The Donji Brčeli Monastery (), also known as Donje Brčele (Доње Брчеле), or simply Brčeli (Брчели), is a
Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
The majority of the populat ...
monastery including the Church of St. Nicholas, located near the village of
Virpazar
Virpazar (, ) is a village in the Municipalities of Montenegro, municipality of Bar Municipality, Bar, Montenegro.
Overview
It is located in the Crmnica region, straddling the Crmnica river, which flows into nearby Skadar Lake. There are various t ...
in the
Crmnica
Crmnica ( Montenegrin Cyrillic and sr-Cyrl, Црмница, ) is one of the local communities (''mjesne zajednice'') of the municipality of Bar and a historical region in southern Montenegro. It was one of the four sub-regions of Old Montenegro ...
region of
Montenegro
, image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg
, coa_size = 80
, national_motto =
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. It was founded by
Jelena Balšić
Jelena Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Јелена Балшић, ; 1411 – 1453) was a member of the Balšić noble family who married the Bosnian nobleman Stjepan Vukčić Kosača. She was the daughter of Balša III and Mara Thopia.
Life
Jelena was born ...
(1365–1443), the daughter of
Prince Lazar of Serbia
Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Хребељановић; – 15 June 1389) was a medieval Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empire. Lazar's state, referre ...
. Šćepan Mali, the impostor pretender of the Russian emperor, was buried here.
Geography
The monastery is located in Donji (Lower) Brčeli, in the Upper Crmnica region, in the Brčeli tribal region (one of seven in Crmnica).
History
It was founded by Jelena Lazarević (1365–1443), daughter of Prince Lazar of Serbia and wife of Zetan lord Đurađ II Balšić, Đurađ II. The village of Brčele had earlier been granted by King Stefan Dečanski (r. 1321–31) to the Vranjina Monastery, Monastery of St. Nicholas on the Vranjina island.
In 1714, the Ottomans burned down the Bigovo Monastery in the Bay of Kotor, so the ''hegumen'' and monks found shelter in the Brčeli Monastery. Šćepan Mali, the impostor pretender of Russian Tsar Peter III, who managed to rule Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro, Montenegro from 1767 until his death in 1773, was buried in the monastery. Petar II Petrović-Njegoš sent Bishop Nikifor of Užice to Brčeli upon his arrival at Morača (monastery), Morača from the Principality of Serbia.
In 1861, the monastery was reconstructed by Prince Nikola I Petrović of Montenegro.
References
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Donji Brceli Monastery
15th-century Serbian Orthodox church buildings
Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro
Bar, Montenegro
Medieval history of Montenegro
Monasteries used as prisons