Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery: A place for prayer, but also a food factory

In addition to being a gathering place for believers for eight centuries, the cathedral monastery of the Diocese of Budimlja-Niššić Đurđevi stupovi in ​​Berane has recently also been a large food factory.

On their farm in the monastery grounds, hardworking monks, who are often helped by bishop Joanikije himself, produce a lot of milk, the famous cheese - young and old full-fat, in demand on tables from Beran to the coast...

"We will soon start producing cream," says the monk Anastasije.

He has been in Berane for thirteen years and manages the monastery's economy, where there is no type of fruit, grain or vegetable that is not produced.

"The farm, which has about twenty cows, was formed during the Mednem project and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, will soon be richer by another 16 cows. You see, we built them a modern stable, which we are expanding. There is a hayloft, the necessary machines for food preparation," says Atanasije.

While waiting for the housewife to appear who makes various types of cheese, this man shows the modern monastery dairy.

"We used to deliver milk to the Zora dairies, but there was a problem due to non-payment, so we built our own cheese factory. The economy was conceived by the blessed proto-angel Nikodim, who first started planting plums, but everything became serious with the arrival of bishop Joanikija," recalls father Atanasije.

He does not miss the opportunity to mention father Andronikos, who started to build greenhouses on the monastery land, in which large quantities of vegetables are produced.

Athanasius is reluctant to talk about his part in the booming economy, which is known not only to believers, but to everyone who even stops by for a tour out of curiosity.

The farm covers several hectares, and there is also an oil mill, from which the famous, completely natural and ecological honey flows.

"The greenhouses are now run by father Jerotej Kaluđerović, the abbot of the monastery, who also grows paulownia, but also manages agricultural production. There is also a candle making workshop. We would do more, but we need more hands," says the monk Anastasija.

Without too much time for the story, he is already preparing the tractor for work in the fields around the monastery.

A good part of the products from the monastery's economy reaches hungry mouths through the folk kitchen, which was opened in the first half of this year by the Charitable Foundation of the Patriarchate of Montenegro and the Littoral Philanthropy.

It is the first soup kitchen of its kind in the north of Montenegro, and the foundation previously opened soup kitchens in Podgorica and Cetinje.

The Diocese of Budimljansko-Nikšić then announced that the public kitchen will provide services to socially disadvantaged families and individuals, among whom are a large number of displaced persons and refugees who find refuge in the refugee camps in Berane.

And indeed - ever since the National Kitchen "Divna Veković" at the Đurđevi stupovi monastery began to operate, the number of users of this charitable institution, one of the few that cares for those who need help, has been increasing month by month.

According to the manager, priest Željan Savić, during the official start of the work of the National Kitchen in Berane, fifty meals were distributed to the beneficiaries, and in the following months, the number of families, that is, members, who welcome this kind of help, increased.

"In May, a hot meal was provided for 27 families, i.e. 50 members, in June for 32 families, or rather 61 beneficiaries, during July 62 people received help, in August 71 beneficiaries used the National Kitchen, and in September 69 beneficiaries", says Savić.

He notes that there are three points where food is provided, and those who are infirm and old, who have no one to take care of them, meals are taken home.

Thus, from being a holy gathering place for the faithful, through agriculture, that is, economy and folk cuisine, the Đurđevi stupovi monastery became known as a large food farm and refuge for the hungry.