Monastery of the Resurrection of Christ in the Process of Integration of the Local Community: The Renewal of the Monastery as a Sacral and Social Process

Abstract

Sacred spaces such as churches and monasteries, in addition to representing generators of religious tradition, also generate local customs and practices. Their erection in a certain place reflects the community’s need for a place of worship, and may be prompted by miraculous events, dreams or apparitions. One such example is the orthodox monastery of the Resurrection of Christ in the village of Dobri Do near Pirot. This place revive every year at Easter when locals prepare Molitva (Prayer) - a lamb stew that is given as a contribution for the health and well-being of the villagers. This custom, which combines Christian and pagan elements, has a tradition that lasts over a hundred years. In the last few years, the custom has grown into a significant event that integrates and mobilizes not only the local community, but also all individuals whose family origins are related to this place. The ethnographic research which I have conducted during the last six years has been focused on the restoration of the monastery, its role and importance in the local community, as well as the transformation of the custom itself, i.e. its adaptation to the Orthodox, church tradition.

Sakralni prostori kao što su crkve i manastiri pored toga što predstavljaju generatore religijske tradicije, generišu i lokalne običaje i prakse. Njihovo podizanje na određenom mestu reflektuje potrebu zajednice za prostorom bogosluženja, a može biti podstaknuto čudesnim događajima, snovima ili ukazanjima. Jedan od takvih primera jeste manastir Vaskrsenje Hristovo u selu Dobri Do kod Pirota. Ovaj prostor „oživljava“ svake godine na Uskrs kada se ovde priprema Molitva - jagnjeća čorba koja se daje kao vid priloga za zdravlje i blagostanje meštana sela. Ovaj običaj, koji spaja elemente hrišćanske i narodne religije, ima tradiciju dugu preko sto godina. Poslednjih nekoliko godina običaj prerasta u značajnu manifestaciju koja integriše i mobiliše ne samo lokalnu zajednicu već i sve pojedince čije je porodično poreklo vezano za ovo selo. Etnografska istraživanja tokom poslednjih šest godina, bila su usmerena na obnovu manastira, njegovu ulogu i značaj u lokalnoj sredini, kao i transformaciju samog običaja, odnosno njegovo prilagođavanje pravoslavnoj, crkvenoj tradiciji.