New Stjenik Monastery
In the most deserted place in the Balkans, and indeed, in one of the most deserted places in Europe, the Kučaj mountains in southern Serbia near the Bulgarian border, stands the only True Orthodox women’s monastery which still exists in this once richly Orthodox country.
New Stjenik, whose patron is St John the Baptist (celebrating their feast on his birth, July 7), is the remainder of the historical 14th century Stjenik monastery, which came to media attention in 2003 for its public renunciation of the authority of the Serbian Patriarchate due to their ecumenism. When, under the guidance of Hieroschemamonk Akakios, the sisterhood joined the rightly confessing Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece, the outrage of the patriarchate and public was extreme. Subsequently, the entire sisterhood was violently ejected from the monastery by the police with extremely negative participation by the media and public.
Due to the threats posed by the authorities, the nuns, with help of some believers founded their new monastery in this extreme desert, 60 kilometers away from any sort of civilization, with bad roads in the summer and accessible only by snowmobile during the winter months, depending on conditions.
Severe persecution of the monastery has continued to this day. The nuns have no right to social security, for example; the monastery essentially does not exist in the eyes of the law, with all the financial legal ramifications which accompany this. The monastery has also received threats, is regularly visited by the police, and financial help from many would-be supporters is blocked by the authorities.
The True Orthodox Church of Serbia
After the Second World War, when the Serbian Church fell into heresy and cooperation with communist authority, no true confessing church existed until 1996, when Hieromonk Akakios, after joining the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece on Mt Athos, returned to Serbia and began ministry. As of now he has founded three monasteries (one of which has been lost) and four parishes.
Today the Serbian True Orthodox Church, under the episcopate of Metropolitan Kallinikos of Corinth, consists of about 300 believers, five priests (two hieromonks) and is growing, but greatly struggling materially and feeling pressure from all sides from the state church. Of the four parishes, only one has a small house chapel. The majority of believers attend liturgy at the small men’s monastery, dedicated to Sts Cyril and Methodios. This monastery survives in the most humble conditions, in a small house and outbuildings, rather than having regular facilities.
New Stjenik Today
In the ever-increasing spiritual and material difficulties of the present times, the New Stjenik monastery acts as a holy fortress for all believers in Serbia. Indeed, it is one-of-a kind in the extent of its physical distance from the world, and is a veritable oasis for all looking for spiritual nourishment and peace, receiving many visitors each year from Serbia and in growing numbers from abroad.
Needs
Despite the great numbers of faithful who depend on her, conditions are difficult in the monastery. There is no electricity or running water; water for drinking is carried on back or by donkey from a nearby spring, and rain water or snow is melted for washing. The nuns sustain themselves from their garden and donations from local faithful and friends. However, the general situation in Serbia is too poor for people to help to any great extent. The average monthly income is 200-300 euros per month, property prices in Belgrade, (where most work exists) are among the highest in Europe, and unemployment is at 40%. It is difficult for laypeople to meet essential needs, and even more so for monastics.
The monastery is literally bursting out of its walls, which consists of one house with a dining room, trapeza, chapel, and three cells, and separately another small chapel and small icon workshop. After a cell reserved for the abbess and another for senior nuns, nine nuns share one remaining cell or live in the kitchen and dining room, which is unfinished with only a cement floor. There are no real facilities for guests; women stay in the dining room and men stay at a camp. 
The small space is especially tragic due to the interest in monasticism in the TOC, both from women in Serbia and from abroad, which cannot be met. It is also unfortunate for the youth of Serbia—as they have no organized catechism, the monastery would be an excellent place to hold summer camps, but at the moment we cannot support them with our living space.
Much-needed improvements are projected for 2010. We hope to add another wing to the monastery with more cells, guest rooms, and an expanded, better-insulated icon workshop by which the nuns can support the monastery.
At least 20,000 euros minimum is needed for material and labor.
Contact Information
For all those who would like to help the monastery, they can contact the Abbess Efrosyne at 00381 63 281 845 and novistjenik@gmail.com. The abbess will be also in the US from March 7 to April 8, and should be visiting Chicago, Detroit, and New York, with other destinations possible.
Fr Steven Allen of St Spyridon Parish, Detroit, can also be contacted for information via telephone at 586-773-9488 or email frsteven@wowway.com.
More pictures and information can be found on the monastery’s website.
Of course, not just New Stjenik, but the entire Serbian community is in need of aid, such as increasing church facilities and monasteries and the support of its clergy, and we collect donations for them as well.
Serbs in the United States looking for a home in the True Orthodox Church may contact our Missions Department at missions@hotca.org for assistance. We can answer correspondence in Serbian.
May God bless all the friends and helpers of His Holy Church!
