UNESCO Helps Rebuild Macedonian Sanctuary

The money from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation will be “of great importance for the swift overhaul of this exceptionally significant monument of culture,” Macedonian Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska told media.

She noted however, that it will not be enough for the complete restoration of the monastery. The government, local companies and individuals already started raising additional money.

The monastery complex is believed to date back to the eleventh century and its valuable collection of artwork suffered greatly last year when the old part of it burned in a fire thought to have been caused by improper electrical installation.

Many old books, paintings and craftwork perished in the flames.

However, the complex's most notable artwork, a hand-crafted wooden iconostasis located in the church of St. John the Baptist, survived along with some other artifacts that were saved by the monks living there.

The monastery is located in western Macedonia, on the road between the towns of Gostivar and Debar, situated in the picturesque surroundings of the Radika River. The famous iconostasis, which is considered a masterpiece of Orthodox Christian art, was made at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Apart from the money for the reconstruction, UNESCO will finance several other projects in the country. One of them is the second Global Conference for Inter-religious Dialogue, which will be held in May in the lake town of Ohrid.