St. Vasilije of Ostrog the baptismal name of Erik, his mother and father Anastasius Peter Jovanovic, was born in Popovo Selo, Herzegovina in 1610. As a small child, he was raised in the Orthodox spirit, and it was full exceptional clarity and diligence. To save his son from invasion of Turks, his parents took him to a nearby monastery Zavala, where his uncle was the abbot monk Seraphim. Most of the time spent in the monastery library, where he studied primer, breviary, and the first prayer. Realizing that Stojan grown affection for monastic life, his uncle sends him in the monastery, the seat of the Diocese of Trebinje. Stojan, a novice monk vows, gotten the name of Vasilije, and soon after became a deacon, then receives the priesthood.
As Bishop of Zahumlje and Herzegovina and Skenderia he lived in the monastery, serving the Orthodox faith, and protecting the faithful from Turkish savagery. When the Turks destroyed Tvrdos, Vasilije moved to Ostrog Monastery, where he continued his ascetic life and where he died in 1671. In the village Mrkonjici consecrated a temple dedicated to Saint Vasilije. The temple was built on the foundations of the house where the great God-pleasing and sits on the right side of the road when coming from the direction of Trebinje. On the left side of the road there is a temple of St Nicholas where the saint was baptized. Beside the temple is a cemetery in which the world relies and Ana, the mother of St Vasilije. During the consecration of the temple were confirmed by the words that his Eminence the Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije spoke when St. Vasilije visited Herzegovina: The Life of Saint Vasilije is not complete. It is written again every day! Recalling the time when the world went to Vasilije hiding and when he secretly prayed. The relics of Saint Vasilije of Ostrog as large shrines are kept in the monastery of Ostrog in Montenegro, and the place of pilgrimage for believers of all religions. Place for ascetics with the miraculous relics, in which the life of St. Basil lived, visited by Christians and Muslims alike, believing in their power of healing. The monastery is named after the hill that rises above it and is divided into Upper and Lower Ostrog, where the faithful come to worship the saint, especially in the feast of Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection.
Graphic realization: Miodrag Nikolic
Final graphical processing: Nebojsa Djumic and Bozidar Dosenovic
Printing house: POSTE SRPSKE, Banjaluka
