Completed 1439/1440 Province Principality of Zeta | Address Montenegro Founder Đurađ II Balšić | |
Location Beška island on Skadar Lake Affiliation Serbian Orthodox Church State Serbian Despotate (modern-day Montenegro) Funded by Đurađ II Balšić, Jelena Balšić Ecclesiastical or organizational status Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral Similar Moračnik Monastery, Bijela Monastery, Podmalinsko Monastery, Bavanište monastery, Banja Monastery | ||
Beška Monastery or (Serbian Cyrillic: Манастир Бешка) is a Serbian Orthodox monastery on Beška island on Skadar Lake built in the Principality of Zeta of the Serbian Despotate (modern-day Montenegro). It has two churches within its complex, the 'Church of St. George' and the 'St Mary's Church'.
Contents
Church of St. George
The Church of St. George (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква Светога Ђорђа) was built at the end of the 14th century by Đurađ II Balšić the Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403. His widow Jelena Balšić reconstructed it before she built St Mary's Church in 1439/1440.
St Mary's Church
The St Mary's Church or Church of Holy Mother (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква Благовештења) was built in 1439/1440 as the legacy of Jelena Balšić which is also confirmed by the inscription on the monastery. Jelena died in Beška monastery and was buried in the St Mary's Church.
The sacred bones of Jelena Balšić were placed in new relic case made of stone after the Church of Holy Mother she built on Beška island was reconstructed in 2002 by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral. By the decision of the 'Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral' in 2006 she was titled 'Blagovjerna' and named Blagovjerna Jelena Lazareva Balšić.