The reconstruction of the Monastery of Kom began, as mentioned previously, in 1998 year, when, with the blessing of Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Eminence Amfilohije (Radovic) to revive the Monastery, hieromonk David (Miseljic) and monk Hrizostom (Nesic) came to the Monastery of Kom. When father David in 1999 left to St. Johns` valley, monk and present abbot is left alone in the monastery with the task to rebuild it and to create spiritual life in it.
Father Hrizostom finds the monastery in ruins (except for the church) and begins at first, we can easily say, the fight for survival. Lodgings were in ruins, only preserved remains of vaulted cells in the cellar and wall screens facing the lake, high up to 10 m were found preserved. The yard was untilled, earthen, with remains of stone supporting walls and stairways which surmounted existing cascade levels. The first task to father Hrizostom was to build for himself a roof over his head, instead of sleeping on the bare rock in the open. After first two years of hard labor he had managed to rebuild (the only remained) edged carrying walls of stone and to build up roofs over three accommodation buildings of the monastery: lodgings, the kitchen – dining room and the warehouse. Thus was obtained the base for future life and reconstruction both in building and spiritual sense.
The monastery could be divided into two zone: the first being the church with the porch (separated, eastern from the rest of the complex) and the second being the accommodation part consisting of three independent functional unoities – the monastery lodgings, the kitchen – dining room and the warehouse – with only one room, magazine for general use. These three buildings close on three sides squared space – the inner yard which is with its fourth, free side, facing southeast, the lake and the “east” gate of the entrance to the monastery. All buildings had only the ground floor, except for the lodgings which also had the cellar. All of them had the same height, with gable roofs. Lodgings had the entrance hall, three cells and the bathroom, and already mentioned cellar. Attached to the monastery lodgings was the ruin of the building which once had two levels.
With help of God, under the merciful protection of the Most Holy Mother of God to Whom this Monastery is dedicated, the contribution and help of Christ-loving people and the effort of father Hrizostom this shrine has been continually reviving. In 2001 year the architect, mister and, above all, brother in Christ, Dragan Antonijevic made serious plan for the thorough and expert reconstruction of the Monastery of Kom. The reconstruction was to be realized in three phases, which, thanks to God` mercy, were done.
Living itself imposed the need for covering the central platform – yard and thus getting the porch under which can all everyday activities be done, both in the winter and in the summer, without depending on weather circumstances, sunshine or rain. Already existing closed spaces were small and low, lacking the porch necessary for everyday activities. The only existing porch was the one of the church which was separated and its porch had the purpose of narthex and the place for tombs and, after all, being the part of the shrine it would be inappropriate to be used for such purpose. Squared, but relatively small space of the yard (and small height of ending garlands) didn’t allow forming porches which would “follow a circle”, like “cloister” and “patia”. The better solution was found in the covering the whole space. The cover was made in the same form as the church porch in order to get the recognized entirety. Features of this new space are pillars and wooden poles with capitals on edges, massive wooden roof construction, in this case as simple grating spreading in two way so that the central part wouldn’t need supporters, three slopes roof and new floor on the whole yard made of rubble. The new porch is not attached to neighboring buildings, except for the “gable” side of the roof by which it touches the gable of the warehouse, present dining room – the accommodation for visitors. Small eaves of the cooper sheets, which come from the gutter used for connecting with the porch, are placed above the lodgings door and the present kitchen with small dining room. Fissures left between buildings, between walls and between the roof of the porch and roofs next to it, allow free air flows and, especially in the summer, make pleasant freshness under the shade of the porch. The porch is covered with tile like other buildings in the monastery. With this was finished the first phase of the reconstruction of the Monastery.
The second phase was to rebuild remained ruined walls in the extension of lodgings. The built up roof and the construction of the mezzanine formed additional space in lodgings and in the cellar of the warehouse. Thus the previous warehouse lost its purpose and turned into the present dining room – the accommodation for visitors. Simultaneously was built surrounding wall around the whole monastery which contained existing east and remolded west gate and all paths were paved.
Building of the tower – bell was the third, finishing, phase of the reconstruction of the Monastery of Kom. In the yard on the east “end” of the north kitchen wing existed squared foundation which, with the position of its centre of gravity, as well as with its measures, was an ideal place for the foundation of the tower - bell. It is not known whether there was in one time the tower – bell, or whether the monastery had the vertical tower – bell or just the kind of bell – the rattle in the hole in the wall, but, on the suggested and blessed solution, the new tower – bell was built in the place of the given suitable base. The tower – bell is the tower of stone, with the height proportional to other buildings. It is the needed vertical and the emphasis of the complex, which is seen and, even more important, heard from the distance.
When this was finished, in October 2005, with the help of God, the Monastery of Kom was reconstructed and attained its present looks. These phases of reconstruction didn’t involve works on the church; it has not been repaired since the eighties of the last century, when partial reparation of the building and conservation of frescos was done under the supervision of experts.
All these monastery buildings, built up with great love and effort, in the glory of God, together with the church as the source of both spiritual and cultural life and most important in both spiritual and cultural sense, make one unique dimension of the Monastery. Only in the close relationship with devoted God seekers among monks and pious people the Monastery reaches its fullness as the base of faith, and it lives and regenerates in the full sense of these words.
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THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE MONASTERY OF KOM |
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