Lešok Monastery

Lešok Monastery

Monastery information
Order	Macedonian Orthodox
Established	1326
Dedicated to	St Athanasius and St Mary
Diocese	Diocese of Polog and Kumanovo
Controlled churches	Church of St Athanasius of Alexandria and Church of the Holy Mother of God
People
Abbot	Otec Teodosij
Prior	Kiril Peychinovich
Site
Location	Tetovo Municipality
Coordinates	42°03′50″N 21°01′58″E / 42.06389°N 21.03278°E / 42.06389; 21.03278Coordinates: 42°03′50″N 21°01′58″E / 42.06389°N 21.03278°E / 42.06389; 21.03278
Public Access	yes

The Monastery of Lešok is a monastery 8 km outside Tetovo in the Republic of Macedonia. Lying at 638 metres above sea level it is located on the southeastern side of the mountain Šar Planina. In its complex are the churches of St. Athanasius of Alexandria and the Holy Mother of God Church. The Church of the Holy Virgin, built in 1326, is an excellent example of Byzantine style and architectural tradition. The church has three layers of frescoes. The 1st and bottom layer is from the first time of construction, the second and middle one was added sometime in the 17th century, and the third and top layer was added in 1879. Several marble columns from the original church can still be seen in the Tetovo museum. The monastery dormitories were redecorated from around 1818 and the library was founded and Lešok became a literature and educational center.^[1]

Icons in the Church of the Holy Mother of God

The church of St. Athanasius was built in 1924 next to the Church of the Holy Mother of God. In the yard of the Monastery of Lešok is the tomb of the South Slavic educator Kiril Pejčinovik, who was born in 1770. In his honor, this monastery hosts an International Meeting of Literary Translators. Tetovo is also a host to the Festival of the Macedonian Choirs.

Today the monastery dormitories have been restored and are used to accommodate summer tourists.

References

1. ^ www.culture.org