Mother of God of Piva

Marian title of Plužine (Montenegro)

El monastery of Piva is an ancient Orthodox monastery located in the area of Platinumin northern Montenegro, and is dedicated to the Sleep of the Mother of God. The local tradition and the historiography of the monastery place its foundation in the 16th centuryunder Serbian Orthodox jurisdiction, in a context of intense monastic life in the region of the river Piva basin; the available divulgative documentation identifies the whole as the Monastery of Piva and presents it as one of the main religious monuments of Montenegro.

Main data

Origin and history

El monastery of Piva is an ancient Orthodox monastery located in the area of Platinumin northern Montenegro, and is dedicated to the Sleep of the Mother of God. The local tradition and the historiography of the monastery place its foundation in the 16th centuryunder Serbian Orthodox jurisdiction, in a context of intense monastic life in the region of the river Piva basin; the available divulgative documentation identifies the whole as the Monastery of Piva and presents it as one of the main religious monuments of Montenegro.

The most outstanding documented story is its traslado's forehead in the 20th century, made to save it from the flood caused by the construction of embalse de Beer. The tourist and divulgative sources consulted agree that the artificial lake was formed after the construction of the dam of Mratinje en 1975and that the monastery was dismantled and rebuilt in a new location to prevent its disappearance.

The image and the sanctuary

The venerated advocation is Presveta Bogorodica - the Holy Mother of God- represented in the orthodox liturgical context of the monastery dedicated to the Sleep of the Virgin. It does not contain a miraculous image specific sculptural or pictorial type with precise material and dating; therefore, these data no constan for sure.

The sanctuary is the Monastery of Piva (Manastir Beer), en Plužine, Montenegro. It is famous for its fresh and by the fact that it was rebuilt elsewhere after the transfer of the original building; the available sources describe it as a monastic orthodox complex of great artistic and historical value, but no consta having the category of minor basilica, national sanctuary or diocesan sanctuary in the documents consulted.

Sponsorship and coronation

The monastery and the advocation are primarily linked to the local community of Plužine and the Orthodox religious heritage of Montenegro; no consta a canonically formulated patronage of a city, diocese or nation in the verified sources consulted.

No documented canonical coronation for this invocation in the revised sources.

Party and devotion

The main feast of the monastery corresponds to the Sleeping of the Most Holy Mother of Godwhich in the Orthodox tradition is celebrated August 15 according to the Gregorian calendar; in the Churches following the Julian calendar, the liturgical date is moved to the 28 August civilian. This identification with the Sleep is derived from the monastery's own dedication.

The sources consulted above all highlight the historical-artistic value of the place and its unique transfer, rather than large figures of influx or specific popular traditions; therefore, these data no constan. The monastery is one of the best known religious and cultural points of interest in the area of Platinum and the environment of Lake Piva.

Link to the Rosary

There is no specific and documented link between this Orthodox advocation of Preveta Bogorodica de Piva and the prayer of Rosary in the Latin Catholic sense. Even so, the Marian relationship is clear: the contemplation of the life of Christ with Mary, proper to the Rosary, is in harmony with the Orthodox veneration of the Theotokos and with the solemnity of the Sleepwhich underlines the glorification of the Mother of God in the economy of salvation.