jadran u fokusu/ adriatic in focus
that had already sent its men to do battle else- where. In order to preserve the greatest treas- ures, the icon of the Virgin Mary was transferred to the mainland, to the church of St. Nicholas, where refuge was also taken by the few people – women and children – who had remained alive in Perast that day. And yet the town did not fall, neither on that day nor at any time, under Ottoman rule. That miracle, which saw a few locals defeat a much stronger enemy, is attributed to Our Lady of the Rocks, which is why she is carried to the church in Perast and honoured every year on 15th May. That’s the only day when this icon leaves her rock. And behind the altar on which the icon stands there is a narrow passage that cannot be seen at all. If they hadn’t told us, we would even have known it was there. With backs to the wall you walk behind the icon, squatting slowly as it’s quite narrow, and pull your hand into a hole, filled with faith that something back there won’t bite it off. Joking aside, I didn’t feel indifferently about it, but I wished wholeheart- edly and with my hand in that hole I touched the top of the rock upon which the church was built. A completely indescribable feeling! Don Srećko Majić, the abbot who serves Our Lady and performs services on the islet of St. George, tells me that Our Lady has heard and fulfilled many wishes. But the tip of the rock should be touched by firm faith, and not just a hand. - The gifts of Our Lady are the biggest se- crets of this place. People pray for all sorts and give thanks for everything. When they whisper a request to Our Lady, people return to thank her. It’s nice to bring something, but for Our Lady the dearest gift is a good heart, says Don Srećko, who has wed couples from around the world on this island. The only condition is that at least one of the intended spouses is Catholic, while the other can be a follower of any faith. Don Srećko does not mind. Call, schedule and commit to eternal love in this magical place. This affable abbot says that a good time to visit the Bay of Kotor is around 22 nd July, be- cause it is then that residents of Kotor Bay cel- ebrate the custom known as fašinada. Before sunset small wooden boats sail from Perast to Our Lady of the Rocks, carrying stones to re- inforce the islet. This event is named after the Italian word“fascia”, meaning band or strip, be- cause the boats are tied together and decorat- ed with black poplar branches. When they all arrive at their destination, all the bells toll and the boats form a ring around Our Lady of the Rocks, thus symbolising their connection with the Virgin Mary. Stones are thrown into the sea, love songs are sung, concerts are performed, exhibitions are staged etc. - This festival has an almost 600-year-old tradition that has never been interrupted. This is a tradition that cannot be seen or experi- enced anywhere else in the Mediterranean, explains Don Srećko.
koji opslužuje Gospu i obavlja služ- bu na Svetom Đorđu, kaže mi da je Gospa mnoge želje uslišila i ispunila. Ali vrh stene treba pipnuti i čvrstom verom, a ne samo rukom. – Darovi su Gospini najveće taj- ne ovog mesta. Ljudi svašta mole i za sve se zahvaljuju. Kad Gospa usliši molbe, ljudi se vraćaju da joj se za- hvale. Lepo je što nešto donesu, ali je Gospi najdraže dobro srce − kaže don Srećko, koji na ovom ostrvu ven- čava mladence iz celog sveta. Jedi- ni je uslov da je bar jedan supružnik katoličke vere, a drugi može biti bi- lo koje. Don Srećku ne smeta. Pozo- vete, zakažete i obavežete se na več- nu ljubav na ovom čarobnom mestu. Simpatični opat kaže da je do- bro vreme da se svrati u Boku oko 22. jula jer je tada slavlje koje Bokelji nazivaju fašinada. Pred zalazak sun- ca barke plove od Perasta ka Gos- pi, noseći kamenje da ojačaju ostr- vo. Ova manifestacija dobila je ime po italijanskoj reči fascia, što zna- či traka ili povez, a tako je nazvana jer su barke međusobno povezane i okićene jablanovim granama. Kad stignu na odredište, zvona sva zvo- na, a brodići prave prsten oko Gos- pe od škrpjela simbolizujući na taj način povezanost sa Bogorodicom. Kamenje se baca u more, pevaju se ljubavne pesme, održavaju se kon- certi, prave izložbe... – Fešta ima tradiciju dugu goto- vo 600 godina, koja nikada nije pre- kidana. To je običaj koji na Meditera- nu nigde ne možete videti i doživeti – kaže don Srećko.
GOBLEN KAO NIJEDAN DRUGI Jedna je Peraštanka 25 godina vezla goblen Bogorodici moleći se da njenog dragog sa- čuva na dugim plovidbama. Jacinta Kunić Mi- jović utkala je u taj rad i svoju kosu, zlatnu u mladosti i srebrnu u starosti. Ova je žena us- pela da izveze po 700 uboda iglom na jed- nom cm 2 . Kada je Gospi poklonila goblen 1828, bila je već slepa.
TAPESTRY LIKE NO OTHER One local lady from Perast spent 25 years em- broidering a tapestry of the Virgin, praying that her loved one be protected on all of his voyages. Jacinta Kunić-Mijović also wove into that work her own hairs – golden in her youth, silver in her old age. This woman managed to make 700 needle pricks per square centime- tre. It is believed that in 1828, when she pre- sented this gift, she had already gone blind.
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