Page 224 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

The Church of Zočište
The monastery of the Holy Healers (anargyroi) Cos- mas and Damian at Zočište, located in the vicinity of Orahovac, is considered to be an endowment of a Ser-
bian feudal lord in early 14th century, although this tradi- tion was not confirmed by available historical evidence. The monastery was first mentioned in 1327 during the reign of King Stefan Dečanski (1321–1331), and it was partially damaged after the 1389 Battle of Kosovo. it was addition- ally vandalized by the Muslim albanians who used the stones of the original building to construct a mosque in Prizren. The monastery was rebuilt in the late 16th century following the reinstatement of the Serbian Patriarchate under the name of Patriarchate of Peć. in the late 17th cen- tury, it was mentioned by Nikola Bošković, a Serb mer- chant from Dubrovnik, a benefactor of many Serbian Or- thodox churches and a father of the famous Serb mathe- matician and astronomer Rudjer Bošković (1711–1787).
The Church edifice has been rebuilt on the existing and consolidated foundations using original building material from the ruins of the old church. The monastery is famous for the relics of the Saints Cosmas and Damian. The shrine at the monastery was said to provide a miraculous cure for
Rebuilt Church of the Holy Healers (Anargyroi) Cosmas and Damian, view from the southwest, Zočište
eye diseases and mental and psychosomatic disorders. it is said to be “one of the most important cultural places for Serbian and Christian settlements in the Metohija area.” The Zočište monastery was designated as Cultural Heri- tage of Serbia in 1954. Completely destroyed by the alba- nian extremists from the so-called Kosovo Liberation ar- my in 1999, the Zočište monastery was successfully rebuilt after 2004 and the church interior was painted in tradi- tional fresco technique by Miloš Raški.
222
Zočište, south wall, fresco wall-painting, Miloš Raški, 2014