Gornea – Gornea–Sichevița Monastery
Gornea, Caraș-Severin County
Access: Route Orşova – Moldova Nouă (Danube Gorge)
The archaeological excavations carried out in the Danube Gorge have also revealed some objects with Christian symbols dating from the IV-V centuries, proving the existence of an early Christian life in these places. In June 2001, the the Diocese of Caransebeș officially approved the establishment of a hermitage in the town of Gornea, the commune of Sichevita, on the site of a former border guard, and the monastic activity began in May 2001.
The existing land and buildings were donated to the Diocese of Caransebeș by the Ministry of Interior. In 2002 the basement, the cells, the kitchens and the archangel were built for the faithful. The new church of the monastic settlement was built between 2004-2010 by brick, in Byzantine style. The hermitage was elevated to the monastery rank on November 18, 2010.
Bazias Monastery, located in the village with the same name of Caras-Severin county, was built in 1225 and considered the greatest sanctity of Orthodox Serbs in the Danube Gorge. This is due to the tradition of these places, which links the name of the monastery and its establishment with the name of the first archbishop of the Serbs, St. Sava Nemanjic. It is said that he would have stopped here because of a storm unleashed by the local wind, “Cosava”. Not being able to go further, Saint Sava would have addressed the wind with the words “Bas zias”, meaning “even howls”, hence the name of the settlement and the monastery.
Zlatița Monastery
The Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Zlatița with the dedication of Saint Simion and Sava is located on the right bank of the Nera just 3 km from the Cusici Monastery. It is supposed to date from the 13th century. XIII, being the foundation of St. Sava Nemanici, the promoter of Serbian culture. A document from 1775 mentions the year 1496 for the founding of the three monasteries: Baziaș, Cusici and Zlatița. According to some records, the monastery from 1569 to 1579 had three monks.
The church was medium in size and was completely painted inside, the foundation was made of stone and the walls were made of bricks, and the cells were arranged around it. Although seriously damaged, it was still complete in 1771, but in 1798 only its ruins were still visible. The archaeological researches from 2003, have identified the ruins of the church from the 15th century, with dimensions 17.50 m x 5.20 m. The monastery was burnt down twice, during the war of 1738, and during the revolution of 1848.
In 1848 the 5 monks took refuge in Baziaș where they reactivated the monastery. In 1772, the Baziaș and Cusici Monasteries were affiliated with the Zlatița Monastery, and the monks moved here. Thus, in 1775 the three monasteries had 8 people together. The present church was built between 1760-1770. Now the monastery Zlatița has no monastic life, its gates open on June 28.
Mănăstirea Cusici
Mănăstirea ortodoxă sârbă din Cusici, sa află pe malul stâng al Nerei aproape de granița sârbă. Anul construirii nu se cunoaște cu exactitate. Săpăturile arheologice au dovedit că în secolul XV aici a funcționat o mănăstire, se păstrează ruinele bisericii acesteia. Documentele turcești au consemnat mănăstirea Sf. Nicolae, pentru prima dată în 1556-1557.
Cusici Monastery
The Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Cusici is located on the left bank of the Nera near the Serbian border. The year of construction is not known exactly. The archaeological digs proved that in the 15th century a monastery operated here, the ruins of its church are preserved. Turkish documents recorded the monastery of St. Nicholas, for the first time in 1556-1557.
Un document din 1757, aduce dovada că mănăstirea Cusici avea la momentul respectiv o biserică nouă, cu hramul Nașterea Prea Sfintei Născătoare de Dumnezeu. Biserica actuală a mănăstirii, a fost construită în prima jumătate a secolului XVIII, parțial pe vechile fundații. 1951 clopotul mănăstirii și inventarul bisericii din Cusici au fost predate bisericii din Zlatița. În prezent mănăstirea nu are viață monahală, este deschisă în ziua hramului Nașterea Maicii Domnului – 21 septembrie.
A document from 1757, proves that the Cusici Monastery at that time had a new church, dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God. The current church of the monastery was built in the first half of the 18th century, partly on the old foundations. 1951 – the bell of the monastery and the inventory of the church in Cusici were handed over to the church in Zlatița. Currently the monastery does not have a monastic life, it is open on the day of the Birth of the Virgin Mary – September 21st.