New Gračanica Monastery () 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
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
complex is located in
Third Lake, Illinois
Third Lake is a village in Lake County, Illinois, Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,111.
History
The Alexander Druce Family were the earliest residents of the settlement in ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, a suburb of
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. The complex houses a scaled-up replica of the
Gračanica monastery Gračanica () may refer to:
Places
Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in Tuzla
* Gračanica (Bugojno), a village in Central Bosnia
* Gračanica, Gacko, a village in Republika Srpska
* Gračanica, ...
in
Kosovo
Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. It is a part of the
Diocese of New Gracanica - Midwestern America. It has 300 acres of land, making it the 6th largest monastery among the 80 American Orthodox Christian monasteries.
History
Built on land that the Most Holy
Mother of God
''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are or (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations are "Mother of God" or "God-bearer ...
Serbian Association purchased in 1977, New Gračanica Church and the main building on its grounds dedicated to the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God were completed and consecrated in 1984.
Architecture
It is an architectural replica of the original
Gračanica in
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
that is found on
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
's
World Heritage List
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
, but built in a scale eighteen percent larger than the original.
Frescoes
In 1995 famed
Polish-American
Polish Americans () are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 8.81 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.67% of the U.S. population, ...
artist Fr.
Theodore Jurewicz was commissioned to paint the entire church. Done over the span of three years, Fr. Theodore is held to be one of the most celebrated icon painters in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
today.
[Serbian Monastery of New Gracanica – History](_blank)
Painted in a
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
style it features richly colored designs and religious scenes covering the
wall
A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
s,
vaults,
pillars and
dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
of the church. The
fresco
Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
es painted by Fr. Theodore like other contemporary icon painters are done in
acrylics on dry
plaster
Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of buildings, while "re ...
.
See also
*
List of Serb Orthodox monasteries
*
Serbs in USA
*
Serbs in Canada
*
Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery and Seminary
*
Monastery of St. Paisius, Safford
*
Saint Petka Serbian Orthodox Church
*
St. Pachomious Monastery
St. Pachomious Monastery is a women's monastic community located on Route 1 in Greenfield, Missouri, US. The monastery, named after Pachomius the Serb, is part of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America and under the omophorion of Bi ...
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Gracanica Monastery
Churches in Illinois
Serbian-American culture in Illinois
Serbian Orthodox monasteries in the United States
Buildings and structures in Lake County, Illinois
Churches in Lake County, Illinois