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In the beginning of this century a grammar school was opened in the monastery the church served as a parish church. The area around the convent is now populated by Albanians, the last Serbian family having emigrated from the area in 1967. Since 1956 the monastery has been a convent. The architectural repairs and conservation works took place in 1995/1996. A new dormitories of the monks was built in the 1980's. Today it is very well known as a center of iconography and fresco painting. Abbess Macaria, beside her PhD in chemistry and MA in theology, is probably the best fresco and icon painter in Serbia today.
During the war 1998-1999 the monastery was the place of refuge and asssistance to both Serbs and Albanians. Since it is situated in the predominantly Serb inahbited Nothern part of Kosovo the monastery continued relatively peaceful life after the war. It is constantly under protection of Danish KFOR troops because of the neighboring Kosovo Albanian village. Abbess Makaria (Obradovic). Mother Makaria is one of the best Serbian fresco painters.
Chicago Tribune, Abbess Helps Serbs and Ethnic Albanians, June 23
MONASTERIES
OF OUR DIOCESE /
Decani / Gracanica / Sopocani / Pecka Patrijarsija / |
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The church of Virgin's Maphorion
at Boljetin is better known as Sokolica, named after the hill at whose
foot it is located. It was built in the 14th or 15th century probably
by a landlord from the surroundings of the town of Zvecan. It got the
rank of a monastery probably thanks to the sculpture of Virgin Mary
with Christ which was brought there from the western portal of the Banjska
Monastery in order to hide it from the Turks. The cult of Sokolica Virgin
has always enjoyed a great reputation among the people, regardless of
their confession. A spacious narthex was subsequently added to the church
of small dimensions, while a belfry was built between the two wars.
It was built with the neatly cut stone, with shallow semiovally arched
apse. The facades, the northern one in particular, have many inscriptions
presenting primitive drawings of people and animals as well as old inscriptions.
Although the wall paintings were severely damaged during the Turkish
rule, several representations have been preserved: Christ Pantocrator
in the dome, Assumption on the western wall, Liturgy of Archpriests
in the apse. Fragments of figures clad in laics clothes are visible
on the southern wall who might be the founders. The Church keeps three
old and valuable books: Russian Book of Psalms from the 17th century,
"Zavomaje Ogledalo" in Bulgarian from 1816 and the Prayer
Book from 1838. 
The
beautiful icons of Sokolica monastery can be seen in many churches in
Serbia as well as abroad. The sisters are also active in translating
patristic texts and publishing. In recent years Sokolica monastery has
become an important place of spiritual retreat for young Orthodox girls
who wish to perfect their iconografy in the atmosphere of prayer and
spiritual contemplation.
