NEW SPLENDOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. ARCHANGEL MICHAEL NEAR BILEĆA

The interior and exterior renovation of the Church of St. Archangel Michael in Trnovi Do near Bileća has been completed. Currently, work is underway to landscape the surroundings of the church, with plans for its consecration set for Vidovdan.

Priest Branko Kalaba mentioned that there are plans for the future fresco painting of the church's interior, as well as the construction of a guesthouse, for which a project was designed by a Bileća native living and working in Novi Sad.

"It is planned to create cascades above the church, enhancing its overall appearance. The intention is to consecrate the church before Vidovdan and hold a church-people's assembly in honor of the Kosovo heroes and those who departed from here to Kosovo, so that history does not fade into oblivion," said Kalaba, who is the priest of the Church of St. Sava in Bileća.

He recalled the tradition that the Church of St. Archangel Michael in Trnovi Do near Bileća has pre-Kosovo origins and that the army of Duke Vlatko Vuković received communion there before the Kosovo Battle.

"Just as Kosovo itself has the Monastery of the Holy Archangels near Prizren, built by Emperor Dušan, churches dedicated to archangels, angels, who are the heavenly host, are not uncommon in the tradition of the Serbian people, which speaks of both military and suffering history. Such is the history of this church and its people," Kalaba said.

He added that the landscaping of the church and guesthouse will continue to transform it into a monastery complex.

"Before the start of this renovation, and even earlier, archaeologists found groups of certain foundational remains indicating that it was a monastery in the early centuries," said Kalaba, who is also a member of the church renovation committee.

The restoration of the Church of St. Archangel Michael in Trnovi Do near Bileća began three years ago.