. Vasilie came to the abbot dressed in bishop's attire and with censer in his hands. And while the Saint was censing, ember fell out of the censer and burned the abbot’s face and hands. The abbot then woke up, and, with great fear, recounted his vision to the brotherhood. They agreed then to go to Ostrog monastery. When they came to Ostrog and told the Ostrog monks everything, they firstly went on a strict fast, keeping daily the entire prayer rule and serving sacred liturgies. And on the seventh day, after censing the Saint’s grave, they opened the tomb. And before them the Saint appeared in a glorified body, which was yellow as wax and fragrnt. The monks took his holy body, laid him in a reliquary and carried it to the temple of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, where his relics are still resting unchanged to this day.

The word about the glorification of Saint Vasili’s body quickly spread throughout the region, and the people started coming to his holy relics in ever increasing numbers. Since then, through the grace of God and the sanctity of St. Vasilie, many glorious miracles took place over his holy and miraculous body which have not ceased to the present day. Not only the Orthodox but also other Christians, and even Muslims, have been coming to the great and precious Ostrog Sanctity. And, by their

13 faith with the grace of God and St. Vasilie, they’ve been finding consolation and receiving divine help. Among the many pilgrims who came to the Saint in Ostrog to honor him was the last Patriarch of the Serbs in Peć, Vasilije Brkic-Jovanovic, who, being persecuted by the Turks, found a refuge in Montenegro. At Ostrog he spent six months by the relics of St. Vasilie in prayer and fasting, and on that occasion he compiled the Service and Hagiography of this Saint. And in the difficult wartime and post-war years, staying by the Saint, and finding himself consolation and protection in his proximity, the presbyter Vasili wrote a hymn (1947) to St. Vasilie, the manuscript of which can be found at the Ostrog Monastery.

Even today, the pilgrims are still coming in large numbers from all parts of our country, to the saint of Ostrog, regardless of their religion and nationality. They come also from abroad. By the Saint’s casket prayers are offered both in our and in foreign languages. Many bring children to be baptized right in front of the Saint’s relics, and many are giving their children the name Vasilie. Also, many are getting married there, or confess and commune, or ask for prayers for health, healing, and salvation. Many presents and donations are brought to the holy Father in Ostrog, but the greatest ones are sacrifices of sincere repentance and purification of the heart before God and St. Vasilie. Even the non-Orthodox respect him, and mention his name with veneration. Before the merciful Saint of Ostrog, all the Serbian generations, spiritual descendants of , are pouring out all their sorrows and pains, and offering warm prayers for their living and deceased relatives. Every day, from near and far, worshipers rush towards the Saint, prepared beforehand by fasting and prayer, so that before his sacred casket, they could weep, confess and ask for blessings. In addition to regular fasts, the people are taking special votive fasts, which have been known as

14 "week of St. Father Vasilie". This is especially true ahead of his feast, the day of St. Vasilie. Sometimes people would pledge or give an oath in front of the Saint’s relics. The pilgrimages of the people to Ostrog began even during the earthly life of St. Vasilie and, after the glorifications of his holy relics, they never ceased to this day. In addition to St. Vasilie's feast day, the convocation days in Ostrog are the Pentecost, St. Peter’s feast, the feast of St. Elijah, and the Dormition of the Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. On those days in Ostrog, there are ten to twenty thousand pious devotees. As the Saint did not have peace in his earthly life, persecuted by the many enemies of God and from the chief enemy of human salvation – the devil, so his holy relics have not remain spared by the unholy. So, for the first time, the monks of Ostrog had to hide the relics of Saint Vasilie in 1714, when Numan-pasha Ćuprilić was plundering through Montenegro. The monks then buried the Saints' relics downhill from the lower monastery, by the River. They remained buried there for a whole year. The river flooded this resting place, but the water miraculously has not touched the casket or his body. The second time, it was during the siege of Ostrog monastery by Omer-pasha, in the winter of 1852. Omer-pasha at that time surrounded the at the Upper Monastery, and the siege lasted for nine days. Only thirty Montenegrins, led by the great Mirko Petrovic, the father of Montenegrin King Nikola, bravely defended the Monastery from the Turks. When finally, with the help of St. Vasilie, they repelled the Turks, they held service in appreciation for the mercy of God, the Most Holy Mother of God and St. Vasilie at the church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God. After that, the Montenegrins took the Saint with them and brought him to Cetinje, and laid him out in the church of the Birth of the Most Holly Theotokos, next to the relics of St. Peter of

15 Cetinje[14]. St. Vasilie's relics remained in Cetinje until the spring of 1853, when they were again returned to Ostrog. In that war, the Ostrog monastery was robbed and burned by the Turks, and many of the valuables of Ostrog, as well as documents from the time of the Saint, have disappeared or been ruined. For the third time, the relics of the Saint from Ostrog were moved in the war of 1876-7, and again to Cetinje, where they stayed for about a year. With great ceremony they were returned to Ostrog in 1878. In February 1942, during the bombing of Ostrog by the enemy, the monks were afraid that the shells would demolish the church of the Holly Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God, where the Saint was resting, and transferred his holy body into a small cave in the wall behind the monastery. This fear was proven to be unnecessary. Because, even though grenades were flying, falling around the monastery and bursting, they did not cause any harm to the monastery, nor were any of the brethren hurt. The Saint was then, as before and today watching over his brotherhood.

Our people’s respect toward this godly man is reflected in the naming of many temples in his honor in our country and abroad. In particular, a beautiful temple was erected in his city Onogost (Niksic) and in 1935 a hospital was opened in Belgrade under the name of Saint Vasilie Ostrošky (St. Vasilie of Ostrog). In the church of the Holy Emperors Constantine and Helen on Vozdovac his holy omophorion [15] is being kept. Most of all, St. Vasilie is celebrated at the Ostrog monastery, where, as we have said, many devotees gather from all over our country. To Ostrog one goes fearfully and piously by foot, from the Lower to the Upper Monastery. From Ostrog people are bringing holy water, oil and incense, antidoron blessed bread, or wad of cotton with myrrh collected from the Saint’s casket. To the Saint they bring people sick with various and incurable illnesses, and the Saint heals them

16 mercifully from illness of soul and body. This is evidenced by numerous crutches, chains, and stretchers, as well as precious gifts left at the Sanctuary in Ostrog in gratitude for the miraculous healings and recoveries. Records in the monastery books testify about many of these healings, from mental disorders, to physical infirmity and demonic possession, and they are confirmed by the even more indelible records in the hearts of the faithful. Many of these miracles of St. Vasilie are being spread by word throughout our country. A few of those miracles, and only some of the most recent ones, we will mention here.

In February 1942, during the bombing of Ostrog monastery, a shell from a German gun struck a stone wall above the Upper Monastery, breaking the door on the Church of the Holy Cross, but, miraculously, it did not explode. After landing, grenade split in two, the fuse falling to one and the explosive to the other side of the stone floor in the church. Upon later examination it was found that the shell was in order and as such it was capable of exploding. It is obvious to everyone that the Saint did not allow it, because it would have caused great damage to the holy church and his monks. This shell is still preserved today at the Upper Monastery.

17 Holy relics of St. Vasilie the Wonderworker

A craftsman from the Nikšić area become seriously ill, becoming paralyzed. There was no medication that could help him. His family advised him to go to Ostrog to St. Vasilie, but he immediately refused because he was an atheist, an unbeliever. After a while, Saint Vasilie appeared to him in a dream and invited him to come to Ostrog and he would heal him. After thinking about it for a long time, he finally decided, and agreed to be taken to the monastery. When he came to the monastery, he confessed, and that night he spent by the Saint’s coffin, where prayers were read. After a short while he was completely cured, and in gratitude to the Saint he gave his eldest son the name Vasilie.

In September 1956, for pilgrimage to St. Vasilie came Drago Džabarkapa from the village Vrulje, near Pljevlja, and said: "Two years ago, I was very sick having stomach pains. I spoke to doctors in Pljevlja, Prijepolje and Sarajevo. The doctors were in doubt about the diagnosis. In the end they found out that it was ulcer. The doctors suggested that I come to the hospital and stay there for 20 days, and then, with written consent by me and my parents, I would be operated. Despite the strong pains that were becoming intolerable, I did not agree to the operation. I went home, and as soon as I got there I lay in bed from which I couldn’t move. In March of the same year, while in bed, I had an unusual dream. Namely, I dreamt to be traveling by a road, unknown to me at all. Because of the unknown path, I felt huge fear, which doubled, when I turned into a small cave that was filled with darkness. Suddenly, an unknown man appeared inside, and he asked me: Why are you crying? I answered that I was afraid because I have no one with me. Then he told me to go with him. And I went. Traveling with him, I came to one small door, which was closed. An unknown man opened it and we both entered

18 inside. The room was beautiful and very bright, although I never saw any lamp. Then he said to me, "Here is where you will sleep over, this is the home of St. Vasilie." After these words, I woke up, deeply shaken by what I had dreamt. I immediately told the dream to my parents, who agreed that I should go to Ostrog without delay. So, accompanied by my mother, although severely ill and exhausted, I went to Ostrog for the first time. Once there I spent two nights by the Saint, with daily prayers. I was immediately better and after two days, almost completely healthy. I went cheerful and healthy to back my home. And the joy of my parents was infinite. Because of gratitude to the holy Father Vasilie I came here this year also with my uncle Daša Cmiljanić and my mother Milia. I always pray to God and St. Vasilie to keep me safe, me and my entire family, from all harm".

In August 1957, to the Upper Monastery there arrived a severely ill young woman, who had been in this condition for some time, named Lena Junčaj, from the village of Druma near Tuzi. She was brought here by her husband Leko and brother in law, Nua. She was so sick that they carried her from the train station all the way to Ostrog with great effort. Upon their arrival at the Upper Monastery, they immediately entered the church and approached St. Vasilie. They asked for the healing prayers to be made for patient. After the prayer was made, they asked for their patient to stay for a while, and to lay by the relics. The patient fell asleep by the sacred casket and slept for nearly two hours. Then they woke her up and went to their home. The patient obviously felt better. Upon her arrival at home, the patient suddenly felt that she was regaining strength and she soon recovered completely. After a few days, from her brother- in-law, who was more literate than the patient's husband, a letter arrived in which Nua informed that his sister-in-law was completely cured. All of them where grateful to God and Saint Vasilie.

19 Vera J, a young girl from the Bar area, employed as a civil servant, suddenly fell ill in 1950, from serious nervous breakdown and as such was not fit for any work. Concerned parents were taking her to doctors all over the area and they were seeking help of the best neurologists at clinics in Belgrade and Zagreb, but, unfortunately without success. Her condition deteriorated sharply each day. When all hope was lost that the girl would ever recover, her mother decided, without telling any of the neighbors, to bring her to Ostrog. She set off at the beginning of winter of the same year. With great effort they walked from the Lower to the Upper Monastery. The girl was overwhelmed with exhaustion and she was twitching as if possessed, demanding to go back. With great effort they led her to the Upper Monastery, where the guardian of the casket read the prayer for the healing of such patients. That night they spent at the Upper Monastery. The next day, the girl woke up completely healthy, to the great surprise and joy of her mother and everyone present. She returned cheerfully and with ease to her home, and in a few days she returned to her previous job.

Radomir Pantović from the village of Gradac on July 13th, 1961, came to tell the monks about his own experience, as follows. In 1929, he stated, I became seriously ill, and because of this illness I lost the power of speech. All my efforts to get help and to restore my speech were in vain. Then my father decided to take me to Ostrog. With the great effort of my father and myself, we arrived at the Upper Monastery, where we approached the Saint. There, the monk said prayers for me. After the prayers were said I lay down and fell asleep in the church, and when I woke up, I was completely healthy. I wasn’t feeling any pain and, to my great joy, I could speak. They were not little surprised, the monk and my father, as well as others present there. After that, all of us jointly thanked God and Saint Vasilie, who had given me health. With my father, I went

20 back home healthy and cheerful. The following year I came back to thank the Saint, which now, after thirty years, I am still doing, and I will keep doing it as long as I am alive and able to do so. I will be coming to Ostrog, to give thanks and express gratitude to the great miracle worker, St. Vasilie.

During the summer months, many pious people come to Ostrog monastery on pilgrimage to St. Vasilie. On August 4th, 1961, Slavko Jovanović from Sarajevo was among them and he told thus about the events leading to his brother's healing. "My brother, whose name is Radivoje, was a difficult mental patient, in reality and formally he was crazy. He got sick sometime during 1948. He spent about 5-6 months in the Sarajevo hospital, but without any improvement and hope for recovery. My parents intended to take him out of the hospital and to bring him here to Ostrog, to St. Vasilie. Although the doctors did not like the idea, they released him anyway. They were perhaps glad to get rid of a difficult patient even for a short time. My parents tied up my sick brother and took him to Ostrog, believing that they will find help there. When they brought him here to the Upper Monastery, by the relics of Saint Vasilie, the prayers were offered and he was anointed, after which he was immediately better. They removed ropes from his hands, and the next day they returned to home joyous, grateful to the St. Vasilie who blessed them with health. When they arrived home, in our place Zubac (near Sarajevo), all the locals and family were astonished to see Radivoje healthy and sane. Radivoje later married and now has his own family. He is a carpenter now. He continually glorifies and praises God and His servant St. Vasilie of Ostrog”. And so, still amazed by that miracle of God, Slavko Jovanović ended his story.

21 Each year in Ostrog, at least once, one young man can be seen, highly educated, employed as a lawyer in a large company, rushing to the Upper Monastery to express gratitude to St. Vasilie for his healing. Here is what he says. His name is Božidar Čelebić, from Belgrade: "At the beginning of 1961, I was seriously ill, and I was treated in a hospital for four full months, but without success and with little hope for healing. At the time I lay in the hospital and struggled with a severe illness, my friend Aleksandar, at the request of my deeply pious mother, came to Ostrog Monastery and, for my healing, he performed the consecration of ointment. At the same time, when he was attending the consecration of ointment for me, I felt some strange lightness and improvement of my health. Soon, to everyone’s surprise, I asked to be released from the hospital. I was very persistent, so the doctors had to fulfill my request, although they believed that I would not live for long. Today, with my friend Aleksandar I came to Ostrog to pray to God and to thank St. Vasilie that I’m completely healthy," Božidar Čelebić concluded his testimony.

Many worshipers who are not able to bring their sick to the Saint bring their clothes and leave it under the reliquary of the Saint for at least one night. In addition to clothing, they bring food, usually sugar cubes, and do the same. The guardian of the relics then offers prayers over those objects. When they return, they take the sanctified things and bring them to the sick, believing that St. Vasilie will help them in this way. And it really helps, which will be seen from the next case. On August 15th 1962, in the Upper Monastery, Božidar Šijaković and his wife, Slavka, said: "Our son, Vidomir, was seriously ill with a headache, from which he has been suffering for two years. We have sought help from many doctors and visited many hospitals, and the doctors gave him various medications and injections, but everything was to no avail, the

22 headache did not disappear. Last year, my mother-in-law, Ilinka Novaković, went to Ostrog for pilgrimage and prayers to the Saint. On that occasion we gave her a kilo of sugar cubes so that she could put it near the relics and for prayers to be offered for Vidomir’s health. When she returned home she brought us the sugar. We were giving this sugar to Vidomir for a few days, believing that, as a something consecrated in Ostrog, it will help him. We do not know how and in what way, but we know this: he completely recovered and since then his head never hurt again. We came to thank God and St. Vasilie, who healed our son".

In the month of December 1962, approaching St. Vasilie for help was a man from Bar with his old mother. He asked the hieromonk guardian of the holy relics to read him prayers for health. After completing the prayers, a man whose face expressed inner suffering and some strange distress, with noticeable tears on his face, addressed the priests, saying, "Fathers, I am a long time alcoholic, I spent all my earnings on alcohol, and beside that I lived a disordered, filthy life. I haven’t been taking or respecting anyone’s advice. The day before yesterday I came home from one such journey, just before dark, and I immediately went to bed. During the night, whether it was a dream or reality, that I cannot explain, a figure came out in front of me, which, I understood, was St. Vasilie, and he said to me: “Why are you doing that? Why do you live such a life? Why don’t you get better?” Then he said to me: "Go to Ostrog Monastery, and in front of me give a promise that you will not drink again and live disgracefully"! Then the figure disappeared. Since then that appearance and those words haven’t been off my mind nor have I had any peace. Something compelled me constantly and whispered to me continuously: go, do what you have been ordered. I could not stand it anymore, and I came here to pray to God and give a promise to St. Vasilie right here that I will never again become drunk

23 and that I will live my life in decency. Let me, fathers, tell you something else: When, back home, I made the decision to go to Ostrog and give my solemn vow, I felt some inexpressible joy and strength. And also, my decision to go to Ostrog left my mother most surprised and delighted. With tears in her eyes, she fell on her knees and said, "Glory and gratitude to You, the great saint of Ostrog, when you showed mercy looking upon my home". Leaving from Ostrog, he left as a new person. Sadness was replaced with happiness and anxiety with serenity. When leaving, he said: "From today, my home and I will celebrate God and St. Vasilie, as best as we know, we pray that the Lord will help us and protect us from all evil."

On 6th of May, 1964, Muslims Asib Guso and Ševka Zajko brought a severely ill Muslim woman, Fatima. Fatima was in a difficult state. She had been suffering terrible cramps throughout her whole body for the preceding five years. The pain would render her unconscious, sometimes she would scream and revile her loved ones in agony. In those five years of severe illness, which led to insanity, they visited many doctors, sorceress and herbalists, but they failed to find any medicine or relief. They heard of the healings for such afflictions in Ostrog, so the sick Fatima was brought there by her cousin Asib and neighbor Ševka, to the Upper Monastery. When they brought her near the church, in which the body of St. Vasilie was lying, the sick woman shouted out, "I will not go in there." She repeated that several times, with violent twitching, demanding to go back. The guardian opened the church to them, and also St. Vasilie’s reliquary and he helped to bring the sick person to the Saint. With great effort, eventually they succeeded. The relatives of the patient finally managed to convince her to kiss the Saint, which she did. At that moment, she started to twitch terribly and to tremble so that it was horrifying to watch. As she calmed down a bit, they read prayers for

24 the patient. Upon the prayers being completed, she was engulfed by even worse anguish and twitches, from which she was sweating so much that, after a short while, she was all wet. Unexpectedly, in front all of us, she suddenly was overcome with peace and tranquility, which could clearly be seen on her face. After calming down completely, she kneeled in front of the Saint and began to pray. After a while she said to all of us: "Thank God and Saint Vasilie, I am all right now, there is no pain anymore". After saying that, she started kissing the casket of the Saint. Everyone present, amazed by this grace of God, thanked God and His disciple for this miraculous healing. That night, the patient spent peacefully in Ostrog, and with sun rising she was the first to came to the morning prayers, to once again glorify God, who blessed her by the prayers of St. Vasilie.

In July 1964, the relics of St. Vasilie were approached by Vicar Varnava. After showing respect to the Saint, he told us the case of his healing by the holy water from Ostrog. When he told us of this event, we requested that he write down his case of healing. That is what he did. This is his letter. "I was in the fourth grade of high school. It was Winter 1929. In Sarajevo there was an epidemic of scarlet fever, and it was a few days before the feast of St. Nicholas (St. Nicolas of Myra), our family’s Slava[16,17]. We were busy prepearing for the celebration. My mother was baking brownies and preparing cod. Our house was adhering to the holy rules and rites, and my father was ready rather not to celebrate than to interrupt fasting on St. Nicholas day. And then a thunder struck from the clear sky. That day, I barely returned from school, and I immediately had to go to bed. Already the next morning, an ambulance vehicle drove me to the hospital. It was scarlet fever. The house was turned upside- down. People came to the door and put a sign with the inscription: "Infectious Disease". The sign depicted a skull, a sign of a deadly danger

25 for visitors. That year my house was gloomy for the St. Nicholas day. The house was locked up. The only concern of my family was for my health, my life. I was the most difficult patient at the infectious diseases ward, and they had to tie me up. I wanted to jump out of the window due to the delirium and fever. When the doctors thought that everything was over and lost hope, they allowed my mother to come in with me in the last hours of my earthly life. When my mother came, I didn’t recognize her. I had already received a camphor injection. Last resort. And then, when the nurses and medics went away and my mother remained alone with me, she pulled out one small bottle from her purse. In it was the holy water from Ostrog. Deeply, warmly and lovingly, as only a mother can, my dear mother prayed to God and the Holy Mother of God and the Holy Miracle-Worker of Ostrog. I could not raise myself. My mother sprinkled me three times with the holy water, the gift of St. Vasilie of Ostrog. I opened my eyes. I recognized my dear parent. She helped me to rise and to cross myself. Together we said Our Father, and then I fell into a sweet, rebounding sleep that brought me health and life lasting to this day. That’s how Miracle-Worker saint Vasilie of Ostrog accomplished what medicine could not do".

Housewife from Bar, R. Z. told us following: "In June 1953, my acquaintance and neighbor received guests, a friend of her from Belgrade, the wife of general practitioner Dr. M. N. She also brought along her 13-year-old son, who suffered from infantile paralysis. All the means of modern medicine were used by the parents for the treatment of their child, but all that did not help him at all. The boy was barely moving with the help of special crutches and without them he could not make one step. The parents were desperate because of the state of their child. Following the advice of some of her friends, who belonged to the Christian community, mother went to Ostrog with her sick child, as a last

26 resort to seek medicine for her paralyzed son. In early July 1953 they arrived in Ostrog, where they stayed for two days. During this time, the hieromonk in charge offered a prayer several times over for the boy in front of the relics of St. Vasilie. When they decided to return to their home, the young man felt lightness in his legs, which he, with great joy, told his mother. The improvement was obvious, because the until then severely ill boy, without much effort, descended down to the Lower Monastery. When they came to the Lower Monastery, the liturgy was in progress. After the service finished, in front of the monastery, before all the pilgrims present, he left the crutches and without any difficulty headed towards the railway station. Later from Belgrade they wrote that the boy was completely healthy and that he was continuing his education.

Eighteen-year-old girl Danica S. from the village of P. in the vicinity of Zrenjanin, suddenly fell mentally ill. Her parents immediately sought help from a doctors. But every effort of doctors to help her was in vain. Her day-to-day situation was getting worse and unbearable, not only for the parents but also for the neighbors. In order not to disturb the neighborhood, the only solution was to put the girl in a mental hospital. But before she was placed in a mental hospital, the girl's father decided to try one last thing, that is, to take her to the Ostrog monastery, regardless of the fact that the road is long and hard and burdened with high costs. In June 1958, the father and his daughter, whose hands were tied with a strong rope, set off to Ostrog monastery. He wasn’t regretting money and effort just to find help for his sick daughter. After a strenuous journey with an extremely sick young woman, they arrived at the Lower Monastery, and from there they continued by foot to the Upper Monastery. When they approached the Upper Monastery, to the father’s great surprise, the girl told her father completely normally that she felt

27 better, asking him to untie her. The father did as requested, because he noticed that his daughter spoke normally and had a normal look on her face. Filled with thankfulness and gratitude to God and Saint Vasilie, father brought the healed daughter to the relics of the Saint. He asked the priest, the guardian of the relics, to read for her the prayer for healing. After the prayer was completed, the girl told her father, to his ineffable joy, that she was feeling completely healthy, and asked him to give a donation to the sacred relics for her miraculous and quick healing.

Every year, on the eve of St. Apostle Luke’s feast in the holy Ostrog, in the Upper Monastery, can be seen an elderly man, who is still in excellent shape and with his burly physique he has successfully carried on his shoulders almost eight decades. This eighty-year-old, whenever possible, comes to Ostrog to pray to God. However, the day before St. Luka he never misses, and with great awe and prayerful ardor he approaches the relics of St. Vasilie, to show gratitude for his recovery in youth from a severe illness, which brought him to the recognition of God. He is, in the region where he lives, a well-known and prominent man, Petar (Peter) Koprivica.

This particular year, on the eve of St. Luke, just before evening, into the office of the Lower Monastery Petar entered, and, as he greeted everyone present, he said that he was coming from the Upper Monastery. After sitting, he said: "Today, Father, it’s exactly 50 years, from the day when I was, seriously ill, and came to the St. Vasilie". Having heard these words and burning from curiosity to hear from Peter himself more about the things I read somewhere, I asked him to tell us in detail about his miraculous healing. Indulging the wishes of all those present, Peter started his story without holding anything back: "In my youth I belonged to the progressive movement, as it was considered at

28 that time, and I did not believe in anything. I rejected faith in God. In the help of Saints I did not believe either. I was the well-known scoffer of the name of God, and I cursed and made fun of all that was holy. But God did not allow me to remain in such a grave iniquity for a long time. In January 1920 I became seriously ill. My illness was unbearable, not only for me but for my family too. In these troubles instead of turning to God, I was becoming ever more blasphemous to God. In vain, my parents, my brothers and sisters, were discouraging me from the cursing and the blasphemy. My state worsened every day, and in the end, my whole body started cramping and bending. My struggle was futile and I wasted money going from one doctor to another, from herbalist to herbalist, without finding any help. On the contrary, my pains were heavy and unbearable. My relatives lost every hope that I would ever recover.

During these unbearable pains, they were often advising me to go to Ostrog, to St. Vasilie. While I could barely withstand the suffering, I wasn’t listening to such advice, because I did not believe in it. But, pressed with pain and after being bedridden for a long time, I agreed to go to Ostrog. With great difficulty on this feast day my younger brother Luka brought me to the Upper Monastery. I approached the Saint, and then I went outside to rest a little. Young hieromonk Boris Kazanegra (now the abbot of the Praskvice monastery), finding out the details about my illness, comforted me with the words that the Lord and St. Vasilie would restore my health if I firmly believed and prayed earnestly. Then, by the Saint’s relics, he read out healing prayers and finished the evening prayers. I spent the night in the church and to my joy, that very night I felt great relief. The next day, I came down to the Lower Monastery and here – pointing his hand at a church – they performed the anointment. After this I returned home to Nikšić with reduced and tolerable pain. Such a situation lasted for several days until one day I entered the

29 workshop and saw that one of my younger brother Đorđija hadn’t completed a certain task properly. Then, by my evil habit, angry at my brother, I began to insult the name of God and His Saints. And, o miracle! At the same time, I was beset with pain, much stronger than before going to Ostrog. At that moment I was convinced, firmly and definitely, that there was a God who punishes and rewards. I was repenting with tears for insulting the mercy of God. But tears were not enough to wash my sins and my arrogance. My state worsened every day and became increasingly desperate. In that state I spent four full months. My nerves were just burning. I had the feeling that something is burning in me and on me. In addition, the inflammation of the nerves spread completely to all part of my body, so I could not lift my head up from my knees. In that inexpressible pain I greeted the spring of that year. Something dragged me to Ostrog. That was also the desire of my loved ones. And as soon as the winter gave way to spring, my younger brother Philip, seated me on a horse, and on Theodore's Saturday, at night, I arrived to the Upper Monastery. There, they read again prayers for me and completed the night service. As the day broke of the First Sunday of the Great Lent, I went down to the Lower Monastery to the Sacred Liturgy, where I took communion. After this, thanks to the mercy of God, those severe and unbearable pains disappeared. I could slowly move. It gave me strength and the wish occurred to me to go to the monastery Ždrebaonik [18], to prostrate myself before St. Arseny [19]. God gave me strength to fulfil that desire. From Ždrebaonik I returned home. The pains were not completely gone, but they were tolerable. But now I was cautious not to insult God again with anything. In the grace as well as punishment of God I never doubted again. I tried to live following the law of God. I fasted the fasts, visited church, and often begged the priests to read me prayers for complete the healing. And as more pious

30 my life was becoming, the better my condition got, but I could not straighten myself for a long time.

At those days, I wanted to go to holy Ostrog once more. This time my sister came with me. And on this occasion, in front of St. Vasilie they read prayers for me. After that moment, I felt completely healthy. I warmly thanked God and the Saint for healing, and on my feet I returned home as if born again with my soul and body. Since then, this affliction never again returned. This true story occurred in 1922. I'm always grateful to St. Vasilie for my healing, and also I’m grateful that he, through illness, brought me to repentance," Peter completed his story. “And those iron gates, at the Upper Monastery, they say that it is your donation to St. Vasilie's Monastery, as a sign of gratitude for healing”, I added to Peter. “Yes, when the old monastery was burnt down,” Peter said, “I long begged the then head of the monastery, Father Leontie, to allow me that I do something for the Upper Monastery with my own hands, as a gift for the St. Vasilie, for my healing. He allowed me, so I made those iron gates, which are still standing there".

It was in 1940 that bishop Nikolai asked the Very Rev. Jovan Bošković from Orja Luka (municipality of Danilovgrad), “Do you believe, Reverend Father, that God’s saints live”?

“How can I not believe that, when they have themselves appeared to me and witnessed that they are living!”

One day my wife asked me to go to Ostrog with an offerings for some misfortune that had occurred in our family. I was somewhat grieved and angry. “What should I bring”, I asked, “Leave those dead bones in the Ostrog cave to rest in peace! It is the living you ought to turn to for help!” Thus the day passed.

31 That night I had a vision of St. Vasilie. He struck me with his staff and shouted at me, full of wrath, “I am alive, not dead as you think! And be not faithless, but believing!” In great fear I jumped from my bed and asked my wife for the offerings she prepared for my pilgrimage. I immediately went to Ostrog and took the offerings to St. Vasilie. Since then I have been firm in my belief that God’s Saints are living, not dead!”

Of second miraculous occurrence which took place in Ostrog, the Very Rev. Jovan Bošković has rarely spoken and even then, only to his closest friends. His experience was documented by Maksim Jovović:

“Early at dawn one morning”, recounted the old priest, “I had sent my altar server to bring some food which was needed from the Lower Monastery. I ordered him not to tarry and to ring the bell for matins as soon as he had brought the food. At that time, except for myself, there was no one else at the Upper Monastery.

“I walked out in front of the monastery to enjoy the fresh morning air and to listen to the songs of the many birds that dwell in this wonderful, far-off place.

“Then I took the key to the little church in which the case containing the holy relics is kept and opened it. I blessed myself with the sign of the cross and stood petrified, for I saw the Saint sitting up and leaning against the lid of the case. I started trembling and, as it was still dark, I rubbed my eyes. Then I heard a clear, resonant voice saying, “Come hither father, and do not fear!” I came closer to the Reliquary, fell to my knees and kissed the saint’s hand.

“He made me stand and spoke to me, with a sweet look on his face. We spoke of many things for about half an hour. Then he said to me,

32 “Now you can lock up the church and go out to prepare for matins!” I kissed his hand again and the panaghia on his breast and went out.

“The altar server came back at that moment, rang the bells, and after some ten minutes we went into the church together with some newly arrived pilgrims. The holy reliquary was closed and we venerated it as usual. The matins service began and when it ended we went out. I was confused and somewhat saddened the whole day and told no one of what I had seen.

“The next day I told some brother priests in the Lower Monastery what had happened and I thanked God and St. Vasilie for having bestowed upon me, a sinner, the great honor of such a miraculous and rare conversation. This happened to me only once in all my 40 years of serving in the monastery. I have nourished the remembrance of his miraculous occurrence all my life as my most wonderful, significant and unforgettable memory.”

With the prayers of Our Holy Father Vasilie, the newly-glorified Wonderworker of Ostrog, let the Lord bless and save all Orthodox Christians and all His people. Amen!

On the day of our St. Father Vasilie we also mention Holly Newmartyr Stanko the Shepherd Little boy Stanko, who was a shepherd in the Nikšić region of Montenegro, was killed for the Christian faith by the Turks while shepherding his herd on September 15th 1712. His holy and incorrupt relics – two glorified children's hands, rest in the Upper Monastery of

33 Ostrog in the Church of the Holy Cross, where St. Vasilie of Ostrog was undertaking his ascetic feats. The record of Stanko’s martyrdom was kept in Upper Ostrog (in a reliquary where his holy and incorrupt hands are resting).

[1] Saint Sava - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sava [2] Zavala Monastery - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zavala_Monastery

[3] Tvrdoš Monastery - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tvrdo %C5%A1_Monastery

[4] Rayah - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayah [5] Nemanjić dinasty - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemanji %C4%87_dynasty

[6] Moračica Monastery - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mora %C4%8Da_(monastery)

[7] Đurđevi Stupovi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%90ur %C4%91evi_stupovi [8] Hilandar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilandar

[9] Hilandar - http://www.hilandar.info [10] Begh - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bey

[11] Metania - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metania [12] Prostration - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFBH1Ws2VmY [13] Knyaz - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knyaz

[14] St. Peter of Cetinje - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petar_I_Petrovi %C4%87-Njego%C5%A1

[15] Omophorion - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omophorion [16] Крсна слава - https://www.crkvenikalendar.com/slava_en.php [17] Крсна слава - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slava 34 [18] Ždrebaonik Monastery - https://www.visit-montenegro.com/ montenegro/montenegro-museum-in-the-open/monastery-zdrebaonik/

[19] St. Arseny of Srem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Arsenije_Sremac

[20] Serbian Alphabet - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Serbian_Cyrillic_alphabet

Translator’s Notes: • Vasilie, Vasilly, Basil are all transcribed versions of the Serbian Vasilije. We will use Vasilie since it is the most similar to the original Serbian. • The Serbian Alphabet is phonetic which means that each letter is a phonetic sign (i.e. there are no “spelling rules”) but that also means that we need more (30) letters with some of which you may not be so familiar. Those letters can be found in personal and place names. I tried to preserve names in their original form and for easier reading I will give phonetic “translations” for some of the letters:

• Đ đ /dʑ/ • Ž ž /ʐ/ • Ć ć /tɕ/ • Č č /ʈʂ/ • Dž dž /ɖʐ/ • Š š /ʂ/ • J j /ʝ/ • G g /ɡ/ For more on Serbian Alphabet look in [20].

Original text: https://www.crkvenikalendar.com/zitije.php? pok=0&id=GVV

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