A fascinating cave church has been carved into the side of a cliff.
During the 1600s, the Balkans were marked by turbulence. The small Principality of Montenegro was struggling to survive against the mighty Ottoman Empire. To evade Ottoman raiders, numerous Orthodox Christians retreated to the mountains.
The Ostrog Monastery is located on the Ostroška Greda mountainside and was founded by Vasilije, who later became known as St. Vasilije of Ostrog. The monastery's cave-church houses a shrine containing his body. His mortal remains are said to possess healing powers, attracting pilgrims from different religions, including Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and Muslims.
The tradition of making pilgrimages to Ostrog is still alive and attracts visitors of different faiths from all over. A big celebration is held at Pentecost. The cave monastery complex was renovated between 1923 and 1926 following a fire which caused severe damage. However, two of the original cave chapels were unaffected and remained in their original state.
St. Vasilije of Ostrog still exists, but over time, he has deteriorated from his original state.
