Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery

About

Founded in the 11th century, the Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery was destroyed, rebuilt, and renovated several times over its 1000 year history. Today, this peaceful respite still houses a monastic community, who welcome visitors to enjoy their hospitality, and their monastery’s rich heritage. The monastery church, filled with colorful frescoes, is dominated by a 19th century wooden iconostasis. Intricately carved by local artist artists, it depicts over 700 tiny figures and is considered one of the finest in the world. In the monastery reliquary, visitors will find not only the forearm of St. John, but also relics from several saints, including Lazarus of Bethany, Saint Nicholas, and Saint Barbara, and part of the Holy Cross. The monastery also houses the miraculous 11th century icon of St. John, around which it was founded.