Texts on Manasija
A Short Chronology of Manasija Monastery
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From 1406 to the present day - more than six centuries in 50 events
I · 1406 – 1427
Building the Endowment
From the founding to the repose of the founder
1406/7
founding of Manasija Monastery ŽDS 52
1418
consecration of Manasija Monastery ŽDS 52
1427
Saint Despot Stefan reposed ŽDS 86; he was buried in his endowment, the Church of the Holy Trinity at Manasija ŽDS 87
II · 1439 – 1477
Under the Ottomans
The fortress changes hands, and the monastery becomes a storehouse
1439
an Ottoman military garrison in the monastery of Resava SSRL 660г; HSV 53
1444
after the Peace of Szeged the Serbian state was restored, and the Turkish army withdrew from the monastery
c. 1455
Resava is conquered by the Ottomans HMM 41; if the report is reliable, they may have abandoned it soon afterward
1456
“Resava burned” (according to the Bijelo Polje Chronicle) SSRL 710
1458
the Ottomans again seize the Resava fortress
1467
in the fortress of the monastery of Resava there were a Turkish commander, troops, and an imam, while among the inhabitants a monk Nikon is also mentioned BT 250–251
c. 1476/1477
the monastery turned into a storehouse
more than two centuries later…
III · 1720 – 1790
Restorations and Suffering
The monks return, then flee once again
1720
the monastery restored; monks are living in it - Caludier (the Resava monks - kaluđeri) IKAV 62
1723 or 1724
the “Resavci” (monks) serve as priests in the Resava parish EPES 153
1725
Proegumen Arsenije begins the restoration of the monastery SSZN 10234
before 1730
Abbot Josif is the superior of Manasija Monastery IMR 148, 151
c. 1730
the church of Manasija was damaged in a gunpowder explosion in the narthex
1739
the Peace of Belgrade: the Austrian army also withdrew from Serbia, the Turks again took the lands up to the Danube and the Sava, and the monks of Manasija fled to Srem, to the monastery of Bođani
1741
the monastery fortress deserted and uninhabited
1784
Ottomans are again living in Manasija Monastery, and the master of the fortress was Mehmed Basha
1790
in August 1790, in Manasija Monastery, the Ottomans treacherously executed about 200 Serbs whom they had previously invited to come unarmed to negotiations on surrender
IV · 1804 – 1907
The Monastery Restored
Abbots restore the monastery, King Aleksandar donates a bell
c. 1804
Abbot Joanikije, a native of Leskovac, comes to Manasija Monastery and begins its restoration SSZN 3834; 3878
1813
after the collapse of the uprising, the monastery again deserted
1815
Abbot Joanikije returned; the clearing and restoration of Manasija Monastery begun
1816–1861
Abbots Savva, Mojsej, Isaija, Samuil, Gerasim and Evgenije restore the monastery and the church, and enlarge the monastery estates...
1844
the first major restoration of the Church of the Holy Trinity at Manasija, which was roofed
1846
the first known drawing of the Resava fortress, the work of Dimitrije Avramović (1815–1855)
1861–1904
Abbots Kiril and Miron labor in Manasija Monastery
1893
an earthquake damaged the monastery church
1895
repair of Manasija Monastery under the government of King Aleksandar Obrenović
1897
Saint Rafailo of Šišatovac was tonsured a monk in Manasija Monastery
1898
Saint Dositej the Confessor of Zagreb was tonsured a monk in Manasija Monastery
1898
King Aleksandar Obrenović donated to Manasija Monastery a bell weighing 1,800 kg
1907
celebration of the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the construction of Manasija Monastery
V · 1911 – 1990
The Twentieth Century
Wars and suffering, then new lodgings and a chapel
1911
the Manasija fortress damaged during the construction of a road beside the monastery
1915–1918
the monastery suffered and was plundered
1925
King Aleksandar I Karađorđević donated a new great bell to Manasija Monastery
1927
solemn renewal of the cult of Saint Despot Stefan Lazarević, founder (ktitor) of Manasija Monastery
1929
Saint Hieromartyr Mitrofan Matić was tonsured a monk in Manasija Monastery
1941–1945
suffering during the Second World War
1945
the abbot of Manasija Monastery, Father Pavle Panić, sentenced to prison
1953
nuns come to Manasija Monastery
1953–1955
Manasija Monastery turned into a convent; in the second half of the 20th century extensive archaeological research and architectural restorations of the Resava fortress were carried out
1956–1990
during the administration of Abbess Paraskeva, Saint Elder Sophrony Sakharov stayed in the monastery for some time
1960
the old monastic residence (konak) restored
1977
the new monastic residence built
1981
the chapel of Saint Despot Stefan consecrated
1985
the guesthouse with a formal refectory and library was built
VI · 2006 – 2023
Our Time
The founder's grave is found, and the monastery is once again a men's monastery
2006
the tomb of Saint Despot Stefan discovered in the nave of the Church of the Holy Trinity at Manasija
2022
Manasija Monastery restored to the status of a men's monastery
2022–2023
the superior of the monastery was the abbot of Tumane, Archimandrite Dimitrije Plećević
2023
Protosyncellus Pavle Mirković appointed superior of the monastery
