Mesic Monastery - Female Orthodox Monastery

Manastir Mesić

Today, the Mesić Monastery is a nunnery, located at the foot of the so-called Donkey Hill, in the vineyard region, east of the town of Vršac. This monastery is one of the most important monasteries in southeastern Banat. Below you can find out more about its history, features and ways to get to it.

History of Mesic Monastery
The Mesić Monastery is first mentioned in the cadastre of the Peć Patriarchate from 1660 and 1666. From these documents, it is known that the Mesić monastery was the residence of the bishops of Vršac after the Great Migration, when the privileges of the Austrian emperor Leopold I confirmed the appointment of Spiridon Štibica as the bishop of Vršac. This monastery was most likely built in the 15th century, although local legend says that it was founded in 1225 by Arsenije Bogdanović Hilandarac, when Saint Sava personally appointed him abbot.

Appearance and characteristics of the Mesić monastery

The Mesić Monastery was named after the stream of the same name, which springs in the monastery forest and on which there was a mill in 1797.
The monastery church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist in 1660, which is a unique case among Serbian monasteries.
The Mesić Monastery was destroyed on several occasions in the 18th century by the Turks.
In the church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, there are the remains of frescoes from 1743.
Below is an even older layer of frescoes that has not been examined, as well as frescoes that were created in the 18th century.
The Mesić Monastery keeps in its treasury valuable manuscripts, books, as well as many paintings, which were painted by famous painters.
On the throne of the Mother of God in the Mesić monastery, there is an icon Dostojno Jest, which is given miraculous power. This icon originates from the Holy Mount Athos, and was brought to this monastery in 1803.

How to get to the Mesic monastery?
You can get from Belgrade to the Mesić Monastery by car in 2 ways:

via Route 10 (in an hour and 45 minutes)

via Route 134 (in 2 hours and 15 minutes).
From the center of Vrsac to the monastery Mesic is almost 10 km, so we advise you to call a taxi service, if you came by bus to this city. We recommend Prestige Taxi: 063 363 636.

Additional information
The Mesić Monastery keeps in its treasury several valuable manuscripts and printed books, as well as paintings by famous artists such as Jovan Popović from Opovo (Portrait of J. J. Šakabenta). In 1952, this monastery became a nunnery, when the abbess Teodora Milošević was appointed its head. Since then, the monastery has been repaired and put in order in every respect. If you are interested in any more information regarding the Mesić Monastery, call the phone number: 013 884 550.