The Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska with its church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Lake Skadar which nowadays lies in ruins and waits for the reconstruction.

The Monastery is located in the southwest coast of Lake Skadar near the village Ostrosa. The name Most Holy Mother of God Krajinska, although it is more correct the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska, was given after the Most Holy Mother of God to Whom it is dedicated and Krajna, the southernmost region of medieval Zeta. It is undoubtedly the oldest monastery in medieval Duklja, present Zeta. The church of the Most Holy Mother of God was built between 970 and 980 year and afterwards was founded this monastery in the beginning of eleventh century.

The ktetor of this great and rare shrine was the Holy Martyr Jovan Vladimir, the Duke of Zeta, the first saint among Serbian rulers and the Monastery of Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska was built as his residence and the court. Bishop Saint Nikolaj Velimirovic gives short description of his life it the book “The Proloque from Ochrid”:

“He came of a princely family from Zahumlje. His grandfather was named Hvalimir and his father Petrislav. He was a wise ruler; merciful, meek, chaste and courageous. He was fervent in prayer and a devoted builder and benefactor of churches. But he had major battles to fight, both inside and outside his realm; internally with heretics and Bogomils, and externally with invaders, with King Samuel and the Emperor Basil. Samuel captured him by guile and threw him into prison. While he was in prison, an angel of God appeared to him and foretold that he would soon be released from prison, but that he would die a martyr’s death. Getting to know Vladimir better Samuel became attached to him and gave him his daughter Kosara in marriage. When Samuel died, his son Radomir became king, but his twin brother Vladislav killed him and then summoned Vladimir on some pretext and beheaded him as well, in 1015. ”

Love of St. Jovan Vladimir for his wife Kosara and their suffering are sentimentally described in “The Annals of Priest Dukljanin” in which is also written that Kosara – Teodora after the death of her husband had founded the nunnery and lived as nun in the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska. She had brought the body of her husband to the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska where she herself was after her death buried next to his feet. It is important to point out that under her support disciples of St. Kliment of Ochrid were spreading literacy over this region, and thus Zeta, being connected to Ochrid, became the source of the Glagolitic letter. In some sources is considered that one of the oldest old–Slavic writings from eleventh century, the Glagolitic “Marijinsko Jevandjelje”, was written in the church of the Most Holy Mother of God and the Vladimir’s residence.

Holy Relics of St. Jovan Vladimir during first few hundreds of years had been resting in the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska, to be afterwards taken to the Monastery of Sin Djon near Elbasan. The Holy Martyr enjoyed great respect which is seen from oldest saved services, hagiographies and praise in his honor that were in their time written in Greece and later translated into Slavic. Even local Roman population called him blessed.

The Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God is mentioned in1417 year in the charter of Balsa III Djurdjevic which proves that the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska was at one time the residence of Zeta Metropolitanate. Under the pressure of Turkish force Zeta Metropolitans, after leaving the Monastery of St. Archangel Michael on Prevlaka, came to the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska where, most likely, was the residence of Zeta Metropolitan Arsenije. In the Turkish register from 1582 year this monastery is still mentioned, however, at the end of the seventeenth century it was abandoned. It is assumed that the Monastery was destroyed during campaigns of the Turkish vizier Sulejman – pasha Busatlija.

The monastery church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God had in the base three apses unity – the apse in the east, but also the apse in the north and the one in the west side. At first, these three apses lacked the dome, which was built later, in unknown time. For that reason in church interior were built pilasters – half pillars which, through arches, carry the weight of the dome. Next to the three apses unity was built narthex, and next to it the defense tower high 16, 5 m. It was still in good condition in 1931 year, but now only ruins are left. It had five floors and in the top floor was loggia with holes which had gothic pointed. On the forth floor was the small church.

Around the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God church are remains of monastery lodgings and other objects which speak about monks’ life. The whole complex together with the church was built at the end of fourteenth and during first decades of fifteenth century. During excavation are found fragments of frescos, painted ceramics and the cross of brass from eleventh or twelfth centuries.

On the day of St. Jovan Vladimir there is great gathering in the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska, and on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles his cross is in the procession being carried to the top of the Mountain Rumija.

The reconstruction of the whole Holy Mountain of Zeta began right here with the divine service in the Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God Krajnska and with carrying up the cross of St. Jovan Vladimir to the Mountain Rumija in the eighties of XX century. This monastery is today in ruins and waiting for its revival as the last in the line, although it is the crown of the whole Holy Mountain of Zeta. Abbot Hrizostom with his brotherhood from time to time presides at a Holy Liturgy in this neglected shrine. They have also hold the blessing of water and, to point out with great pleasure, there were few christenings in this holy place. When the reconstruction of the Monastery of St. George on the island Kosmac with the merciful help of God comes to an end, if there are still some means, with the blessing of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Eminence Amfilohije (Radovic) and with the sacred obligation and responsibility towards God given shrines, this monastery is going to be reconstructed.

Material help from all people willing to help the reconstruction of this biggest and oldest monastery in Lake Skadar is most welcome.